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Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House) (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Tally Ho! |  | 2 |
| Westerham - 1965 Special Bitter Ale | | 2 |
| Hogs Back - Tongham TEA (previously T.E.A.) | | 1 |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | | 4 |
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord | | 1 |
| Westerham - Audit Ale | | 1 |
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale |  | 2 |
| Titanic - Cherry Porter | | 1 |
| Batemans - Hooker | | 1 |
| Larkins - Pale | | 5 |
| Ossett - White Rat |  | 1 |
| Palmers - Copper Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Robinsons - Hop & Under | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - Platinum ESB | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wadworth - Dirty Rucker | Not Tried | 0 |
| Shepherd Neame - The Faversham Steam Brewery - Whitstable Bay Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| St Austell - Anthem | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - Aldhurst Original | Not Tried | 0 |
| Greene King - Morland Old Speckled Hen | Not Tried | 0 |
| Adnams - Ghost Ship | Not Tried | 0 |
| Bowland - Pheasant Plucker | Not Tried | 0 |
| Brains - SA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Greene King - Abbot | Not Tried | 0 |
| Exmoor - Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Brew York - Fennec Blonde (was 3.7%) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Leeds - Best | Not Tried | 0 |
| Shepherd Neame - Bishops Finger | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ringwood - Razorback | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - DB Number One | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - The Importance Of | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sharp's - Sea Fury | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Grandstand Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - Pilcrow Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wadworth - 6X | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Westerham - Spirit of Kent XXX Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
16 Feb 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westerham - 1965 Special Bitter Ale | 4.80 | | Still in fine form after several days |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Best of this ale I have had in a long time |
| Batemans - Hooker | 4.50 | | Florally hopped |
| Greene King - Morland Old Speckled Hen | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Wadworth - Dirty Rucker | 3.90 | Not Tried |
14 Feb 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close after a Tramlink part bus journey.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westerham - 1965 Special Bitter Ale | 4.80 | | In fine form |
| Titanic - Cherry Porter | 4.90 | | Good with bitterness overriding the fruitiness |
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | 5.00 | | Probably last out of the cask |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Batemans - Hooker | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Wadworth - Dirty Rucker | 3.90 | Not Tried | Came on late on |
| St Austell - Anthem | 3.80 | Not Tried | Came on late on |
07 Feb 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westerham - Audit Ale | 6.20 | | A heady brew and excellent enough to have a second one without hesitation |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Good but not up to scratch. Overfobbed on pouring and fresh on mouthfeel |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Grandstand Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Westerham - Spirit of Kent XXX Pale Ale | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Robinsons - Hop & Under | 4.20 | Not Tried |
30 Jan 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord | 4.30 | | No doubt as Landlord should be |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Pale recipe tweaked I wonder |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Ringwood - Razorback | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - The Importance Of | 4.20 | Not Tried |
26 Jan 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ossett - White Rat | 4.00 | | Awful. A murky mess. No idea what it was or was supposed to be. Fortunately no off flavours |
| Brains - SA | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | Not Tried | Spot on, fresh on tonight and and very well balanced |
| Leeds - Best | 4.30 | Not Tried |
24 Jan 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Had much better. This had a rather scummy broken yeasty head |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Good enough |
| Brains - SA | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Exmoor - Gold | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Brew York - Fennec Blonde (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | Not Tried |
19 Jan 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | As consistently expected |
| Hogs Back - Tongham TEA (previously T.E.A.) | 4.20 | | Bitterness came through more than the sweetness of old in this brew |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Good but some sort of twang with Larkins Pale as often experienced |
| Adnams - Ghost Ship | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Bowland - Pheasant Plucker | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Aldhurst Original | 3.50 | Not Tried |
17 Jan 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Badged as Tally Ho! Ho! Ho! Matt barman insistent that Palmers cellar services on a recent visit insisted this is a slightly different festive brew to Ho! |
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | 5.00 | | Unusual to have 200 and Tally Ho! on at same time - good |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Shepherd Neame - The Faversham Steam Brewery - Whitstable Bay Pale Ale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Aldhurst Original | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Platinum ESB | 5.20 | Not Tried |
12 Jan 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Fine form, no need to drink any other ale here tonight |
| Wadworth - 6X | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - Copper Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | Ran out |
| Dorking - Platinum ESB | 5.20 | Not Tried |
05 Jan 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Spot on as expected here |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Good but had better here and elsewhere |
| Shepherd Neame - Bishops Finger | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - DB Number One | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Sharp's - Sea Fury | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Pilcrow Pale | 4.00 | Not Tried |
About the Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House)
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 5 |
| 260 |
| 115 |
| 15 |
 | 1 |
The pub is found in Addiscombe, Greater London, CR0 7AA.
Small low ceilinged pub close to Addiscombe Tram Stop in Bingham Corner, Lower Addiscombe Road. This pub is a regular outlet for Palmers beers. In November 2012 Palmers awarded the pub a certificate for having sold a total of 1,000,000 pints of Palmers Best Bitter (IPA) exceeding any other of its free trade outlets and in later years further greatly exceeded here and similarly certificated with 1,250,000th in 2019. 6 handpumps dispense the real ales and always at least 2 ciders served by a walk to the ground floor cellar, the latter of late not being real ones however. Beers in the cellar and due to come on are listed on a wallboard. Changed hands in 2016 with slight change of name from Claret Free House to Claret & Ale but little else has changed. 6 handpumps. Regular winner of the local CAMRA branch Borough Pub of the Year award. Local CAMRA branch Pub of the Year 2024.
We have visited this pub 184 times, seen 271 different beers and tried 85 of them.
Postcode: CR0 7AA