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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 - 200 Premium Ale |  | 2 |
| Long Man - Old Man | | 1 |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | | 1 |
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord |  | 1 |
| Westerham - Viceroy India Pale Ale | | 1 |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | | 8 |
| Butcombe - Bitter (or Original Beer) | | 1 |
| Butcombe - West Coast | | 1 |
| Titanic - Plum Porter | | 2 |
| Long Man - Best Bitter | | 1 |
| Mighty Oak - Saxon Strong |  | 1 |
| Malton - Yorkshire Pudding Beer | | 1 |
| Timothy Taylor - Knowle Spring | | 1 |
| Westerham - Family Stout | | 1 |
| Larkins - Pale | | 1 |
| Hop Back - Citra | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Old Chestnut | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hogs Back - Tongham TEA (previously T.E.A.) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - London Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Downton - Cerberus | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Evolve | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Westerham - Summer Perle | Not Tried | 0 |
| Rooster's - This is England | Not Tried | 0 |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ossett - White Rat | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mighty Oak - The Old Man and The Sea | Not Tried | 0 |
| Long Man - Copper Hop | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Wandle | Not Tried | 0 |
| Butcombe - Rare Breed (or Adam Henson's Rare Breed) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - Surrey XPA (was 3.8%) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Greene King - Abbot | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Night Shift | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Wolf of the Woods | Not Tried | 0 |
| Westerham - Light Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Easy Street Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Salopian - Lemon Dream | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - The Light | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Pomelo | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - DB Number One | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
28 Jun 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Made up for the relative disappointments of the other 2 beers tonight |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Had better, taste not balanced enough |
| Mighty Oak - Saxon Strong | 6.50 | | OK but lacking the bite expected of a 6.5%er. Not sure why this pub persists on selling one ale on gravity on the bar - always flatter and not as cool as from the cellar |
| Salopian - Lemon Dream | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Night Shift | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Pomelo | 5.20 | Not Tried |
24 Jun 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Last knockings visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Sustaining the good form |
| Butcombe - West Coast | 4.60 | | Good try at a rather unexciting style |
| Sambrook's - Wandle | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Surrey XPA (was 3.8%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Night Shift | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Westerham - Light Ale | 3.20 | Not Tried |
21 Jun 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | 5.00 | | Just as it should be |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Good session opener |
| Mighty Oak - Saxon Strong | 6.50 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Wandle | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Surrey XPA (was 3.8%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Night Shift | 3.50 | Not Tried |
14 Jun 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | 4½* After what I thought was a quality lull from the brewery this was up there with the very best |
| Timothy Taylor - Knowle Spring | 4.20 | | Good on taste, little head or lacing |
| Westerham - Summer Perle | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur | 5.90 | Not Tried | Served on gravity in a cask on the bar counter |
| Dorking - DB Number One | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - The Old Man and The Sea | 4.10 | Not Tried |
07 Jun 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Few of the locals I converse with there for once.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Back to form |
| Titanic - Plum Porter | 4.90 | | Spot on fruit / bitterness balance |
| Hogs Back - Tongham TEA (previously T.E.A.) | 4.20 | Not Tried | In a cask on counter top |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - London Porter | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - Cerberus | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Evolve | 4.10 | Not Tried |
24 May 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. At last full tram service operating again.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | 5.00 | | Very very fruity concoction, much more so that usual. Had to have two |
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord | 4.30 | | Pretty much always reliable |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - DB Number One | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Hop Back - Citra | 4.00 | Not Tried | On gravity dispense on bar counter top |
| Tonbridge - Old Chestnut | 4.40 | Not Tried |
10 May 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butcombe - Bitter (or Original Beer) | 4.00 | | Good condition but an unremarkable beer |
| Titanic - Plum Porter | 4.90 | | Last out of a cask served on gravity on bar counter. Obviously tired |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Near end of cask. OK |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Easy Street Pale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - The Light | 4.50 | Not Tried |
30 Apr 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Trams back running at last.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | I must admit something has changed of late with IPA. A loss of most of its floral hop nose? Not pub's fault obviously! |
| Westerham - Viceroy India Pale Ale | 5.00 | | A powerful bitter in which one can feel its strength |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | On gravity dispense on bar counter top |
| Long Man - Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Wolf of the Woods | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Rooster's - This is England | 3.80 | Not Tried |
22 Apr 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | An OK condition half |
| Long Man - Best Bitter | 4.00 | | Good condition although a rather bland offering |
| Malton - Yorkshire Pudding Beer | 3.60 | | Served from a gravity tub on the bar counter. Real chore as rather tasteless and with a broken yeasty scummy head. There again what do Yorkshire Puddings actually taste of anyway in the flesh! |
| Long Man - Copper Hop | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Butcombe - Rare Breed (or Adam Henson's Rare Breed) | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Rooster's - This is England | 3.80 | Not Tried |
19 Apr 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Man - Old Man | 4.30 | | Spot on form - best of the evening here |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Good balance |
| Westerham - Family Stout | 4.50 | | Rare to be on gravity dispense on the bar counter. A little bit flat |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Rooster's - This is England | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Ossett - White Rat | 4.00 | Not Tried |
About the Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House)
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 5 |
| 268 |
| 141 |
| 19 |
 | 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 202 times, seen 295 different beers and tried 96 of them.
Postcode: CR0 7AA