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The Cock Tavern (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - RIP - Russian Imperial Porter |  | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Imperial Stout Fighting Ale | | 1 |
| Kernel (The Kernel) - London Sour Raspberry |  | 1 |
| Squawk - IPA: Simcoe, Mosaic, Falconer’s Flight | | 1 |
| Five Points - Railway Porter | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Pale XX No. 2 | | 1 |
| Maregade - Vanilla Milk Stout | | 1 |
| Hammerton - Blanche Witbier | | 1 |
| Fourpure - Tea Time | | 1 |
| Hammerton - N7.7% | | 1 |
| Bullfinch - Swift | | 1 |
| Fourpure - American Pale | | 1 |
| Squawk - Oat Pale Ale Wai-iti | | 1 |
| Burning Sky - Plateau (was 3.5%) | | 1 |
| Redemption - Fellowship Porter | | 1 |
| RedWillow - Weightless Mosaic | | 1 |
| Hopcraft (experimental side of Pixie Spring) - Permanent Revolution |  | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Pale XX No. 1 | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream Pale Ale | | 1 |
| Siren Craft - Ten Dollar Shake | | 1 |
| Vibrant Forest - Summerlands (was 3.5%) | | 1 |
| Maregade - Blonde Pale | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Smoked Kölsch | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Kölsch | | 1 |
| Maregade - Amber | | 1 |
| Ubrew - Mangose | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Riding Ale |  | 1 |
| Gipsy Hill - Anorak | | 1 |
| Alechemy - Five Sisters | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Biere de Garde | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Pale Ale No. 2 | Not Tried | 0 |
| Moor - Revival (was 3.8%) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Ruby Red Dinner Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Moor - Nor'Hop | Not Tried | 0 |
| Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Chocolate Stout | Not Tried | 0 |
| Brick - Kinsale Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Out There - Just in Time to See the Sun | Not Tried | 0 |
| Maregade - Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Redemption - Big Chief | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wild Beer Co. - Millionaire | Not Tried | 0 |
| Siren Craft - Liquid Mistress Red IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Almasty - APA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Siren Craft - Under Current | Not Tried | 0 |
| Maregade - IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hammerton - N1 | Not Tried | 0 |
| Pig & Porter - Pale Series Citra | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hammerton - N7 | Not Tried | 0 |
| Salopian - Kashmir | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hammerton - Penton (or Pentonville Oyster Stout) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hammerton - Blank Slate | Not Tried | 0 |
| East London (ELB) - Nightwatchman | Not Tried | 0 |
| Gipsy Hill - Hepcat | Not Tried | 0 |
| Alechemy - 10 Storey Malt Bomb | Not Tried | 0 |
| Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Pale Ale No. 1 | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
24 May 2017 (Stephen Harris)
Here for the presentation of East London & City CAMRA’s Cider Pub of the Year award. There is a nice little gathering of members and the pub is very generous with a supply of cheese and biscuits.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squawk - Oat Pale Ale Wai-iti | 4.20 | | Rather nice – best beer of the evening in fact. |
| Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Pale XX No. 1 | 5.00 | | Nice to see Howling Hops beers in cask, although I think I actually prefer the fresher taste at the brewery. This is cloudy and fruity pint. |
| Maregade - Blonde Pale | 4.80 | | Golden, cloudy and sharp. |
| Maregade - Pale | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Maregade - Vanilla Milk Stout | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Hammerton - Blank Slate | 3.20 | Not Tried |
19 May 2017 (Stephen Harris)
Rather quiet for a Friday evening, with many of the usual faces absent.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squawk - IPA: Simcoe, Mosaic, Falconer’s Flight | 6.80 | | A very serious IPA. |
| Maregade - Amber | 4.90 | | A cloudy, amber beer, with a fruity, hoppy bitterness. |
| Salopian - Kashmir | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Maregade - Pale | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Maregade - Vanilla Milk Stout | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Maregade - IPA | 6.00 | Not Tried |
02 May 2017 (Magnus Greel)
4pm opening we were the second customers. A proper drinkers pub I could have stayed here all day trying the beers alas it was towards the end of our crawl today. A good range of ciders on offer too.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burning Sky - Plateau (was 3.5%) | 3.40 | | |
| Wild Beer Co. - Millionaire | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Almasty - APA | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Maregade - IPA | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
| Maregade - Amber | 4.90 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Pale Series Citra | 4.20 | Not Tried |
03 Apr 2017 (Stephen Harris)
An early afternoon visit when the pub is nearly empty and I have the pick of the seats.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullfinch - Swift | 4.00 | | The pumpclip depicts a Swallow, so you get three birds for the price of one. This is a satisfyingly hoppy, pale beer. |
| Brick - Kinsale Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Maregade - Pale | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Maregade - Vanilla Milk Stout | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Maregade - Amber | 4.90 | Not Tried |
18 Mar 2017 (Stephen Harris)
Saturday evening drink up with many of the usual crowd present.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fourpure - Tea Time | 3.70 | | From key-keg. A hoppy beer infused with Earl Grey tea. |
| Ubrew - Mangose | 5.10 | | From key-keg. A cloudy golden-coloured, salty, mango-flavoured beer. Experimentation run riot. |
| Hopcraft (experimental side of Pixie Spring) - Permanent Revolution | 3.50 | | A hoppy Red with a massive IBU but somewhat lacking in body. |
| Moor - Revival (was 3.8%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Moor - Nor'Hop | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Maregade - Vanilla Milk Stout | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Maregade - Amber | 4.90 | Not Tried |
08 Feb 2017 (Stephen Harris)
Early evening after work. Three more cask beers were being pulled through as I left.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - RIP - Russian Imperial Porter | 12.50 | | A dusty cask of this beer has been found in a forgotten corner of a storeroom. The strength is given this time as 11.5%. It is jet black, with a thick mouthfeel. A bit sweet. Tastes a lot like a Port Wine, with hops, and burnt around the edges. |
| Gipsy Hill - Anorak | 4.40 | | A Plum Mild no less. Reddish-brown in colour. Very fruity, but not a lot else going on. |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Hammerton - N7 | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Pale Ale No. 2 | 3.80 | Not Tried |
05 Jan 2017 (Stephen Harris)
A friend is celebrating his 50th birthday here tonight and the pub is full of his guests – he’s clearly a very popular chap. We even have an amateur DJ, playing such Somerset delights as the Wurzels. A very enjoyable evening.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| RedWillow - Weightless Mosaic | 4.20 | | A lovely, fresh, fruity, single-hop Pale Ale. |
| Maregade - Vanilla Milk Stout | 4.50 | | Black, smooth, sweetish and vanilla. |
| Siren Craft - Ten Dollar Shake | 6.60 | | On key-keg dispense. Pushing at boundaries, this is one of the most extraordinary beers I have ever drunk. It has the appearance and texture of a fruit smoothie. Peach is the fruit that springs to mind. It is also incredibly bitter, from a massive load of hops. The sort of beer that could be 2% or 12%, you just can’t tell, the alcohol being dominated by the massive attack of other flavours. |
| Alechemy - Five Sisters | 4.30 | | A bit too Red for my tastes. |
| Alechemy - 10 Storey Malt Bomb | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Pale Ale No. 1 | 3.80 | Not Tried |
22 Dec 2016 (Stephen Harris)
It’s ‘Holy Cheese Mountain’ night here again – and eventually I work out that it is the January 2017 event taking place a bit early. I don’t actually get around to eating any cheese, but it’s good to enjoy a few beers with so many friends present tonight.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redemption - Fellowship Porter | 5.10 | | Black and chocolaty. |
| Kernel (The Kernel) - London Sour Raspberry | 3.00 | | On key-keg dispense. Red in colour (actually red, not the reddish brown that you usually call red in beers). Very sour. Very raspberry. Refreshing. |
| Fourpure - American Pale | 5.00 | | On key-keg dispense. I’ve been very impressed with Fourpure beers lately – and this does nothing to undermine that impression. Really good US hop flavours. |
| Vibrant Forest - Summerlands (was 3.5%) | 3.40 | | Lots of lovely grapefruity-hoppy flavours in a golden pint. Just a little bit thin. |
| Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Riding Ale | 3.00 | | Pale and murky and tasting a bit insubstantial alongside some of the other beers tonight. |
| East London (ELB) - Nightwatchman | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Hammerton - Penton (or Pentonville Oyster Stout) | 5.30 | Not Tried | |
| Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Ruby Red Dinner Ale | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Gipsy Hill - Hepcat | 4.60 | Not Tried |
13 Dec 2016 (Stephen Harris)
Tonight is the monthly ‘Hop Swap’ night here. Curious to know what that means I popped in after work. In fact it is a Bottle Swap, and a couple of tables were groaning under the weight of exotic bottled beers ready to be swapped. I had no bottles with me so sat at the bar away from the action. Lee Hammerton was guest of honour, and five of his beers were on the bar tonight.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Imperial Stout Fighting Ale | 11.50 | | On key-keg dispense. A real show-stopper of a beer. Smooth and black and strong and hoppy. |
| Five Points - Railway Porter | 4.80 | | A favourite of mine and I couldn’t resist starting with a pint of this despite the wealth of beery delights available tonight. It’s on particularly good form too. |
| Hammerton - Blanche Witbier | 5.30 | | On keg dispense, a collaboration brew with Spanish brewers Mala Gissona. I was grumbling just a couple of days ago that British brewers were a little half-hearted with their Wheat Beers. This is a full-blown Belgian Witbier – pale and cloudy and spicy with orange peel, ginger and coriander in the brew kettle. Fully-authentic. |
| Hammerton - N7.7% | 7.70 | | Amber-coloured and a bit hazy. This is a superb Imperial IPA with intense, lingering hop flavours from a whole recipe book of hop types, including Amarillo, Chinook, Cascade etc… Probably deserves five stars, but I don’t feel capable physically of giving two five star ratings at one session. |
| Redemption - Big Chief | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Liquid Mistress Red IPA | 5.80 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Under Current | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Hammerton - N1 | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Hammerton - N7 | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Hammerton - Penton (or Pentonville Oyster Stout) | 5.30 | Not Tried | |
| Maregade - Vanilla Milk Stout | 4.50 | Not Tried |
14 Nov 2016 (Stephen Harris)
Good to see a beer event on a Monday night. This was a special opportunity to sample a range of Howling Hops beers in cask, including the launch of three new ones ahead of the forthcoming Pig’s Ear Beer Festival. One end of the room was taken up by a large CAMRA group, whilst many of the brewery’s loyal fans were also present.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Pale XX No. 2 | 5.10 | | I already knew that I love this beer. |
| Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream Pale Ale | 5.50 | | On key-keg dispense. I loved this fresh from the tank at the Howling Hops Tank Bar. Flavours seemingly not quite so well developed tonight. |
| Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Smoked Kölsch | 4.60 | | A pale beer with a relatively subtle smokiness. Nice. |
| Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Kölsch | 4.60 | | A fruity, golden beer that is just a touch sweet. |
| Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Biere de Garde | 7.40 | | A thick, brown, sweetish, Barley Wine-type beer. A bit lacking in condition. Will be better in a few days’ time. |
| Burning Sky - Plateau (was 3.5%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Ruby Red Dinner Ale | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Chocolate Stout | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Out There - Just in Time to See the Sun | 2.80 | Not Tried |
About The Cock Tavern
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
| 15 |
| 187 |
| 90 |
| 28 |
 | 1 |
The pub is found in Hackney, Greater London, E8 1EJ.
There was a pub called the Cock in Hackney village as early as the 1650s, and in 1661 it was the venue for ‘Popish Conspirators’, plotting an unsuccessful assassination attempt on King Charles II. Nobody is quite sure if this was the predecessor of today’s pub – but the present pub was certainly around by the 1830s and was rebuilt in its present form by Truman’s Brewery in around 1930. Very much a down-market, high street, strictly ‘no real ale’ sort of place, it closed in early 2012 for refurbishment, and re-opened on 18 July 2012 as a real ale champion, complete with in-house ‘Howling Hops’ micro-brewery (subsequently relocated to larger premises). This pub is sister pub to the Southampton Arms in Kentish Town.
We have visited this pub 124 times, seen 426 different beers and tried 269 of them.
Postcode: E8 1EJ