PubsandBeer
Royal Oak (Harvey's Brewery)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Porter |  | 1 |
| Harvey's - Sussex XX Mild (or Sussex Dark Mild) | | 2 |
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | | 1 |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) |  | 4 |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | | 4 |
| Harvey's - Georgian Dragon | | 1 |
| Harvey's - Sussex Nuptial Ale |  | 1 |
| Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's HSB | Not Tried | 0 |
| Harvey's - Knots of May Light Mild | Not Tried | 0 |
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Harvey's - Tom Paine | Not Tried | 0 |
| Harvey's - Lewes Castle Brown Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Harvey's - Southdown Harvest Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Harvey's - Bonfire Boy | Not Tried | 0 |
| Harvey's - IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
27 Mar 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Mid evening visit. Subtle and sledgehammer changes taking place. Large blackboard now shows beer range and Chef's food recommendation, daily menu sheets placed on all tables. Harvey's fizz beers fonts are now evident.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Porter | 4.80 | | In lovely nourishing nick |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - IPA | 3.50 | Not Tried |
30 Jan 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit, my first since the new managed house regime took over from long term tenant licensees Frank and John now retired. All pumpclips replaced with the new style and the long term labelling of Harvey's IPA as Harvey's Sussex Pale Ale has been swept away. No distress purchase Fuller's beer on sale. Subtle changes so far, let's hope no more than a few more take place. Seems to have become a managed house, sensible for what must be a money spinner for the owners.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | | |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | | Drank without really noticing |
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - IPA | 3.50 | Not Tried |
28 Nov 2018 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit. CAMRA London's great and good seeping out into the bar after a long meeting upstairs.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex XX Mild (or Sussex Dark Mild) | 3.00 | | Superbly refreshing |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Bonfire Boy | 5.80 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | 4.30 | Not Tried |
23 Oct 2018 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until just shy of 11pm close. The first buds of autumn with Old Ale on pump.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | 4.30 | | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Sussex XX Mild (or Sussex Dark Mild) | 3.00 | Not Tried |
26 Sep 2018 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit, unusually for me still at food time but not for food.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | | At the bitter end of this variable beer's taste spectrum |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | | |
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Southdown Harvest Ale | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Lewes Castle Brown Ale | 4.80 | Not Tried |
04 Sep 2018 (Philip Pirrip)
Perhaps the quietest I have ever known it, an evening visit until a prompt 11pm close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | | Lovely mild, ideally refreshing |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | | I know I bang on about this being the UK's most variable beer but this was very sharply bitter with no floral hop nose or taste. Bad batch? |
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Lewes Castle Brown Ale | 4.80 | Not Tried |
25 Jul 2018 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until 11pm close. Many London CAMRA dignitaries quaffing after a regional meeting here.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex XX Mild (or Sussex Dark Mild) | 3.00 | | Really top form for a balmy night |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Tom Paine | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Nuptial Ale | 6.00 | Not Tried |
21 Jun 2018 (Philip Pirrip)
Mid evening visit.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Knots of May Light Mild | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's HSB | 4.80 | Not Tried |
30 May 2018 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until 11pm close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex Nuptial Ale | 6.00 | | Barley wine type taste which could be confused with being on the turn, several others commented similarly |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Porter | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Knots of May Light Mild | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale | 3.50 | Not Tried |
04 May 2018 (Stephen Harris)
Early Friday evening and, unexpectedly, it is very quiet in here. I had the pick of the seats in the front bar.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Georgian Dragon | 4.70 | | I rather liked this Red Ale which has no sweetness and some nice aroma dry-hopping. |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's HSB | 4.80 | Not Tried |
About the Royal Oak
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 11 |
| 139 |
| 108 |
| 33 |
 | 4 |
The pub is found in Borough, Central London, SE1 4JU.
Harvey's first tied pub in the capital. Corner pub in Tabard Street, near Borough Underground station. Feels like an oasis from the bustle of London Bridge / Borough High Street. Two bare-boarded rooms in a pub with a central bar and an off-sales hatch. Superb John Harvey Room upstairs may be used for meetings and functions and is freely available. Lots of dark wood and cream walls. 4 handpumps on each bar counter so 8 in all. Comfortable atmosphere. Also has comprehensive selection of Harvey's beer in bottles. Became a managed house after the departure, to retirement, of long term tenant licensees in January 2019. Local CAMRA branch Overall Pub of the Year 2023 and 2025, having been runner-up in 2022.
We have visited this pub 166 times, seen 54 different beers and tried 31 of them.
Postcode: SE1 4JU