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The River Ale House (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Green Hop |  | 1 |
| Goacher's - Real Mild Ale | | 1 |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | | 1 |
| Vocation - Bread & Butter | | 1 |
| Tonbridge - Traditional | | 2 |
| Oakham - Cosmic Jellyfish |  | 1 |
| Kent - Green Dwarf | | 3 |
| Mighty Oak - Jake the Snake | | 1 |
| Siren Craft - Memento | | 1 |
| Mighty Oak - Simply the Best | | 2 |
| Vibrant Forest - Canopy Bitter | | 1 |
| New Bristol - Bristol Bitter |  | 1 |
| Mighty Oak - Saxon Strong | | 2 |
| Vocation - Naughty & Nice Chocolate Orange | | 1 |
| Three Legs - Oatipa Azacca & Nectaron | | 1 |
| Tonbridge - Blonde Ambition | Not Tried | 0 |
| Kent - Tropic Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Castle Rock - Promises | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | Not Tried | 0 |
| Monkey - Sea Wall | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vocation - Chop & Change - Barbe Rouge | Not Tried | 0 |
| Elusive - Portola | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vibrant Forest - Inaudible | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vibrant Forest - Canopy Golden | Not Tried | 0 |
| Verdant - Penpol | Not Tried | 0 |
| Elusive - Division | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vocation - Deck The Palms | Not Tried | 0 |
| Goacher's - Crown Imperial Stout | Not Tried | 0 |
| Oakham - Sanctum Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
23 Nov 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Tonight's music request theme was Shops & Shopping!
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mighty Oak - Jake the Snake | 4.00 | | Quite a dose of mouth zing to this |
| New Bristol - Bristol Bitter | 4.00 | | just put on but poured flat |
| Vocation - Naughty & Nice Chocolate Orange | 4.50 | | Needed more condition to carry off the strong flavouring |
| Verdant - Penpol | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Canopy Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | Ran out |
| Elusive - Division | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Vocation - Deck The Palms | 4.20 | Not Tried |
22 Nov 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Ticking over for the last 40 minutes of serving, minus many of the usual Saturday regulars, with a mix of some of the hardened and the more occasional. A good few beers were earlier supped as only five now on in total and due to Charlton's home game where they were defeated 5-1 playing Southampton and with a few fans in before and after the match.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vibrant Forest - Canopy Bitter | 4.00 | | Fresh on and so head and lacing, good, and lasting, good, on this bitter brewed on the edge of the New Forest National Park in Hampshire and just south of Southampton. A malty bittered first bite. A dry hoppy bitterness from its British-grown Goldings hops rising. A malty, sweetish biscuity note bobbing up from its Maris Otter malt, comprising partially germinated cereal grains that have been dried in the process known as "malting". Sailing out with a malty, fruity kick to it arising from its English ale yeast. Perfectly palatable but a touch over fruited for my preference. |
| Goacher's - Crown Imperial Stout | 4.50 | Not Tried | Went off during my visit. |
| Mighty Oak - Jake the Snake | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Canopy Golden | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Sanctum Gold | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Vocation - Naughty & Nice Chocolate Orange | 4.50 | Not Tried | A little taster told me this was far too sweet for me! It came on to replace the Goacher's Crown Imperial Stout which had just gone. |
21 Nov 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonbridge - Traditional | 3.60 | | Good value basic bitter |
| Oakham - Cosmic Jellyfish | 4.00 | | Another Oakham new beer name but so similar tasting to its many |
| Goacher's - Real Mild Ale | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Inaudible | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Portola | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Canopy Golden | 3.70 | Not Tried |
20 Nov 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
A mix of the hardened, the lesser spotted and perhaps some who had never ventured in before and for the last 30 minutes of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonbridge - Traditional | 3.60 | | Fresh on and a head foaming like you cannot believe! Head and lacing, superb, and lasting to the very end on this East Peckham session bitter, brewed north-east of Tonbridge itself. An old-fashioned very bitter first bite. A slightly fruited hoppy bitterness scurrying up for a gentle pat care of its Kentish hops: First Gold, Golding and Challenger. A hint of malt but only the merest with a toffee note! A dry moreish hoppiness bounding downwards. |
| Goacher's - Real Mild Ale | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Vocation - Bread & Butter | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Portola | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Cosmic Jellyfish | 4.00 | Not Tried |
18 Nov 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for last half an hour of serving with a few of the hardened in, the fiddlers resident in the rear seating area and the odd occasional dotted about.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Real Mild Ale | 3.40 | | My second one of the evening: Packing a punch for its low gravity is this Maidstone-brewed mild. As fresh on, head and lacing to die for and lasting. A very malty first hit. The tasting notes mentioned chocolate and not my reason I tried it. I did not get the merest hint of chocolatiness until my sampling towards the end with a good swish in the mouth to give it the benefit of the doubt. A good dry maltiness rising care of its black malts. A subtle hoppy note lingering, but ever so slightly, thanks to its Kentish Fuggles hops. Amazing for its gravity as packing it all in! |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | | My third one of the evening: Fresh on also and very good head and lacing and lasting on this Maidstone-brewed "heavy duty" pale at 5.1%. A highly fruited first hit. A hoppiness rising care of its superb East Kent hops. A touch of maltiness pleasantly paddling out. Glad I only sampled one half as a hill to climb going home afterwards! Not a single decant needed the whole evening for three different beers and my timing meant they were all fresh on. |
| Vocation - Bread & Butter | 3.90 | | My first one of the evening: Fresh on this evening and as of 4pm when this micro opens from Monday to Thursday. This Hebden Bridge dry hopped pale from north-west of Huddersfield, Yorkshire, exhibited a fantastic head and lacing which hung on to the very end. A gently fruited hoppy first bite. A touch of fruitiness rising, aided by hints of pine, peach, lychee and citrus, but not in your face. A pleasant hoppy note winning over, care of its mix of US hops, Citra, Mosaic and Simcoe, and sailing out minus any headwind. As my dad always said, beer is liquid bread, and never mind the butter which I did not taste in this one! The idiom, bread and butter, is for one's main source of income. Here in my case, it was the main source of liquid intake on this visit as very moreish to my taste buds which were giving it a hearty round of applause! |
| Mighty Oak - Simply the Best | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Portola | 4.30 | Not Tried |
17 Nov 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mighty Oak - Saxon Strong | 6.50 | | As yesterday reasonable taste but tired |
| Kent - Green Dwarf | 3.70 | | Lacking much condition |
| Mighty Oak - Simply the Best | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Monkey - Sea Wall | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Three Legs - Oatipa Azacca & Nectaron | 6.00 | Not Tried |
16 Nov 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
A large, raucous birthday party gathering at one of the tables out the front alongside some of the Sunday regulars on parade for the last 30 minutes of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Green Dwarf | 3.70 | | Second day on for this Kentish green hopped session pale from Birling, north of West Malling. Still holding its head and lacing well and lasting. A gentle floral, grassy first hit. A fresh hoppiness jumping up with the odd one doing somersaults on my taste buds. A touch of oiliness helping this modern variety of Kentish hops slide down my hatch. Again, very moreish from trying the evening before and so stuck resolutely to it without any deviation. |
| Mighty Oak - Saxon Strong | 6.50 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Simply the Best | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Monkey - Sea Wall | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Three Legs - Oatipa Azacca & Nectaron | 6.00 | Not Tried |
16 Nov 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Packed and noisy.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mighty Oak - Saxon Strong | 6.50 | | Tiring after a few days on |
| Mighty Oak - Simply the Best | 4.40 | | Quite home brew taste |
| Three Legs - Oatipa Azacca & Nectaron | 6.00 | | Awful looking and tasting brew. Vying to be worst of 2025 so far. |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - Green Dwarf | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Monkey - Sea Wall | 4.20 | Not Tried |
15 Nov 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for last 30 minutes of serving with a mix of the usual Saturday regulars, the hardened and the more occasional.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mighty Oak - Simply the Best | 4.40 | | Fresh on this Saturday and presenting good head and lacing and lasting throughout on this Essex best bitter from Maldon. A sweet malty first bite. A fruited hoppy note climbing from its British hops, Bramling Cross and Progress. A malty caramelised biscuity flavouring winning over. A toffee hint or two getting in on the act and lingering, making it rather too sweet for my taste buds. Just a half sufficed for me! |
| Kent - Green Dwarf | 3.70 | | Fresh on this Saturday and good head and lacing and lasting well on this Kentish green hopped session pale from Birling, north of West Malling. A dry, grassy hop-infused first bite. A touch of oily hoppiness rising up from one of the latest modern hop varieties in Kent picked and brewed in September. Low in bitterness with just a gentle floral, grassy note slowing grazing downwards. Very moreish and so almost stuck to it but for a mere half of a new bitter on to also try. |
| Mighty Oak - Saxon Strong | 6.50 | Not Tried | |
| Monkey - Sea Wall | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Three Legs - Oatipa Azacca & Nectaron | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
| Vocation - Chop & Change - Barbe Rouge | 4.50 | Not Tried |
13 Nov 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
A good mix of regulars and the more occasional for the last 40 minutes of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Green Hop | 3.90 | | Second night on and very good head and lacing and lasting throughout on this Maidstone-brewed green hop pale produced by Kent's oldest microbrewery, set up in 1983. A grassy hop-infused first bite. A dry bittered hoppiness from its Kentish Goldings hops from Ospringe, south-west of Faversham. A moreish oiliness descending on my taste buds before sliding downwards. Could have sampled many more without any difficulty but it was soon "Time, gentlemen, please!" |
| Siren Craft - Memento | 3.80 | | Now its fourth night on and surprisingly still displaying good head and lacing on this Berkshire bitter from south-east of Reading. Its lacing was even lasting to the bottom of the glass. A fruited hoppiness emanating from its English Cascade hops in its first bite. A malty bitterness with hints of biscuit and caramel. A very dry hoppiness lingering on with the odd citrus and herbal kick to it. Could almost have stuck to it but for a green hopped ale to also try. |
| Mighty Oak - Saxon Strong | 6.50 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Blonde Ambition | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - Tropic Ale | 4.90 | Not Tried | |
| Castle Rock - Promises | 4.50 | Not Tried |
About The River Ale House
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 14 |
| 727 |
| 1933 |
| 609 |
 | 58 |
The pub is found in East Greenwich, Greater London, SE10 0RJ.
Micropub in Woolwich Road in a former street corner lingerie and hosiery business premises and which opened on 13th September 2017. Comprises a front room with bar counter and with real ales and ciders served on gravity dispense from a temperature controlled cellar room behind the bar, and a rear room down one step. Each day a pre-prepared paper ale menu sheet, with tasting notes, is provided to every table. Bare-board flooring throughout and all seating at wall mounted high settles and hand made wooden high tables. CAMRA card holders' discount on pints and halves of real ale and cider. Card payments accepted. SPBW London Pub of the Year 2019. Local CAMRA branch 2019, 2022 and 2024 Pub of the Year and its Cider Pub of the Year too in 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024. CAMRA Greenwich District Pub of the Year 2024.
We have visited this pub 1535 times, seen 1906 different beers and tried 1124 of them.
Postcode: SE10 0RJ