PubsandBeer
The Bull (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Leatherbritches - Hairy Helmet |  | 1 |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur | | 1 |
| BrewDog - Chaos Theory | | 1 |
| Oakham - Inferno | | 1 |
| Oakham - Bishops Farewell | | 3 |
| BrewDog - Rip Tide | | 1 |
| Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | | 3 |
| Dark Star - Saison |  | 3 |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Kipling | | 3 |
| BrewDog - Trashy Blonde | | 1 |
| Otley - Dark-O | | 1 |
| Dark Star - Sussex Extra Stout | | 2 |
| BrewDog - Punk IPA | | 1 |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Ashford | | 2 |
| Dark Star - Six Hop | | 1 |
| Dark Star - Over The Moon | | 3 |
| BrewDog - Paradox Arran Edition | | 1 |
| Dark Star - Best Bitter | | 1 |
| Dark Star - Espresso Stout | | 1 |
| Dark Star - Old Ale (aka Old Chestnut) |  | 2 |
| Leatherbritches - Goldings | | 1 |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | | 3 |
| Oakham - JHB | | 1 |
| Hogs Back - A over T | | 1 |
| Hogs Back - Spring Call |  | 1 |
| Newby Wyke - Bear Island | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dark Star - Original | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
02 Apr 2009 (Dubbel)
BD day finally arrived. The place was heaving for the BrewDog showcase with beer buffs from far and wide making the journey to the small Darent Valley village to enjoy rare cask offerings from the mischievous Scottish micro. Bingo quiz and free buffet, comprised of a variety of chicken, beef and veggie bean curries, rice and hot wings, followed by a selection of cheeses. Perfect.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BrewDog - Rip Tide | 8.00 | | Such a dangerously drinkable 'imperial' stout. Super condition, gloopy chocolate flavours, grade A malts and characteristic hops. A serious contender for beer of the night and best stout in the UK. |
| BrewDog - Chaos Theory | 7.10 | | A darker, copper coloured US-influenced IPA. Uber-hopped with, astonishingly, just a single variety. My first sample of this beer from the cask and a big improvement on the bottled version. Just fantastic. |
| BrewDog - Punk IPA | 6.00 | | A gorgeously fruity and brutish IPA, surpassed only by Jaipur for me. Sparklingly clear but loses a star for being just a couple of degrees too warm on the stillage in the busy bar. |
| BrewDog - Paradox Arran Edition | 10.00 | | The most subtle of the Paradox editions. Smooth oaky vanilla and chocolate flavours prevail against a subtle, background whiskey warmth. Served headless on handpump. Finished the night beautifully and guaranteed a persistant headache the next day. |
| BrewDog - Trashy Blonde | 4.10 | | Dry and floral with a hoppy bite. Sessionable enough to warrant a pint. Popular. |
| Leatherbritches - Goldings | 3.60 | | Unfortunately this only came on midway through the evening. I was very keen to try it and was persuaded by a barfly that, despite its low ABV, the flavour was prominant enough to stand up against the BrewDog palate bashers. It wasn't. Must try again under more favourable circumstances. |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Dark Star - Espresso Stout | 4.20 | Not Tried |
31 Mar 2009 (Dubbel)
After missing out on Hairy Helmet at the weekend, with the barrel being drained in a pub-record 3.5 hours, I was pleased to see another one put on today. Engaged in much beery conversation around the bar and even managed to grab the last portion of Chicken and Bishops Farewell pie. Result.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leatherbritches - Hairy Helmet | 4.70 | | Magnificent. Pale, hugely hoppy, dry hopped with a tingling, warming finish. Like a premium strength Hophead but a little less fruity. Expect to see this make regular future appearances here. |
| Dark Star - Espresso Stout | 4.20 | | With the recipe tweaked for 2009, this decants blacker and with a slightly less 'in yer face' coffee bean explosion. A tad more rounded and approachable and better for it. |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Kipling | 5.20 | | A knockout ale, so fruity and exotic. Thornbridge beers too often coming out the barrel with a slight haze on of late. Apparently a yeast issue acknowledged by the brewery. Fortunately the flavour was not noticeably affected. |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Hogs Back - A over T | 9.00 | Not Tried |
27 Mar 2009 (Dubbel)
A little quiet when we arrived but the place soon filled up. I wasn't driving, so could hit the A Over T. Garrett was telling me about the Leatherbritches beers he had picked up that would be on in the coming days - an unheard of brewery in these parts. Jimbo's Chicken and Bishops Farewell pie was obscenely good.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Star - Over The Moon | 3.80 | | It's been a while since I've had this. Like meeting an old friend, the times we've shared... |
| Dark Star - Saison | 4.50 | | More 'estery' than the mouth of the Severn. (Sorry) A joy and wonderfully different. |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | | Another variance on the classic taste sensation. This time a real fruity nose which transfers to the palate before a muted butterscotch finish pushes through. |
| Hogs Back - A over T | 9.00 | | Really strong, yet somehow mellow and smooth. So pleased that beasty beers like this are stocked and sell so well here. |
| Oakham - Bishops Farewell | 4.60 | Not Tried |
25 Mar 2009 (Dubbel)
Details of the Belgian Beer Festival to be held over the Easter weekend have been announced, with 12 draught and 30 bottle beers available together with authentic Belgian cuisine. Genuine excitement in the bar about the BrewDog showcase next week.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham - Bishops Farewell | 4.60 | | Top of the barrel. Pure enjoyment in a glass. |
| Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 4.70 | | Managed to squeeze in a half before legendary regular Paul single-handedly drained the rest of the barrel. Bastard. |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Ashford | 4.20 | | Cleaner and more pronounced coffee flavours that before. Lovely. |
| Oakham - JHB | 3.80 | | Not sure why, but this beer just doesn't excite me like it does other people. Nothing wrong with it but not spectacular like most others in the fabulous Oakham range. |
| Hogs Back - A over T | 9.00 | Not Tried |
21 Mar 2009 (Dubbel)
Headed up with the guys for Curry Night - choice of four home-crafted curries and a pint for £7. With Jaipur the pint of choice, that equated to £3.80 for the curry. Pretty much a full house and usual convivial atmosphere. The ale range was stupidly good tonight. It didn't matter that all were of a similar colour and style, we couldn't have hoped for better.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 4.70 | | Another fresh barrel (the APA seems to be selling out within a day lately). Immense creamy, sweet, hoppy, lemony, sherberty wonder. Just insanely good. The South's best beer? Restored my faith in Dark Star. |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur | 5.90 | | When pushed to give an answer, I would have to say that this is my favourite beer. Consistently supreme and oh so right with the curried goat. |
| Oakham - Inferno | 4.00 | | Top of the barrel and fresh as a daisy, hoptastic, so light and drinkable. This does precisely what lager should do. |
| Dark Star - Saison | 4.50 | | Had tempered down overnight and was now smoother, a bit clearer and much more approachable. Couldn't put it down. |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | Not Tried |
20 Mar 2009 (Dubbel)
Congratulations to Garrett & Lynne. Local CAMRA branch Pub of the Year again and fully fully deserved. Presentation in the pub on 14th May with some special beers being lined up to celebrate. Walked through the door and presented with a range of beer like this, why would I want to go anywhere else?
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham - Bishops Farewell | 4.60 | | Sex. See 17 March. |
| Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 4.70 | | Only to be consumed by the pint. Basket of fruits vying for attention and the most palatable of US hops make the mouth water uncontrollably. It can only be APA. |
| Dark Star - Saison | 4.50 | | Lovely pale Belgian wheat style ale. Packed full of bitter hops and a distinct Saison yeasty aftertaste. Feels about 4% stronger than it actually is. Delightful. |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Ashford | 4.20 | Not Tried |
17 Mar 2009 (Dubbel)
Dinner and a few swift halves with the boys. Engaged in beery conversation at the bar. Same smiley, friendly atmosphere.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham - Bishops Farewell | 4.60 | | I'll never get over this beer. Especially when its served like this. Magnificent. |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Kipling | 5.20 | | Had settled some since its lively introduction yesterday. Fruit flavours even more pronounced. Subject of much praise from the pub's experienced palates. |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Ashford | 4.20 | | More of a sweet milk chocolate than cocoa flavour. Plenty of hopping to battle against the malts. Very well put together. |
| Oakham - JHB | 3.80 | Not Tried |
16 Mar 2009 (Dubbel)
Classic sign of a bad start to the working week - a Monday night jaunt to the pub. One of the locals was particularly pissed tonight and stole half an hour of my time that I'll never get back again.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Kipling | 5.20 | | The main event. Spritely citric beast of a pale ale. Rasping grapefruit and lime mingle with softer kiwi and mandarin notes in spite of the foggy appearance. Not quite at showcase condition. |
| Otley - Dark-O | 4.00 | | Mysterious dark gravy malts with a whack of chocolate followed by rounded bitterness. Splendid dark ale. |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | | 2009's hops just don't match up to the 2008 vintage. |
| Hogs Back - Spring Call | 4.00 | | Hazy, green, soapy, malty mess if I'm brutally honest. One to dismiss as an anomaly. |
| Dark Star - Original | 5.00 | Not Tried |
06 Mar 2009 (Dubbel)
Cracking atmosphere yet again. Beer appreciators from far and wide flocked to hear Toby from Dark Star give a thoroughly interesting talk on the brewery and brewing in general. Got over the immense disappointment of missing out on the American Pale Ale by sampling some of the newly-acquired Mikkeller bottled range, which, it has to be said, even outshone the cask range.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Star - Over The Moon | 3.80 | | Ever so slightly buttery on the finish. But with the scrumptious dark malts not as noticable as in the Hophead. |
| Dark Star - Six Hop | 6.50 | | Fantastic. And selling at an astounding rate at 7 in the evening! |
| Dark Star - Sussex Extra Stout | 4.50 | | Still a top stout and what Guiness can only aspire to be. |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | | Marred by what Ian refers to as 'diacetyl'. This was a regression to the turn of the year. When challenged the man from Dark Star say there has been no change to the brewing process and the difference in taste can only be the difference in this year's hop harvest. Hmmm. |
| Dark Star - Old Ale (aka Old Chestnut) | 4.00 | | A restrained dark ale with some roasted bitterness. Preferable to the Best for me though. |
| Newby Wyke - Bear Island | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
| Dark Star - Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried |
06 Mar 2009 (Blair)
After 2 trains, 2 hours and a wrong turning we finally got to The Bull. I was understandably in a slightly bad mood, I hate trains. My mood soon lifted though, this is a brilliant pub. The beer was great, the atmosphere was great and having the bloke from Dark Star there was quite cool as well. Had a bottle of Mikkeller - Beer Geek Breakfast just before heading home and it well and truly finished me off. The journey back seemed to take a couple of minutes...
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Star - Best Bitter | 4.00 | | I really liked this beer and I think it's a definate challenger to Harvey's sussex best for the best best. |
| Dark Star - Over The Moon | 3.80 | | I think this was better when I had it at the Butchers Arms. Good but had a strange aftertaste that I don't remember noticing before. Lots of hops, caramel and chocolate. Very smooth right up until the end. |
| Dark Star - Old Ale (aka Old Chestnut) | 4.00 | | Once again, a good beer but disappointing considering how good Dark Star can be. Little roasted malt with some chestnuts and toffee. |
| Dark Star - Sussex Extra Stout | 4.50 | | Certainly a good beer, but I was expecting a little more from a stout by Dark Star. Roasted malt and a little chocolate but a little thin in the mouth and not particularly strong flavoured. |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Dark Star - Six Hop | 6.50 | Not Tried |
About The Bull
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
| 62 |
| 156 |
| 68 |
 | 14 |
| 5 |
The pub is found in Horton Kirby, Kent, DA4 9DF.
Outstanding genuine freehouse. Ever-changing selection of guest ales and ciders, many rare to the area served in consistently excellent condition. Regular beer festivals, discos, BBQs and various other events. Monthly brewery showcase (1st weekend of the month) with at least six ales from one particular enterprising brewery. Friendly atmosphere and great home-cooked food (Tues-Sun) made with locally-sourced ingredients. Gravesend & Darent Valley CAMRA Pub of the Year 2008 and 2009 and West of Kent Pub of the Year 2009.
We have visited this pub 91 times, seen 200 different beers and tried 156 of them.
Postcode: DA4 9DF