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Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House) (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Shepherd Neame - Bishops Finger |  | 1 |
| Westerham - 1965 Special Bitter Ale | | 1 |
| Hogs Back - Tongham TEA (previously T.E.A.) | | 1 |
| Westerham - British Bulldog | | 1 |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | | 3 |
| Downton - Moonstruck |  | 1 |
| Larkins - Porter | | 1 |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | | 8 |
| Theakston - Old Peculier | | 1 |
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | | 1 |
| Hop Back - Fugglestone | | 1 |
| Larkins - Pale | | 3 |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Mr. Squirrel | Not Tried | 0 |
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wantsum - Hurricane | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Grandstand Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Downton - Opening Score | Not Tried | 0 |
| Adnams - Ghost Ship | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Resolution | Not Tried | 0 |
| Butcombe - Bitter (or Original Beer) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Champions Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Salopian - Shropshire Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - Pilcrow Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| St Austell - Proper Job | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - DB Number One | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wantsum - Black Prince | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - Surrey XPA (was 3.8%) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hop Back - Citra | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - London Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hogs Back - Surrey Nirvana | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wantsum - Swallow Dive | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wantsum - 1381 | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
26 Sep 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Good but had better |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | First pints out a new cask. Inevitably slightly fresh |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Grandstand Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - London Porter | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Resolution | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Champions Ale | 4.30 | Not Tried |
20 Sep 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Arrived drenched after a rainstorm for an evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Just as it should be |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | A warming brew helped me to dry out |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Mr. Squirrel | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Wantsum - Hurricane | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - Moonstruck | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - Opening Score | 4.50 | Not Tried |
15 Sep 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Rare raw bitterness tonight |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Spot on |
| Downton - Moonstruck | 5.50 | | Compared to the Tally Ho! it did not quite match, only just though |
| Wantsum - 1381 | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Hop Back - Citra | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Mr. Squirrel | 4.00 | Not Tried |
13 Sep 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Held great head and lacing |
| Hop Back - Fugglestone | 4.00 | | A darker well rounded easy-drinking pint |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - London Porter | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Hogs Back - Surrey Nirvana | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Pilcrow Pale | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Wantsum - Swallow Dive | 4.30 | Not Tried | Ran out |
08 Sep 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hogs Back - Tongham TEA (previously T.E.A.) | 4.20 | | Served as it should be |
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | 5.00 | | Found this to be rather cloying, unusually |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Wantsum - Black Prince | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - DB Number One | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Hop Back - Citra | 4.00 | Not Tried |
06 Sep 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close, with unexpectedly low footfall around the place.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Spot on |
| Theakston - Old Peculier | 5.60 | | An oily ale, needed just a tad more condition to fully carry it off |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Pretty much a must try when it is on here |
| Wantsum - Black Prince | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - DB Number One | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Surrey XPA (was 3.8%) | 3.40 | Not Tried |
01 Sep 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larkins - Porter | 5.20 | | Could really have done with a Tally Ho! tonight! |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Good OK |
| St Austell - Proper Job | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - DB Number One | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Westerham - British Bulldog | 4.10 | Not Tried |
30 Aug 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Took almost until close to get a table.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | As expected here |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Consistently a most unusual tasting pale |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Westerham - 1965 Special Bitter Ale | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Pilcrow Pale | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Westerham - British Bulldog | 4.10 | Not Tried |
26 Aug 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Spiffing form after the rare midweek lapse in quality |
| Westerham - 1965 Special Bitter Ale | 4.80 | | Chased this with the British Bulldog to try them side by side |
| Westerham - British Bulldog | 4.10 | | On fine form. Chased this with the 1965 to try them side by side |
| Butcombe - Bitter (or Original Beer) | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Salopian - Shropshire Gold | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Grandstand Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried |
23 Aug 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shepherd Neame - Bishops Finger | 5.00 | | Bit of a distress purchase when Palmers IPA found to be duff. Not really to my taste but in excellent form |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 |  | A rare duff pint of IPA here. Poured flat and so little condition. Despite repeated decanting between two glasses no head or life |
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Grandstand Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Adnams - Ghost Ship | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Westerham - 1965 Special Bitter Ale | 4.80 | Not Tried |
About the Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House)
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 5 |
| 260 |
| 115 |
| 15 |
 | 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 184 times, seen 271 different beers and tried 85 of them.
Postcode: CR0 7AA