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The Cock Tavern (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Kernel (The Kernel) - London Brewers Alliance Collaboration Stout |  | 1 |
| Weird Beard - K*ntish Town Beard |  | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Simcoe (Single Hop Series 2/8) | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Ruby Red | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Mozaic (Single Hop Series 1/8) | | 2 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - European Light Ale | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Poacher Wild Hops | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Pale Ale No. 8 | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Rye Wit IPA | | 2 |
| Hopcraft (experimental side of Pixie Spring) - Citra Plus | | 1 |
| Alpha State - Larson’s Ruin Breakfast Stout | | 1 |
| Weird Beard - Decadence Stout | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Pale XX Superior No. 8 | | 1 |
| Brew By Numbers - 01/06 Saison Motueka & Lime | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Beech-Smoked Porter | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Mild Ale - Single Hop Special (Mosaic) | | 1 |
| Three Friends - Amber | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Pale Ale No. 9 | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Single Stout | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Medium Red (Warming Ale) | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Milk Stout - Chinook |  | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Pale XX - Mosaic | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Burton Ale c.1924 | | 1 |
| Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Original Porter | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Wallflower Orange Wit | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Bramble Porter | | 1 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Amarillo Single Hop Series 3/8 | | 1 |
| Ilkley - Lotus IPA (was 5.6%) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Amber de Luxe | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ilkley - Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Swift | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ilkley - Fireside Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dark Star - Hylder Blonde | Not Tried | 0 |
| East London (ELB) - Foundation Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dark Star - Revelation | Not Tried | 0 |
| East London (ELB) - Quadrant Oatmeal Stout (now please use 5.5% entry | Not Tried | 0 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - American Light Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Session Wit IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Pale Ale No. 7 | Not Tried | 0 |
| Five Points - Railway Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Redemption - Urban Dusk | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Mild Ale (Hopped for Export) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Redemption - Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Brodie's (latterly contract brewed by Rhymney) - Citra | Not Tried | 0 |
| Redemption - Trinity | Not Tried | 0 |
| Brodie's (latterly contract brewed by Rhymney) - Bethnal Green Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Kent - Twelfth Night | Not Tried | 0 |
| Five Points - First Brews No. 2 – Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dark Star - Winter Meltdown | Not Tried | 0 |
| Brodie's (latterly contract brewed by Rhymney) - London Fields Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Windsor & Eton - Conqueror | Not Tried | 0 |
| Clarence & Fredericks - Best Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Redemption - Fellowship Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Clarence & Fredericks - American Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Redemption - Big Chief | Not Tried | 0 |
| Five Points - Five Points Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Three Friends - Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - AK | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
04 May 2014 (Stephen Harris)
Sunday afternoon visit, with much serious beer talk at the bar.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Pale XX Superior No. 8 | 5.00 | | Golden/amber in colour and very heavily hopped, with Citra particularly prominent in the mix. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Mild Ale - Single Hop Special (Mosaic) | 3.30 | | Leaving aside for the moment whether it is a contradiction in terms to have a heavily hopped mild….. This was a really nice, well-hopped, dark mild. |
| Weird Beard - K*ntish Town Beard | 5.50 | | Initially called Kentish Town until, allegedly, a rival brewery in that part of London objected – hence the name change. Deep golden/amber in colour. A nice, smooth brown ale with wheaty flavours and lemony hop tastes. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Burton Ale c.1924 | 5.40 | | This beer is not your standard Howling Hops output. Malt-heavy and slightly sweet. |
| Ilkley - Lotus IPA (was 5.6%) | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Ilkley - Pale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Ilkley - Fireside Porter | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Single Stout | 3.80 | Not Tried |
04 Mar 2014 (Stephen Harris)
I’m soon off on holiday to a hop-deficient part of the world. So my medical advisors recommended a visit here to top up my blood/hop levels before departure. Two more Howling Hops beers also available on the pumps, whose names I forgot to record.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Pale Ale No. 9 | 3.80 | | Pale gold, hoppy mouthful. Simcoe, Citra and Cascade hops doing the business in this one. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Milk Stout - Chinook | 4.00 | | Hmmm. A sweetish, hoppy milk stout. Not sure that it completely works. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Pale XX - Mosaic | 5.20 | | This one off the keg fonts. Minimal carbonation, but some chilling. Earthy hop tastes. |
| Redemption - Trinity | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Redemption - Fellowship Porter | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Redemption - Big Chief | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Three Friends - Pale | 4.70 | Not Tried |
12 Feb 2014 (Stephen Harris)
It took us a while to work out why it was so very busy here. It was the 8pm quiz. Pub quizzes seem to be very popular just now.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Ruby Red | 5.00 | | Good to see this beer back on the bar. Lots of hoppy flavours in a red beer. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Pale Ale No. 8 | 3.80 | | More hoppy lusciousness. This beer features a mix of Cascade, Centennial and Chinook. |
| Alpha State - Larson’s Ruin Breakfast Stout | 10.00 | | A generous taster from the cellar. Big and black. |
| Brew By Numbers - 01/06 Saison Motueka & Lime | 5.00 | | A bottled beer. The lime flavours very dominant, but this made it go all the better with my pork pie dinner. |
| Dark Star - Winter Meltdown | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Windsor & Eton - Conqueror | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| East London (ELB) - Foundation Bitter | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Railway Porter | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Five Points Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried |
19 Jan 2014 (Stephen Harris)
Lunchtime visit on a Sunday and the pub is rather quiet. Channel 4 News are in here doing a piece about the villainy of the tied-house system, but for some reason I decline an invitation to be interviewed.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weird Beard - Decadence Stout | 5.50 | | Black, with a brown head. Dry and roasty. A proper, full-on stout. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Beech-Smoked Porter | 5.20 | | - Black. Very drinkable for its strength. Great smoky flavour. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Medium Red (Warming Ale) | 4.20 | | My finely-tuned hop receptors can detect Citra hop at twenty paces – and it’s in here. |
| Redemption - Pale Ale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Redemption - Trinity | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - Twelfth Night | 7.40 | Not Tried | |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Session Wit IPA | 3.80 | Not Tried |
03 Jan 2014 (Stephen Harris)
Crowded in the early to mid-evening. But luckily a couple of friends have arrived early and bagged a table.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kernel (The Kernel) - London Brewers Alliance Collaboration Stout | 6.80 | | Aged in the cask for a year and truly wonderful. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - European Light Ale | 4.40 | | Pale and full of Euro hop varieties. |
| Hopcraft (experimental side of Pixie Spring) - Citra Plus | 5.40 | | As crazily over-hopped as one would expect from this brewery. Delicious. |
| Redemption - Urban Dusk | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Mild Ale (Hopped for Export) | 3.30 | Not Tried | |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Session Wit IPA | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Three Friends - Amber | 5.00 | Not Tried |
21 Dec 2013 (Stephen Harris)
Nice and quiet in here shortly after opening on a Saturday. Time for a quick pint and a pork pie, when I should, in truth, have been doing my Christmas shopping.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Three Friends - Amber | 5.00 | | Hugely hopped with Summit and Simcoe. |
| East London (ELB) - Foundation Bitter | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| East London (ELB) - Quadrant Oatmeal Stout (now please use 5.5% entry | 5.80 | Not Tried | |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Session Wit IPA | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - AK | 2.50 | Not Tried | |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Pale Ale No. 7 | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - European Light Ale | 4.40 | Not Tried |
03 Dec 2013 (HSB)
15:50 Fourth stop. Rather quiet. Some refugees from the Pigs Ear festival, including the Caveman brewer with whom we had an interesting chat.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Original Porter | 4.50 | | |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Bramble Porter | 4.80 | | Not much blackberry taste |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - AK | 2.50 | Not Tried | |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Amber de Luxe | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Five Points Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Swift | 3.90 | Not Tried |
24 Sep 2013 (Stephen Harris)
Not too busy on a Tuesday evening; all dogs, beards, babies and beer.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Single Stout | 3.80 | | Amazingly full-on stout tastes for its strength. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Simcoe (Single Hop Series 2/8) | 3.80 | | Golden-coloured. Truly scrumptious. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Poacher Wild Hops | 4.00 | | Pale gold-coloured and a bit hazy. Made using locally-havested, wild hops. It has come out really well. Light, slightly sweet hop tastes. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Amarillo Single Hop Series 3/8 | 3.80 | | Amber-coloured. Very long, very bitter finish. Perhaps a little lacking in body. |
| Brodie's (latterly contract brewed by Rhymney) - London Fields Pale Ale | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Clarence & Fredericks - Best Bitter | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Clarence & Fredericks - American Pale Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Five Points Pale | 4.40 | Not Tried |
10 Sep 2013 (Judy G Garland)
Afternoon Session with 7 ciders and 8 keg beers also available
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Rye Wit IPA | 5.20 | | |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Mozaic (Single Hop Series 1/8) | 3.80 | | |
| Dark Star - American Pale Ale (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Brodie's (latterly contract brewed by Rhymney) - Citra | 3.10 | Not Tried | |
| Brodie's (latterly contract brewed by Rhymney) - Bethnal Green Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - First Brews No. 2 – Pale Ale | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Amarillo Single Hop Series 3/8 | 3.80 | Not Tried |
30 Aug 2013 (Stephen Harris)
A pleasant evening session with a crowd of friends new and old.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Mozaic (Single Hop Series 1/8) | 3.80 | | A really good, somewhat spicy (I thought) hoppy beer. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Rye Wit IPA | 5.20 | | A awful lot going on in this beer. A cloudy yellow/gold colour. Wheaty aroma. Lots of fruity and spicy tastes and not much more than a hint of rye. |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - Wallflower Orange Wit | 5.70 | | A real oddity, brewed in collaboration with near neighbours Pressure Drop Brewery. Cloudy and earthy/flowery. |
| Dark Star - Hylder Blonde | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Dark Star - Revelation | 5.70 | Not Tried | |
| Howling Hops (Former brewery at Cock Tavern) - American Light Ale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - Railway Porter | 4.80 | 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