PubsandBeer
Royal Oak (Harvey's Brewery)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Bonfire Boy |  | 1 |
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | | 1 |
| Harvey's - Sussex Wild Hop | | 1 |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter |  | 3 |
| Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale | | 5 |
| Harvey's - Southdown Harvest Ale | | 2 |
| Harvey's - Waterloo Rye IPA | | 2 |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | | 4 |
| Harvey's - Tom Paine | | 1 |
| Harvey's - Knots of May Light Mild | Not Tried | 0 |
| Harvey's - Copperwheat Beer | Not Tried | 0 |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's Spring Sprinter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Oliver's Island | Not Tried | 0 |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's HSB | Not Tried | 0 |
| Harvey's - Christmas Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
30 Jan 2016 (ChrisE)
Mid day visit, the Labologist's Society were holding an auction of labels upstairs but with prices going in to three figures for a label that was too much for me. I met an interesting chap who has an amazing collection of Toby Jugs from Hoare & Co., Charrington and Bass Charrington.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale | 3.50 | | |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Bonfire Boy | 5.80 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Christmas Ale | 7.50 | Not Tried |
27 Jan 2016 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until close for successful London Drinker magazine pick-up and Good Beer Guide survey.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale | 3.50 |  | |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Bonfire Boy | 5.80 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Christmas Ale | 7.50 | Not Tried |
07 Jan 2016 (ChrisE)
I sat in the back bar and was unable to see the decent array of pump clips in the front bar so I have not listed all the beers that were available. A really pleasant atmosphere in here today and I would have stayed longer had time permitted.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | | Very good indeed. |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Bonfire Boy | 5.80 | Not Tried | |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's HSB | 4.80 | Not Tried |
25 Nov 2015 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until close. Much CAMRA London royalty in situ long into the night.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | 4.30 | | In fine silky smooth form |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Southdown Harvest Ale | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Bonfire Boy | 5.80 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Oliver's Island | 3.80 | Not Tried | Ran out - no loss in a Harveys house |
14 Nov 2015 (HSB)
12:00 - 17:00 Quarterly meeting of the CAMRA Pub Heritage Group. We were in the upper room but I made a number of visits to the bar. Steady trade but nowhere near as busy as it was last year when we met at this venue.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | | Much better than the first. Nutty and bitter. |
| Harvey's - Bonfire Boy | 5.80 | | Rich and dark |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | | |
| Harvey's - Southdown Harvest Ale | 5.00 | | Much better, I suspect I may have had the first one out previously |
| Harvey's - Southdown Harvest Ale | 5.00 | | Touch sour |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | 4.30 | Not Tried |
30 Sep 2015 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until close. Exalted company with the CAMRA LRD and SPBW Vice-Chair in situ.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex Wild Hop | 3.70 | | |
| Harvey's - Tom Paine | 5.50 | | Dry and woody |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Southdown Harvest Ale | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's Spring Sprinter | 4.00 | Not Tried | Ran out |
29 Jul 2015 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Waterloo Rye IPA | 6.10 | | Probably better matching an historical IPA style than many that purport to. £4.40 pp |
| 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 | |
| Harvey's - Tom Paine | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's Spring Sprinter | 4.00 | Not Tried | Ran out |
| Harvey's - Sussex Wild Hop | 3.70 | Not Tried |
15 Jul 2015 (Stephen Harris)
Early evening and quiet enough when I arrived to have my pick of tables in the front bar.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale | 3.50 | | Tasty, malt-led, amber-coloured beer. |
| Harvey's - Waterloo Rye IPA | 6.10 | | Strong, golden beer. Initially seemed sweet, but bitter rye flavours developed. |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Copperwheat Beer | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Wild Hop | 3.70 | Not Tried |
11 Jun 2015 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until close. Second consecutive visit when earlier than usual closing applied due to low level of custom.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale | 3.50 | | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Copperwheat Beer | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Knots of May Light Mild | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Wild Hop | 3.70 | Not Tried |
27 May 2015 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until close. Actually got in just as premature last orders was being called due to light business tonight.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex Pale Ale | 3.50 | | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Knots of May Light Mild | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Sussex Wild Hop | 3.70 | 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