The River Ale House (Free House)
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Stephen Harris
Visits Details
31 Jul 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Kent - Galaxy | 4.50 |  | A zesty single hopper |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 |  | Flattish pour, lacking the condition for full mouthfeel |
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Beerblefish - 1820 Porter | 6.60 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Soundcheck | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Castle Rock - Static Energy | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
30 Jul 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
Still open from 4pm while being redecorated by daytime when closed anyway except Fri to Sun when open earlier. The very effective and home-made (by the publican) sound-absorbers were off the ceiling for a lick of paint up there throughout the front and back rooms. It had become the River Echo House! Such a contrast! The fiddlers out the back were much louder for me out the front, and everyone's voices were bouncing off all the hard surfaces. In for last half-hour of serving for this new audio experience. It was busy and so really tested the lack of sound absorption.
| Kent - Galaxy | 4.50 |  | Very moreish pale with Aussie fruit flavours in this superb hoppy beer with lots of froth to be head over heels about. |
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | 3.70 |  | In fine form, this pale with its amber bitterness. Very thirst-quenching for one of the warmest days of the year. |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Vocation - Heart & Soul | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Gun - Scaramanga Extra Pale Ale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Beerblefish - 1820 Porter | 6.60 | Not Tried | |
| Castle Rock - Static Energy | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
28 Jul 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
In for last 40 minutes of serving and still busy.
| Church End - Vicar's Ruin | 4.40 |  | Not as great a head as Saturday evening but still some and good tasting. So stuck to it for whole visit in enjoying the hoppy and malty flavours in this straw-coloured bitter. |
| Vocation - Heart & Soul | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Gun - Scaramanga Extra Pale Ale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Beerblefish - 1820 Porter | 6.60 | Not Tried | |
| Staggeringly Good - Prehistoric Creatures Golden Ale | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Adnams - Dreamboat (collaboration with New Bristol) | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
28 Jul 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. By last bells just the stalwarts in.
| Church End - Vicar's Ruin | 4.40 |  | Another Church End staple in good condition, enough to have two |
| Staggeringly Good - Prehistoric Creatures Golden Ale | 4.00 |  | Improved by some double decanting between two pint glasses, brought some head and life to what tasted good |
| Vocation - Heart & Soul | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Gun - Scaramanga Extra Pale Ale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Beerblefish - 1820 Porter | 6.60 | Not Tried | |
| Adnams - Dreamboat (collaboration with New Bristol) | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
27 Jul 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy but a seat to be had for earlier than usual visit at about 9.30pm to close.
| Church End - Vicar's Ruin | 4.40 |  | More tea vicar as it was very moreish! Very dry aftertaste which I enjoyed along with its maltiness. Had to have a second and expect will soon be gone even though fresh on today. Looks like a pale and so had to ask as did another customer, too, whether it was the bitter after all! Described as straw-coloured so that explains it. |
| Staggeringly Good - Prehistoric Creatures Golden Ale | 4.00 |  | Only my second sampling ever of this Portsmouth brew as far as I can recall and from previous evening. One sufficed but still in good form and had a tasty bitterness. |
| Gun - Scaramanga Extra Pale Ale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Beerblefish - 1820 Porter | 6.60 | Not Tried | |
| Adnams - Dreamboat (collaboration with New Bristol) | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Only With Love - Skipper Transatlantic Pale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
26 Jul 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
30 minutes to close. One of the busiest nights in recent visits. Usual jovial locals among visitors perhaps for the first time.
| Staggeringly Good - Prehistoric Creatures Golden Ale | 4.00 |  | Very good refreshing taste and conditioning. Not a problem to sink two on arrival. Also helped wash a food roll down. |
| Only With Love - Skipper Transatlantic Pale | 4.50 |  | Recommended by a regular and not disappointed. The marmalade twang definitely stood out and all in all it helped me wash down another food roll. New on today and in fine form, taste-wise and in conditioning. |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | 4.20 | Not Tried | Yesterday's tasting sufficed. |
| Beerblefish - 1820 Porter | 6.60 | Not Tried | Yesterday's tasting of the chocolate in it lives on in my memory! |
| Kent - Local Hero | 3.40 | Not Tried | Tried it yesterday instead but surprised a light-weight has gone so soon as taken off whilst in for remaining 30 minutes of serving. |
| Adnams - Dreamboat (collaboration with New Bristol) | 5.50 | Not Tried | Its slight sourness from day before also lives on in my memory. |
25 Jul 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
40 minutes before close. Busier than earlier in the week. Mostly a new line-up of real ales with just 4 by end of evening.
| Beerblefish - 1820 Porter | 6.60 |  | Certainly got the coffee and moreover the chocolate notes from this and in good condition. |
| Adnams - Dreamboat (collaboration with New Bristol) | 5.50 |  | Floral lemon not to my taste but in good shape and hoppy all the same this Golden beer. |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | 4.20 |  | Just on and so tasted a little fresh but good lacing on side of glass in first one tried. The toffee malts were unmistakeable. Second one I tried had less lacing so decanted to achieve some carbonation again. |
| Kent - Local Hero | 3.40 |  | In good condition and not overly flavoured with fruit, this single hop pale. Good hoppy taste about it. |
| Elusive - Mojave | 4.50 | Not Tried | The one survivor from earlier in the week of beers but soon ran out during my late evening visit. |
25 Jul 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Adnams - Dreamboat (collaboration with New Bristol) | 5.50 |  | Very zesty mouthfeel. The flavour would not appeal to everyone |
| Kent - Local Hero | 3.40 |  | New cask on today. Rather thin and virtually held no head or lacing |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Beerblefish - 1820 Porter | 6.60 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Mojave | 4.50 | Not Tried | Ran out |
24 Jul 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Nowt much on the menu appealed.
| Mighty Oak - Kings (was 3.9% before 2013) | 4.20 |  | Good condition but drank without really noticing |
| Beerblefish - 1820 Porter | 6.60 |  | Needed more condition to overcome its dry bitterness |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Reeve's Ale | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Vocation - Bread & Butter | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| New Bristol - The Joy of Sesh IPA | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Salopian - Symphonic (collaboration with Oakham) | 5.30 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Mojave | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
23 Jul 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
Half hour before close and quiet. 7 real ales on. Only tried the one.
| Mighty Oak - Kings (was 3.9% before 2013) | 4.20 |  | New on and very much full of hoppiness which went down well and so stuck to it. |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Reeve's Ale | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Vocation - Bread & Butter | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| New Bristol - The Joy of Sesh IPA | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Beerblefish - 1820 Porter | 6.60 | Not Tried | |
| Salopian - Symphonic (collaboration with Oakham) | 5.30 | Not Tried | |
| Elusive - Mojave | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
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