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The Prospect of Whitby (Greene King)

Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Adnams - ExplorerExcellent1
Hop Stuff - Single Hop SimcoeExcellent2
Elgood's - Summer SunsetExcellent1
Robinsons - Long Kiss GoodnightGood1
Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked LadiesGood2
JW Lees (see also Lees) - ScorcherGood1
Black Sheep - Best BitterAcceptable1
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Courage Directors (use Banks's entry now please)Not Tried0
Westerham - 1730Not Tried0
East London (ELB) - Pale AleNot Tried0
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - RunnerNot Tried0
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - ZephyrNot Tried0
Purity - Mad GooseNot Tried0
Greene King / Mash-Up - Radio X AmplifiedNot Tried0
Redemption - Pale AleNot Tried0
Hammerton - N1Not Tried0
Greene King - Hardys & Hansons Rocking RudolphNot Tried0
Adnams - BroadsideNot Tried0
Greene King - IPA (was 3.6%)Not Tried0
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London PrideNot Tried0
Greene King - AbbotNot Tried0
Sharp's - Doom BarNot Tried0
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Young's London GoldNot Tried0
Picture 1. The Prospect of Whitby, Wapping, Greater London
Picture 2. The Prospect of Whitby, Wapping, Greater London

Visits Details

24 Dec 2018 (Stephen Harris)
Pub very quiet at lunchtime.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Black Sheep - Best Bitter3.80AcceptableA pale, malty Bitter.
Greene King - IPA (was 3.6%)3.40Not Tried
Greene King - Abbot5.00Not Tried
Greene King - Hardys & Hansons Rocking Rudolph4.20Not Tried
23 Oct 2018 (Magnus Greel)
Mid evening fairly busy towards to rear of the pub, we sat at the front and enjoyed a poor value F&C supper.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies4.40AcceptableTwo on the trot for poor condition, again too sweet sticky and cloying.
Greene King - IPA (was 3.6%)3.40Not Tried
Redemption - Pale Ale3.80Not Tried
Hammerton - N14.10Not Tried
13 Jul 2017 (Stephen Harris)
Early evening and all the best vantage points are taken. I sit by the bar instead. It did not occur to me at the time, but I think all the Taylor Walker branding has been removed and this is once again more obviously a Greene King pub.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies4.40ExcellentA very fine pint.
Greene King - IPA (was 3.6%)3.40Not Tried
Purity - Mad Goose4.20Not Tried
Black Sheep - Best Bitter3.80Not Tried
Greene King / Mash-Up - Radio X Amplified4.00Not Tried
18 Jun 2015 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until close. If it is good enough for Stephen Harris it is good enough for me. Spent just a couple of minutes out on the atmospheric tree shaded riverside garden terrace but the chemicals in previously ingested tobacco smoke were a no go or rather an excellent reason to go back inside.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Hop Stuff - Single Hop Simcoe4.20GoodSome haze
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Runner4.00Not Tried
Westerham - 17304.00Not Tried
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Zephyr4.40Not Tried
16 Jun 2015 (Stephen Harris)
Mid-evening, following a pleasant after work walk along the Thames. I sat in the front bar rather than out by the river, where the pub has a completely different feel.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Hop Stuff - Single Hop Simcoe4.20ExcellentGolden and well-hopped and consistently excellent over several pints.
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
East London (ELB) - Pale Ale4.00Not Tried
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Runner4.00Not Tried
Westerham - 17304.00Not Tried
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Zephyr4.40Not Tried
21 Sep 2014 (Stephen Harris)
This fine old pub is now part of the Taylor Walker chain, with improved beer range and a CAMRA discount as a result. The best of the three Wapping riverside pubs this-evening I thought. I did something I’ve never done here before; I went upstairs and enjoyed the river views from the balcony.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Adnams - Explorer4.30ExcellentGood, crisp pint in tip-top condition.
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Courage Directors (use Banks's entry now please)4.80Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Westerham - 17304.00Not Tried
26 Jan 2012 (Blair)
A fascinating historic pub. Unfortunately we got here just as they were calling time so only managed to stay for a very quick pint. Will make sure I come back again.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Robinsons - Long Kiss Goodnight4.30GoodRuby red ale, biscuity flavour with a little hops. Not too shabby.
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Young's London Gold4.00Not Tried
16 Jul 2009 (James T)
Quiet. Lunchtime. Sat out in the beer garden right on the river edge. Nice and sunny. Very pleasant.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Elgood's - Summer Sunset3.80ExcellentIn all honesty, i'd happily sup this all afternoon in the sun. Its fairly average light summer ale. But it was perfect in the sweltering sun this lunchtime. Some mild hops. Bubbly white white head..
JW Lees (see also Lees) - Scorcher4.00GoodGood form, perfect temperature. Sessionable summer ale. Copper colour. Thin head. Not massively impressed with flavours really. Fairly average plain ale.
Adnams - Broadside4.70Not Tried
Greene King - IPA (was 3.6%)3.40Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Greene King - Abbot5.00Not Tried

About The Prospect of Whitby

The pub sign. The Prospect of Whitby, Wapping, Greater London

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional-
Excellent4
Good3
Acceptable2
Poor-

Website.

The pub is found in Wapping, Greater London, E1W 3SH.

This pub is believed to date from 1520, when it was originally built as the Pelican (note the Pelican Stairs which stand beside the pub), but was nicknamed the Devil’s Tavern due to its unsavoury clientele of pirates and smugglers and so on, believed to have included Captain Kidd himself. This original pub was destroyed in a 1770s fire and was rebuilt as The Prospect of Whitby, named after a collier that used to moor alongside. Other customers over the years have included Judge Jeffreys, Samuel Pepys (inevitably), Charles Dickens (inevitably), painters Turner and Whistler, Frank Sinatra, Paul Newman, Judy Garland, Mohammed Ali, etc., etc… The pub is Grade II listed and provides great river views from assorted balconies and gardens. The main bar has a long pewter bar top. For many years this was a Mann Crossman Paulin Brewery house. Upstairs seating and terrace. Ground floor riverside terrace with shade given by a large tree. Inside the bar counter (pewter supported on old barrels) has 6 handpumps for beer and a further 2 towards the rear, these 2 are used to dispense cider and perry. For some time until 2017 branded as a Taylor Walker pub.

We have visited this pub 8 times, seen 22 different beers and tried 7 of them.

Map location

Postcode: E1W 3SH