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Princess of Wales (Castle (Mitchells & Butlers) )

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Cattle ShedExcellent1
Rooster's - Nelson Sauvin India Pale AleExcellent1
Dark Star - Hophead (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)Excellent1
Celt Experience (now brands are owned by Evans Evans) - Galaxy EquinoxGood1
Timothy Taylor - LandlordAcceptable5
Titanic - Plum PorterAcceptable1
Hop Back - Winter LightningAcceptable1
St Austell - TributeUndrinkable1
Marston's - Wychwood Hobgoblin IPA (was Ruby Beer, was Hobgoblin)Not Tried0
Sharp's - Doom BarNot Tried0
Thwaites (brewed at Banks's) - Wainwright (please now use the Banks's entry)Not Tried0
Adnams - The Herbalist (collaboration with Magic Rock)Not Tried0
Dorset Brewing Company - Jurassic Citrus MaximusNot Tried0
Hop Back - Summer LightningNot Tried0
Salopian - Hop TwisterNot Tried0
York (now brewed by and at Black Sheep) - KōmāNot Tried0
Moles - Mole CatcherNot Tried0
Itchen Valley - GodfathersNot Tried0
Windsor & Eton - Knight of the GarterNot Tried0
Dorset Brewing Company - Frosted JackNot Tried0
Adnams - Mosaic Pale AleNot Tried0
Northern Monk - Eternal Session IPANot Tried0
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London PrideNot Tried0
Picture 1. Princess of Wales, Blackheath, Greater London

Visits Details

04 Nov 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit. Took out a mortgage to visit on its first day after a makeover closure period. Last nail hammered into what was once a drinkers' pub with the removal of the front bar and its 5 handpumps. Casual corporate service, one-inch short measure and scandalous £6.05 for a pint of Landlord. Very tempting to drink up as fast as possible and spin.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Timothy Taylor - Landlord4.30GoodNew cask obviously on first day of opening
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
30 Jan 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Timothy Taylor - Landlord4.30PoorAt £5.65 I expect nectar or at least tip top condition ale. This was poured flat with no condition at all in the glass. Although no off flavours it was unappetising so I downed it quickly to get out and away
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
St Austell - Tribute4.20Not Tried
13 Jan 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Titanic - Plum Porter4.90AcceptableServed with a one inch void below the brim (about a non-pounds-worth) but topped up with good grace. Extortionate at £5.45 pp. Tasty but had probably had better condition
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Dark Star - Hophead (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.80Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not TriedLine being cleaned before new cask going on. Means someone must be buying it
St Austell - Tribute4.20Not Tried
14 Dec 2021 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit. 11 handpumps but only 2 real ales on may indicate the downturn in cask sales at other than beer boutiques and micropubs. Numerous brown luggage tags saying "Coming soon" but staff had no idea when and even if - an awful practice.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Dark Star - Hophead (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.80ExcellentI was pleasantly surprised how heavily hopped this was but at £5.35pp that is a lot of pennies per hop
St Austell - Tribute4.20UndrinkablePoured and presented but with the look of total pea-souper murk lead to a replacement with good grace
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
30 Jan 2020 (Philip Pirrip)
Mid evening visit considerably foreshortened by scurrilous cask ale pricing above that I would expect, even if it had been a central London house. An early return is unlikely.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Timothy Taylor - Landlord4.30AcceptableCloying. £5.30pp meaning the person who knocked my arm and spoilt some of my beer had probably spilt 60p's worth
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried£5.15pp
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Dorset Brewing Company - Frosted Jack4.30Not Tried
Adnams - Mosaic Pale Ale4.10Not Tried
Northern Monk - Eternal Session IPA4.10Not Tried
05 Oct 2016 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until 11pm close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Rooster's - Nelson Sauvin India Pale Ale5.00ExcellentAmazingly dry and sourly bittered
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Moles - Mole Catcher5.00Not Tried
Itchen Valley - Godfathers3.80Not Tried
Windsor & Eton - Knight of the Garter3.80Not Tried
09 Jun 2016 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until 11pm close. Seemed to be an inordinate number of staff milling around behind the bar but only a few of them serving.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Cattle Shed4.50ExcellentLovely hoppy nick
Hop Back - Summer Lightning5.00Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not TriedThey should ditch this stuff and put on another micro-brewery's brew
Salopian - Hop Twister4.50Not Tried
York (now brewed by and at Black Sheep) - Kōmā5.50Not Tried
03 May 2016 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. Did not linger as cash was short. Served the shortest measured half ever.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Timothy Taylor - Landlord4.30Acceptable
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Dark Star - Hophead (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.80Not Tried
Thwaites (brewed at Banks's) - Wainwright (please now use the Banks's entry)4.10Not Tried
Dorset Brewing Company - Jurassic Citrus Maximus4.00Not Tried
06 Apr 2016 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until 11pm close. Others beers details lost in this website's server crash.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Timothy Taylor - Landlord4.30GoodGood bitterness but some unusual fruity and caramel tones. Landlord never used to be so variable. Wow the price too!
Celt Experience (now brands are owned by Evans Evans) - Galaxy Equinox5.60GoodWow the price!!
02 Mar 2016 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. A very dull range on here so soon left.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Hop Back - Winter Lightning5.50AcceptableFlat, rather sweet
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Marston's - Wychwood Hobgoblin IPA (was Ruby Beer, was Hobgoblin)4.50Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Thwaites (brewed at Banks's) - Wainwright (please now use the Banks's entry)4.10Not TriedA disgrace that the pumpclip implies this is still a Thwaites brew
Adnams - The Herbalist (collaboration with Magic Rock)4.80Not TriedA nonsense these collaboration brews without the drinker being told who did what. In this case did someone from Magic Rock just turn up and say hello to a fermenting vessel?

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About the Princess of Wales

The pub sign. Princess of Wales, Blackheath, Greater London

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional1
Excellent7
Good8
Acceptable8
Poor1

Website.

The pub is found in Blackheath, Greater London, SE3 0RL.

Located at the extreme north end of Montpelier Row. Locally renowned large pub situated on the heath. Particularly popular in summer when Blackheath's most beautiful spill out onto the heath and drink in the sun with plastic glasses. Daily specials menu plus more fancy nosh options. Can get too busy for its own good and the toilets often degenerate into a cesspool by the end of the night. 6 handpumps in the rear bar to the right-hand side. Inordinately expensive cask ale here. Since Covid pandemic it is a card payment only venue. Re-opened 4th November 2022 after a makeover but with significant loss of the atmospheric front bar counter, now replaced by seating.

We have visited this pub 20 times, seen 50 different beers and tried 20 of them.

Map location

Postcode: SE3 0RL