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Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House) (Free House)
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) |  | 6 |
| Titanic - Plum Porter | | 1 |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | | 6 |
| Adnams - Southwold Bitter |  | 1 |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - London Porter | | 1 |
| Wadworth - 6X | | 1 |
| Sambrook's - Powerhouse Porter | | 1 |
| Palmers - Copper Ale | | 1 |
| Sambrook's - Mustang | | 1 |
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | | 1 |
| Surrey Hills - Shere Drop | | 1 |
| Larkins - Pale | | 3 |
| Dorking - DB Number One | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - All Roads | Not Tried | 0 |
| Timothy Taylor - Golden Best (was 3.5%) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Greene King - Abbot | Not Tried | 0 |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Brother Rabbit | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dorking - Pilcrow Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hop Back - Summer Lightning | Not Tried | 0 |
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord | Not Tried | 0 |
| Anarchy - Blonde Star | Not Tried | 0 |
| Robinsons - Trooper | Not Tried | 0 |
| Downton - Honey Blonde | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sharp's - Twin Coast | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Pumphouse Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Harviestoun - Summer Legend | Not Tried | 0 |
| Cronx - Entire Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sambrook's - Wandle | Not Tried | 0 |
| Exmoor - Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Adnams - Ghost Ship | Not Tried | 0 |
| Sharp's - Sea Fury | Not Tried | 0 |
| Butcombe - Original | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
11 Sep 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | As yesterday - spot on |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | As yesterday great creamy head and lacing - a fine drop |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | As always a little doubt about exactly what this ale should taste like |
| Exmoor - Gold | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Adnams - Southwold Bitter | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Harviestoun - Summer Legend | 3.00 | Not Tried |
10 Sep 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Spot on form |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Creamy and smooth on the palate |
| Adnams - Southwold Bitter | 3.70 | | Rather cloying, condition good but did not enjoy |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Sharp's - Twin Coast | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Harviestoun - Summer Legend | 3.00 | Not Tried |
04 Sep 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | Spot on |
| Surrey Hills - Shere Drop | 4.20 | | Slightly sourer hopping than I recall |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Good but had better |
| Hop Back - Summer Lightning | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Robinsons - Trooper | 4.70 | Not Tried |
31 Aug 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Creamy headed |
| Palmers - 200 Premium Ale | 5.00 | | Full bodied |
| Hop Back - Summer Lightning | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Anarchy - Blonde Star | 4.10 | Not Tried |
27 Aug 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wadworth - 6X | 4.10 | | First of a new cask - disappointing with no distinguishing feature(s) |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | |
| Palmers - Copper Ale | 3.70 | | Good head |
| Greene King - Abbot | 5.00 | Not Tried | Ran out as I ordered - no luck tonight |
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | Not Tried | Oh dear. Inspired me as I walked in to see it on but as I ordered it was just taken off sale as had run out. Ouch! Should have gone on it upon entering |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Brother Rabbit | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - Pilcrow Pale | 4.00 | Not Tried |
20 Aug 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | As good as yesterday's and why I had come back for more |
| Titanic - Plum Porter | 4.90 | | Just the right plum flavouring |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | New cask came on near closing time |
| Timothy Taylor - Golden Best (was 3.5%) | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - DB Number One | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - All Roads | 4.00 | Not Tried |
19 Aug 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | First rate with an almost Guinness-like creamy head |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Good but have had better |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - DB Number One | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Butcombe - Original | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Dorking - All Roads | 4.00 | Not Tried |
16 Aug 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - Tally Ho! | 5.50 | | Just the ale I hoped would be on |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Had it all - great stuff |
| Sharp's - Sea Fury | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Butcombe - Original | 4.00 | Not Tried |
11 Aug 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Too many Sambrook's to be a good choice tonight.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sambrook's - Mustang | 5.10 | | An APA that had little head or lacing |
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Wandle | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Adnams - Ghost Ship | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Powerhouse Porter | 4.90 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Pumphouse Pale Ale | 4.20 | Not Tried |
09 Aug 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until midnight close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmers - IPA (Best) | 4.20 | | First out a new cask - I thought a bit green |
| Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - London Porter | 5.00 | | Broken yeasty head - did not enjoy |
| Sambrook's - Powerhouse Porter | 4.90 | | First out a new cask - rather fresh |
| Downton - Honey Blonde | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Sambrook's - Pumphouse Pale Ale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Cronx - Entire Porter | 5.20 | Not Tried | Ran out as I walked in to order |
About the Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House)
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 5 |
| 242 |
| 100 |
 | 15 |
 | 1 |
The pub is found in Addiscombe, Greater London, CR0 7AA.
Small low ceilinged pub close to Addiscombe Tram Stop in Bingham Corner, Lower Addiscombe Road. This pub is a regular outlet for Palmers beers. In November 2012 Palmers awarded the pub a certificate for having sold a total of 1,000,000 pints of Palmers Best Bitter (IPA) exceeding any other of its free trade outlets and in later years further greatly exceeded here and similarly certificated with 1,250,000th in 2019. 6 handpumps dispense the real ales and always at least 2 ciders served by a walk to the ground floor cellar, the latter of late not being real ones however. Beers in the cellar and due to come on are listed on a wallboard. Changed hands in 2016 with slight change of name from Claret Free House to Claret & Ale but little else has changed. 6 handpumps. Regular winner of the local CAMRA branch Borough Pub of the Year award. Local CAMRA branch Pub of the Year 2024.
We have visited this pub 168 times, seen 256 different beers and tried 79 of them.
Postcode: CR0 7AA