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Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House) (Free House)

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Palmers - Tally Ho!Excellent2
Palmers - Copper AleExcellent2
Sambrook's - TomahawkExcellent1
Palmers - 200 Premium AleExcellent2
Palmers - IPA (Best)Excellent8
Theakston - Old PeculierExcellent1
Timothy Taylor - Landlord Dark (was Ram Tam)Excellent1
Timothy Taylor - Boltmaker (formerly Best Bitter)Excellent1
Oakham - 3 WitchesExcellent2
Cellar Head - FlapjackGood1
Shepherd Neame - The Faversham Steam Brewery - Whitstable Bay Pale AleGood1
Larkins - PaleGood1
St Austell - Cornish Best (was 3.5%)Not Tried0
Robinsons - TrooperNot Tried0
Greene King - AbbotNot Tried0
Dark Star - Hophead (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)Not Tried0
Sambrook's - Candlemaker Black IPANot Tried0
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - London PorterNot Tried0
Marston's - Courage Directors (was brewed at Banks's for a while)Not Tried0
Westerham - Grasshopper Kent Red AleNot Tried0
Tonbridge - Ebony MoonNot Tried0
Titsey - VanguardNot Tried0
Tonbridge - Easy Street PaleNot Tried0
Titsey - Mercer's Ale Belgian BlondeNot Tried0
Portobello - London's BurningNot Tried0
Cellar Head - Session BestNot Tried0
Dorking - DB Number OneNot Tried0
Dorking - Winter's ComingNot Tried0
Tonbridge - CountrymanNot Tried0
Westerham - Pacific GravityNot Tried0
Salopian - Firkin FreezinNot Tried0
Dorset Brewing Company - WarlockNot Tried0
Cellar Head - Session Pale AleNot Tried0
Exmoor - GoldNot Tried0
Picture 1. Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House), Addiscombe, Greater London

Visits Details

08 Dec 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Theakston - Old Peculier5.60ExcellentFull-on dose of liquorice
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20GoodGood but not quite up there
Dorking - DB Number One4.20Not Tried
Tonbridge - Countryman4.00Not Tried
Sambrook's - Tomahawk4.20Not Tried
Portobello - London's Burning4.50Not Tried
05 Dec 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20ExcellentSpot on
Sambrook's - Tomahawk4.20ExcellentPeak condition albeit not a style to my liking as a sort of Irish Red
Palmers - 200 Premium Ale5.00GoodNothing wrong with it particularly but it was a heavy going ale tonight, as one other customer remarked too
Tonbridge - Ebony Moon4.20Not Tried
Tonbridge - Easy Street Pale3.90Not Tried
Portobello - London's Burning4.50Not Tried
01 Dec 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Palmers - Tally Ho!5.50ExcellentBoot-fillingly moreish
Palmers - Copper Ale3.70ExcellentA most satisfactory substitute for the Palmers IPA which was not ready to serve tonight
Greene King - Abbot5.00Not Tried
Sambrook's - Candlemaker Black IPA4.50Not Tried
Marston's - Courage Directors (was brewed at Banks's for a while)4.80Not Tried
28 Nov 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Last knockings visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Timothy Taylor - Boltmaker (formerly Best Bitter)4.00ExcellentA half in prime condition
Palmers - Tally Ho!5.50Excellent2 quickest pints as was so moreish
Greene King - Abbot5.00Not Tried
Dark Star - Hophead (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.80Not Tried
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20Not Tried
Robinsons - Trooper4.70Not Tried
24 Nov 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20ExcellentSimply - as it should be
Timothy Taylor - Landlord Dark (was Ram Tam)4.30ExcellentStill Ram Tam to me. Good to be reunited with this ale again after a few years
Shepherd Neame - The Faversham Steam Brewery - Whitstable Bay Pale Ale3.90GoodOnly a half but passed muster as good. An uninspiring brand however
Exmoor - Gold4.50Not Tried
St Austell - Cornish Best (was 3.5%)3.40Not Tried
Robinsons - Trooper4.70Not Tried
15 Nov 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20ExcellentBasic good cellarmanship in action
Palmers - 200 Premium Ale5.00ExcellentNot just a whacking body to this but superb head and lacing to boot
Oakham - 3 Witches4.40Not Tried
Salopian - Firkin Freezin4.10Not Tried
Dorset Brewing Company - Warlock4.50Not Tried
Cellar Head - Session Pale Ale3.80Not Tried
10 Nov 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20ExcellentEverything it should be
Oakham - 3 Witches4.40GoodA fine ale but a little bit of haze not encountered on previous occasions
Salopian - Firkin Freezin4.10Not Tried
Dorset Brewing Company - Warlock4.50Not Tried
Cellar Head - Session Best4.00Not Tried
Westerham - Pacific Gravity4.20Not Tried
08 Nov 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit, curtailed arrival delayed by massive Catford area roadworks and bus diversion.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Oakham - 3 Witches4.40ExcellentSpot on with full body
Palmers - Copper Ale3.70ExcellentBetter than the IPA tonight
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20GoodSeemed more bitter than usual
Cellar Head - Session Best4.00Not Tried
Dorking - Winter's Coming4.50Not Tried
Westerham - Pacific Gravity4.20Not Tried
01 Nov 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Two fellows on the next table having continuous well balanced arguments on all topical political matters, but never agreeing on anything.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20ExcellentSpot on
Larkins - Pale4.20GoodThere is always a twang to Larkins Pale I can not identify as to where it might come from
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - London Porter5.00Not Tried
Cellar Head - Flapjack4.70Not Tried
Titsey - Vanguard3.40Not Tried
Titsey - Mercer's Ale Belgian Blonde5.00Not Tried
30 Oct 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20GoodGood enough
Cellar Head - Flapjack4.70GoodA taster tempted me to have a half
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - London Porter5.00Not Tried
Westerham - Grasshopper Kent Red Ale3.80Not Tried
Titsey - Vanguard3.40Not Tried
Titsey - Mercer's Ale Belgian Blonde5.00Not Tried

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About the Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House)

The pub sign. Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House), Addiscombe, Greater London

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional5
Excellent189
Good57
Acceptable4
Poor1

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.

We have visited this pub 120 times, seen 201 different beers and tried 55 of them.

Map location

Postcode: CR0 7AA