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

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Ossett - ButterleyExcellent1
Long Man - Old ManExcellent1
Otter - BitterExcellent1
Palmers - 200 Premium AleExcellent2
Palmers - IPA (Best)Excellent6
Pilgrim - Surrey Original Pale AleExcellent1
Larkins - PaleExcellent2
Shepherd Neame - Late RedGood1
Timothy Taylor - LandlordGood1
Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Mysteries of the GalaxyGood1
Wantsum - Turbulent PriestGood1
Larkins - Green Hop BestGood2
Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Autumn RedNot Tried0
Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked LadiesNot Tried0
Dorking - Pilcrow PaleNot Tried0
Dorking - Stanza XPANot Tried0
Wantsum - Black PigNot Tried0
Dorking - DB Number OneNot Tried0
Titsey - Gower WolfNot Tried0
Tonbridge - Ebony MoonNot Tried0
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - ShamrockNot Tried0
Long Man - Long BlondeNot Tried0
Westerham - Wally Winker's Death by ChocolateNot Tried0
Tonbridge - Old ChestnutNot Tried0
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - EvolveNot Tried0
Dorking - Winter's ComingNot Tried0
Titsey - North Downs GoldNot Tried0
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London PrideNot Tried0
Pilgrim - Progress Best BitterNot Tried0
St Austell - TributeNot Tried0
Westerham - Hop RocketNot Tried0
Downton - Honey BlondeNot Tried0
Westerham - British BulldogNot Tried0
Downton - Oatmeal StoutNot Tried0
Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - HarlequinNot Tried0
Greene King - AbbotNot Tried0
Sambrook's - JunctionNot Tried0
Adnams - Ghost ShipNot Tried0
Sambrook's - Powerhouse PorterNot Tried0
Picture 1. Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House), Addiscombe, Greater London

Visits Details

11 Nov 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20ExcellentSpot on as expected here
Timothy Taylor - Landlord4.30GoodSuch a difficult ale to judge owing to variation at different venues. This one in very good condition
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
Greene King - Abbot5.00Not Tried
Adnams - Ghost Ship4.50Not Tried
Downton - Oatmeal Stout4.20Not Tried
08 Nov 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Last knockings visit until midnight close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20ExcellentCould not fault - very good indeed
Long Man - Old Man4.30ExcellentMost enjoyable nightcap
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London Pride4.10Not Tried
St Austell - Tribute4.20Not Tried
Downton - Honey Blonde4.30Not Tried
Downton - Oatmeal Stout4.20Not Tried
01 Nov 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until midnight close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Larkins - Pale4.20GoodHad all its attributes competently
Tonbridge - Ebony Moon4.20Not Tried
Long Man - Long Blonde3.80Not Tried
Tonbridge - Old Chestnut4.40Not Tried
Dorking - Winter's Coming4.50Not Tried
25 Oct 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Last knockings visit until midnight close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Larkins - Pale4.20ExcellentIn good form
Larkins - Green Hop Best4.00GoodGood not one of the best of the 2024 green hopper crop
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20Not Tried
Dorking - DB Number One4.20Not Tried
Dorking - Stanza XPA3.80Not Tried
23 Oct 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20ExcellentAs expected here
Larkins - Green Hop Best4.00GoodGood enough to have a second one
Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked Ladies4.40Not Tried
Sambrook's - Powerhouse Porter4.90Not Tried
Dorking - Pilcrow Pale4.00Not Tried
Dorking - Stanza XPA3.80Not Tried
18 Oct 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until midnight close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20GoodGood but have had much better
Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Mysteries of the Galaxy4.50GoodHeavy in your face hopping
Sambrook's - Junction4.50Not Tried
Sambrook's - Powerhouse Porter4.90Not Tried
Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Autumn Red4.40Not Tried
14 Oct 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Palmers - 200 Premium Ale5.00ExcellentYet again - spot on
Otter - Bitter3.60Not TriedRan out
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20Not Tried
Westerham - British Bulldog4.10Not Tried
Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Harlequin4.10Not Tried
Westerham - Hop Rocket4.30Not Tried
12 Oct 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Otter - Bitter3.60ExcellentOften disappointingly presented elsewhere but not here
Palmers - 200 Premium Ale5.00ExcellentSimply time ran out to have more
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20Not Tried
Pilgrim - Progress Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Evolve4.10Not Tried
Westerham - Hop Rocket4.30Not Tried
08 Oct 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Pilgrim - Surrey Original Pale Ale3.70ExcellentGood basic bitterness
Ossett - Butterley3.80ExcellentMildly bittered Yorkshire ale
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20GoodSensed it might be well down the cask
Westerham - Wally Winker's Death by Chocolate4.50Not Tried
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Evolve4.10Not Tried
Titsey - North Downs Gold4.20Not Tried
27 Sep 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until midnight close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20Excellent4½* The best Palmers IPA in a long time. As near perfect as one hopes for. One to drown in
Shepherd Neame - Late Red4.50GoodDry bitterness. Initial head and lacing did dissipate pretty soon
Wantsum - Turbulent Priest4.40GoodGood bitterness but one was enough
Wantsum - Black Pig4.80Not Tried
Titsey - Gower Wolf4.00Not Tried
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Shamrock4.50Not 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
Excellent256
Good111
Acceptable15
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. Local CAMRA branch Pub of the Year 2024.

We have visited this pub 180 times, seen 270 different beers and tried 83 of them.

Map location

Postcode: CR0 7AA