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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!Excellent1
Palmers - IPA (Best)Excellent5
Palmers - Dorset GoldExcellent1
Larkins - PaleExcellent2
Long Man - Old ManExcellent1
Wantsum - UXB?Good1
Timothy Taylor - Landlord Dark (was Ram Tam)Good3
Larkins - Green Hop BestGood2
Wadworth - OT (Old [Father] Timer)Good1
Westerham - Viceroy India Pale AleGood1
Timothy Taylor - LandlordGood1
Adnams - Ghost ShipNot Tried0
Salopian - Firkin FreezinNot Tried0
Palmers - Copper AleNot Tried0
Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Naked LadiesNot Tried0
Westerham - 1965 Special Bitter AleNot Tried0
Sambrook's - Powerhouse PorterNot Tried0
Westerham - British BulldogNot Tried0
Dorking - Pilcrow PaleNot Tried0
Sharp's - Sea FuryNot Tried0
Dorking - Stanza XPANot Tried0
Greene King - FiresideNot Tried0
Dorking - DB Number OneNot Tried0
Wantsum - 1381Not Tried0
Tonbridge - Ebony MoonNot Tried0
Greene King - Morland Old Golden HenNot Tried0
Long Man - Long BlondeNot Tried0
Robinsons - TrooperNot Tried0
Tonbridge - Old ChestnutNot Tried0
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - EvolveNot Tried0
Dorking - Winter's ComingNot Tried0
Mighty Oak - Tina TinselNot Tried0
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - London PrideNot Tried0
St Austell - TributeNot Tried0
Downton - Honey BlondeNot Tried0
Downton - Oatmeal StoutNot Tried0
Greene King - AbbotNot Tried0
Picture 1. Claret & Ale (formerly Claret Free House), Addiscombe, Greater London

Visits Details

03 Dec 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Last knockings visit until close. Near packed after a Crystal Palace away match on TV.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20GoodHad better
Wantsum - UXB?4.60GoodRaspberry porter, a tasty brew
Greene King - Fireside4.50Not TriedA 7th ale - this one in gravity on the bar counter
Wantsum - 13813.80Not Tried
Greene King - Morland Old Golden Hen4.10Not Tried
Robinsons - Trooper4.70Not Tried
Mad Squirrel (formerly Red Squirrel) - Evolve4.10Not Tried
Mighty Oak - Tina Tinsel4.10Not Tried
20 Nov 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Timothy Taylor - Landlord Dark (was Ram Tam)4.30GoodLost some condition since Monday's
Wadworth - OT (Old [Father] Timer)5.80GoodDark and mysterious, good for a nightcap
Westerham - Viceroy India Pale Ale5.00GoodJust a half, good enough
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20Not Tried
Palmers - Dorset Gold4.50Not Tried
Sharp's - Sea Fury5.00Not Tried
18 Nov 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Timothy Taylor - Landlord Dark (was Ram Tam)4.30ExcellentBetter than last week's by half a mark. This was the third cask of three sold. Could not fault
Palmers - Dorset Gold4.50ExcellentFull of life
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20Not Tried
Palmers - Copper Ale3.70Not Tried
Salopian - Firkin Freezin4.10Not Tried
Westerham - British Bulldog4.10Not Tried
15 Nov 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until midnight close. Pleased to see my quest for Landlord Dark was a goer.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Timothy Taylor - Landlord Dark (was Ram Tam)4.30GoodGood to see this (was Ram Tam) getting around. Might have held head and lacing a little better
Greene King - Abbot5.00Not Tried
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20Not Tried
Palmers - Copper Ale3.70Not Tried
Westerham - 1965 Special Bitter Ale4.80Not Tried
Salopian - Firkin Freezin4.10Not Tried
13 Nov 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Palmers - IPA (Best)4.20ExcellentAs expected almost without exception
Palmers - Tally Ho!5.50ExcellentDid I just perhaps find the second one a tad better than the first, slightly creamier. Whatever, an apt nightcap
Greene King - Abbot5.00Not Tried
Adnams - Ghost Ship4.50Not Tried
Salopian - Firkin Freezin4.10Not Tried
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

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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
Excellent260
Good117
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 185 times, seen 274 different beers and tried 86 of them.

Map location

Postcode: CR0 7AA