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The Little Gem (Goacher's)
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale |  | 4 |
| Goacher's - Best Dark Ale (aka Original) | | 4 |
| Goacher's - Crown Imperial Stout | | 3 |
| Kelham Island - Easy Rider | | 1 |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter |  | 1 |
| Gale's - Trafalgar Ale | | 1 |
| Smiles - Heritage | | 1 |
| Goacher's - Real Mild Ale | | 1 |
| Batemans - Middle Wicket |  | 1 |
| Adnams - Regatta |  | 1 |
| JW Lees (see also Lees) - Scorcher | Not Tried | 0 |
| Skinner's - Heligan Honey | Not Tried | 0 |
| Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Young's London Special (was Special) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Goacher's - Silver Star | Not Tried | 0 |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | Not Tried | 0 |
| Goacher's - 1066 Old Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
Exterior not recorded, interior Tim Hamilton.
Visits Details
01 Apr 2022 (ChrisE)
Two of us came here to visit whilst this village still has a bus service,the current hourly bus service is under threat. Awful weather outside meant that the wind occasionally blew the main door open. Good service and a good mix of customers.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Real Mild Ale | 3.40 | | On gravity dispense. |
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Goacher's - 1066 Old Ale | 6.70 | Not Tried | Selling well today. My fried tried this and she said it was superb. |
17 Mar 2022 (ChrisE)
Lunchtime visit with a group of friends who had not been here before and were most impressed. There is some concern about the future of the 155 bus that currently serves this pub.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Best Dark Ale (aka Original) | 4.10 | | |
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Goacher's - 1066 Old Ale | 6.70 | Not Tried |
03 Jan 2022 (Magnus Greel)
Not been here for over 25 years and I'd forgotten what it was like but the new owner has done a superb restoration hence it was a pleasure to embrace to atmosphere with friendly locals and a pint or 4!
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | 3.70 | | |
| Goacher's - Crown Imperial Stout | 4.50 | | |
| Goacher's - Best Dark Ale (aka Original) | 4.10 | Not Tried |
03 Jan 2022 (ChrisE)
Early afternoon visit and a superb atmosphere. We decided to miss our planned bus and wait two hours for the next one.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | 3.70 | | We had several of these, some towards the end of the cask and a fresh one from a new cask when that ran out. All excellent. |
| Goacher's - Crown Imperial Stout | 4.50 | | |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | Not Tried | Proving very popular here today. |
04 Nov 2021 (ChrisE)
Lunch time visit, we sat upstairs and sampled a few beers in delightful surroundings.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Best Dark Ale (aka Original) | 4.10 | | |
| Goacher's - Crown Imperial Stout | 4.50 | | |
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried |
11 Sep 2021 (ChrisE)
Saturday lunch time and a good crowd in. We stayed longer than originally intended owing to two buses in a row on the hourly 155 service being cancelled because of a serious road traffic accident causing significant delays.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Best Dark Ale (aka Original) | 4.10 | | |
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | Not Tried |
31 Jul 2021 (Philip Pirrip)
Mid evening visit after a 15 minutes walk from the station in the gloaming. Just a few in including voices from the upper balcony. Friendly barmaid made everyone feel welcome. A most worthwhile visit. Outside pavement drinkers ushered inside at 9.30 per pub's licence conditions.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | 3.70 | | On handpump, a great opener in peak form |
| Goacher's - Best Dark Ale (aka Original) | 4.10 | | From gravity cask on bar back shelf. The grail, the mid brown English bitter I had sought all week |
| Goacher's - Silver Star | 4.20 | Not Tried | On a gravity cask |
28 Jun 2021 (ChrisE)
Reopened today after about eleven years closure. Most enjoable.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | 3.70 | |
15 May 2010 (Pedro)
Evening visit
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | | |
| Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Young's London Special (was Special) | 4.50 | Not Tried |
20 Aug 2005 (Ian)
Excellent little pub at the heart of the village in more ways than one. Very busy on this weekend due to their summer beer festival with up to 7 beers on at any one time and also a bikers festival taking place just outside the town. Excellent plentiful value for money food and beer kept in good condition. Definitely will come back again, it is about a 20 minute cycle ride from Maidstone East.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kelham Island - Easy Rider | 4.30 | | Pale gold, thin white head. Typical blond citrus hoppy beer, bit soapy to start and apparently on the way out according to the barman, but I thought this was excellent. Nice gooseberry, grapefruit and nettle hop aromas with more floral hop later. Excellent, with some yeast in the aroma too |
| Gale's - Trafalgar Ale | 4.20 | | Copper brown colour with lasting beige head. Good hoppy best bitter with some caramel/toffee flavour. Very drinkable. Nice malt nose and good balanced session beer |
| Smiles - Heritage | 5.20 | | Ruby coloured. Rich malt flavour with plums and strawberries on the aroma. Sweetish but pleasant. Good ruby beer with some chocolate and bitterish hops on the end with more strawberry fruit. Nice |
| Batemans - Middle Wicket | 4.20 | | Copper colour. Apple, floral hop aroma with more green apple in the mouth, some herb. Refreshing with good yeasty flavours |
| Adnams - Regatta | 4.30 | | Golden ale. Thin white head which goes quickly. some hop/yeast aroma, thin in mouth, yeast floral hop finish, some orange fruit and citric hop flavours but served too cold and overall a little thin |
| JW Lees (see also Lees) - Scorcher | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Skinner's - Heligan Honey | 4.20 | Not Tried |
About The Little Gem
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | - |
| 12 |
| 4 |
| 1 |
| 1 |
The pub is found in Aylesford, Kent, ME20 7AX.
In High Street and just as the name suggests, this is a little gem. The third of Goacher's tied houses. Two room pub with main room and bar on ground floor and split level balcony upper room with view over the ground floor. Lots of exposed original wood beams and white washed walls. Sadly closed in 2010 and all thought was lost but Goacher's Brewery has purchased and refurbished the venue with a re-opening date of Monday 28th June 2021. Real ales served through 2 handpumps on the bar counter and from 2 or 3 chilled casks on gravity dispense on the bar back.
We have visited this pub 10 times, seen 16 different beers and tried 10 of them.
Postcode: ME20 7AX