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The Hawkenbury (Free House)

Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Keltek - Mr Murdoch's Golden IPAGood1
Loddon - Gravesend Shrimpers BitterExcellent1
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Blue TopGood3
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Red TopExcellent1
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Sun TopExcellent1
Rother Valley - Level BestExcellent1
Rother Valley - Staplehurst AleAcceptable4
Skinner's - Spriggan AleExcellent1
White - Franklins Exp Amber AleGood1
Wooden Hand - Cornish MutinyGood1
Arkell's - Wiltshire GoldNot Tried0
Loddon - HoppitNot Tried0
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Gold TopNot Tried0
Rother Valley - Hoppers Ale (now use 4.4% entry)Not Tried0
Sunny Republic - Beach BlondeNot Tried0
Picture 1. The Hawkenbury, Hawkenbury, Kent
Andrew Chenery

Visits Details

24 Jan 2013 (Pedro)
Evening
BeerABVScoreNotes
Rother Valley - Level Best4.00Excellent
Rother Valley - Staplehurst Ale4.00Acceptable"Colonel Ulricson's Staplehurst Ale"
Rother Valley - Hoppers Ale (now use 4.4% entry)4.20Not Tried
29 Jul 2012 (Alenomore)
12:00 visit. And again, one year after our last visit, we return for the 03rd annual Classic Bike Show! The weather was fine here, maybe not so in other parts of the County, the bikes didn't really make a show this year. Pub was busy with diners and drinkers alike, with live music coming on at 1pm, which filled the garden quite a bit. And the four real ales on were pretty good too.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Loddon - Gravesend Shrimpers Bitter4.10ExcellentA fine, fairly rare guest ale indeed.
Rother Valley - Staplehurst Ale4.00ExcellentBadged as Colonel Ulricson's here, the house ale. Very good too.
Arkell's - Wiltshire Gold4.00Not Tried
Sunny Republic - Beach Blonde3.70Not Tried
13 Oct 2011 (Pedro)
Evening visit
BeerABVScoreNotes
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Red Top3.80Excellent
Wooden Hand - Cornish Mutiny4.80Good
Keltek - Mr Murdoch's Golden IPA4.50Good
Rother Valley - Staplehurst Ale4.00Not Tried
31 Jul 2011 (Alenomore)
I never did return to this excellant country pub "soon", todays visit being exactly 1 year since my posting here? Back now, with a pal doing the driving, for the annual Classic bike Show. The weather was great, the bikes turned out in force, the Roast Pork and Lamb lunches' we had were good and very generous too. Oh, and the 3 ales were all excellant. Recommended.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Blue Top4.80ExceptionalOld Dairys' best ale I think.
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Sun Top3.60ExcellentVery refreshing.
White - Franklins Exp Amber Ale4.20GoodA new one on me. Darkish pale and fairly malty taste.
05 Apr 2011 (Trevor)
Rather quiet when my wife and I arrived for a lunchtime meal. The staff were friendly and the service was good. The OAP meal was very good value. There were 2 ales on during the week with a third at weekends.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Skinner's - Spriggan Ale3.80ExcellentGood condition ale with a citrus flavour.
Loddon - Hoppit3.50Not Tried
13 Feb 2011 (Andrew)
Having seen Kentish Ale and Dosser's write-up I knew they'd be a decent chance of finding an Old Dairy beer on. We'd been to Leeds Castle to sample the rain and came to the Hawkenbury for lunch. I have to say that the landlord and landlady couldn't have been more friendly and helpful. The pub has a large garden to the rear and inside it has a large drinkers area and a separate large diners area. The food was excellent too.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Blue Top4.80ExcellentIn good condition. Copper brown colour. Toffee and orange flavours with a nice orange-hop finish.
Rother Valley - Staplehurst Ale4.00AcceptableIn reasonable condition but not really my kind of beer. It's a kind of yellowy brown metalic, faintly nettley bitter that reminded me of Wadsworth's Henry's IPA or the such like.
01 Aug 2010 (Alenomore)
A Sunday lunchtime visit, with a slight twist! I came for the Hawkenbury Inn Classic Bike Show and rode my trusted steed here. Went inside the pub and found, surprise surpise, three decent ales on, and two were new! But, for obvious reasons, I could not partake and had to stick with a Coke? And on my ride home, I clocked that this pub was only a kilometre or so from the main road where the No. 12 bus stops, which will be very handy for a future, more productive visit!
BeerABVScoreNotes
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Blue Top4.80Not Tried
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Sun Top3.60Not TriedA new Summer Ale? And the third ale found was called Colonel Ulricson's Staplehurst Ale 4.0%. No brewer details, yet. Will need a further visit to glean more info. But I know it commemorates the Canadian Airforces' involvement in WWII at nearby Lashenden (Headcorn) airfield. This chap was a hero. And this very nice country pub with an excellant restaurant attached will get another visit very soon!
09 Jul 2010 (Dosser)
New owner with 4 handpumps and 3 beers available. A pub to watch after several years in the beer wildernesse.£3.15 for the weakest beers.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Blue Top4.80PoorToo many bits. Bottom of the barrel stuff.
Rother Valley - Staplehurst Ale4.00PoorUnusual flavour. Not to my taste
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Gold Top4.30Not TriedThe lads enjoyed it.

About The Hawkenbury

The pub sign. The Hawkenbury, Hawkenbury, Kent

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional1
Excellent7
Good3
Acceptable2
Poor2

Website.

The pub is found in Hawkenbury, Kent, TN12 0DZ.

The L-shaped bar in this Hawkenbury Road pub extends to the left where there are games. There is a large restaurant to the right and a function room to the rear.

We have visited this pub 8 times, seen 15 different beers and tried 10 of them.

Map location

Postcode: TN12 0DZ