PubsandBeer
Royal Oak (Harvey's Brewery)
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter |  | 4 |
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | | 4 |
| Harvey's - Southdown Harvest |  | 1 |
| Harvey's - (collaboration With Burning Sky & Brasserie de la Senne) | | 1 |
| Harvey's - Sussex XX Mild (or Sussex Dark Mild) | | 1 |
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | | 6 |
| Harvey's - Porter | | 1 |
| Harvey's - Christmas Ale | | 2 |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Harvey's - Pells Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Harvey's - Bonfire Boy | Not Tried | 0 |
| Harvey's - Sisters Table Beer | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
10 Mar 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. The quietest of nights with only 3 others in.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | | Lacking the expected floral hop nose |
| Harvey's - Porter | 4.80 | | A really good porter on its seasonal appearance |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | 4.30 | Not Tried |
07 Jan 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening upstairs until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | | Good condition but rather uninspiring in taste alas |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Sisters Table Beer | 3.40 | Not Tried |
18 Dec 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | | Coolest of the 3 ales tried here tonight |
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | | Where was its floral nose? |
| Harvey's - Christmas Ale | 7.50 | | No harsh tones |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Sisters Table Beer | 3.40 | Not Tried |
02 Dec 2024 (Magnus Greel)
Lunchtime to early evening and busy throughout with most folk staying for a session. Venue for our December NESW group get together around a dozen of us turned up and good to see a couple of rare appearances also. Sadly HSBC, a former P&B luminary, wasn't amongst us this time.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | | Robust full bodied golden ale with a pronounced yet balanced hop character. |
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | 4.30 | | A soft, sweet, full bodied dark ale with a nutty palate. |
| Harvey's - Sussex XX Mild (or Sussex Dark Mild) | 3.00 | | Started off on a couple of these to ease one into the session. |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried |
27 Nov 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit towards the end of the quiz evening.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | | Bordering on a 4 mark. Very florally hopped |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | 4.30 | Not Tried |
16 Nov 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy for mid-afternoon visit but prompt service and some seating to be had in this fine Harvey's pub with six of their real ales on.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | 4.30 | | In very fine form was the head and lacing on this dark old ale. A dry, malty mouthfeel with a touch of flavouring from dried fruits and dates. |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Porter | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Bonfire Boy | 5.80 | Not Tried |
02 Oct 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. Seemed like a party in on a big tab from the length of a till roll receipt given to one customer.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | | HSBB as it should be |
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | 4.30 | | Top form, as said before a little sweeter than previous year's |
| Harvey's - Southdown Harvest | 5.00 | | Very little condition |
| Harvey's - (collaboration With Burning Sky & Brasserie de la Senne) | 4.50 | | Just a bit of a sour mess. A Marmite beer for sure. This was flat |
| Harvey's - Christmas Ale | 7.50 |  | 2023's ale. Very woody, a slow drinker. Full on flavour but flat |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | Not Tried |
25 Sep 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit, even more humid than normal with quiz night in full swing on a night of torrential rain.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | 4.30 | | The new batch for this autumn. Perhaps sweeter and fuller flavoured than of late |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried |
16 Sep 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit. Low footfall and I found myself whistling along to an Irish fiddle duo even when it was tuning up.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | | Something missing - the floral hop nose |
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Pells Pale | 3.70 | Not Tried |
07 Aug 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | | Everything was right for me |
| Harvey's - Armada Ale | 4.50 | | Lacking the floral hop nose |
| Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild) | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Harvey's - Pells Pale | 3.70 | Not Tried |
About the Royal Oak
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 11 |
| 138 |
| 107 |
| 33 |
 | 4 |
The pub is found in Borough, Central London, SE1 4JU.
Harvey's first tied pub in the capital. Corner pub in Tabard Street, near Borough Underground station. Feels like an oasis from the bustle of London Bridge / Borough High Street. Two bare-boarded rooms in a pub with a central bar and an off-sales hatch. Superb John Harvey Room upstairs may be used for meetings and functions and is freely available. Lots of dark wood and cream walls. 4 handpumps on each bar counter so 8 in all. Comfortable atmosphere. Also has comprehensive selection of Harvey's beer in bottles. Became a managed house after the departure, to retirement, of long term tenant licensees in January 2019. Local CAMRA branch Overall Pub of the Year 2023 and 2025, having been runner-up in 2022.
We have visited this pub 165 times, seen 54 different beers and tried 31 of them.
Postcode: SE1 4JU