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Royal Oak (Harvey's Brewery)

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Harvey's - Sussex Best BitterExcellent3
Harvey's - Sussex XX Mild (or Sussex Dark Mild)Excellent1
Harvey's - (collaboration With Burning Sky & Brasserie de la Senne)Good1
Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale)Good3
Harvey's - Wharf IPAGood1
Harvey's - Armada AleGood7
Harvey's - Southdown HarvestGood1
Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild)Acceptable1
Harvey's - Christmas AleAcceptable1
Harvey's - PorterAcceptable2
Harvey's - Georgian DragonNot Tried0
Harvey's - Sisters Table BeerNot Tried0
Harvey's - Pells PaleNot Tried0
Picture 1. Royal Oak, Borough, Central London
Picture 2. Royal Oak, Borough, Central London
Picture 3. Royal Oak, Borough, Central London
Stephen Harris

Visits Details

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.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00ExcellentHSBB as it should be
Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale)4.30ExcellentTop form, as said before a little sweeter than previous year's
Harvey's - Southdown Harvest5.00GoodVery little condition
Harvey's - (collaboration With Burning Sky & Brasserie de la Senne)4.50GoodJust a bit of a sour mess. A Marmite beer for sure. This was flat
Harvey's - Christmas Ale7.50Acceptable2023's ale. Very woody, a slow drinker. Full on flavour but flat
Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild)3.00Not 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.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale)4.30GoodThe new batch for this autumn. Perhaps sweeter and fuller flavoured than of late
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild)3.00Not Tried
Harvey's - Armada Ale4.50Not 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.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Armada Ale4.50GoodSomething missing - the floral hop nose
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild)3.00Not Tried
Harvey's - Pells Pale3.70Not Tried
07 Aug 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00ExcellentEverything was right for me
Harvey's - Armada Ale4.50GoodLacking the floral hop nose
Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild)3.00Not Tried
Harvey's - Pells Pale3.70Not Tried
31 Jul 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Brief mid evening visit.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Wharf IPA4.20GoodCool, refreshing but poor head and lacing
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild)3.00Not Tried
Harvey's - Armada Ale4.50Not Tried
Harvey's - Pells Pale3.70Not Tried
08 Jun 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until, short stay extended when someone known came in.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Armada Ale4.50GoodStill missing that famed floral hop nose
Harvey's - Porter4.80GoodOn good form, perhaps a tad too chilled
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild)3.00Not Tried
Harvey's - Sisters Table Beer3.40Not Tried
29 May 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit mid-Wednesday quiz and like a sweat box inside.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Armada Ale4.50AcceptableDisappointing, soon went flat and more sour rather than aromatic hop nose and flavours
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild)3.00Not Tried
Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale)4.30Not Tried
Harvey's - Sisters Table Beer3.40Not Tried
20 May 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. One of two customers berated for trying the short cut route through the bar which was at one time acceptable.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00GoodFreshest of the ales tried here tonight
Harvey's - Armada Ale4.50GoodGood floral hopping
Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale)4.30GoodProbably last cask of the season here
Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild)3.00Not Tried
Harvey's - Sisters Table Beer3.40Not Tried
11 May 2024 (Wittenden)
Mid afternoon on a sunny Saturday. A group of us convened here, some of our number not having been seen for fiftyish years.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex XX Mild (or Sussex Dark Mild)3.00ExcellentReassuring.
Harvey's - Armada Ale4.50GoodSuave.
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Harvey's - Porter4.80Not Tried
Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale)4.30Not Tried
Harvey's - Georgian Dragon4.70Not Tried
07 May 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Long evening session until an earlier close due to light business.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - XX Dark Mild (or Sussex XX Mild)3.00AcceptableInitial promise soon dissipated with lost head, no lacing and sour backtaste. Not a good sign for a relaunched product
Harvey's - Armada Ale4.50AcceptableNone of the expected flowery hop nose and associated taste. No off flavours
Harvey's - Porter4.80PoorPoor show. Really rather sour tasting that lingered in the mouth
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale)4.30Not Tried
Harvey's - Georgian Dragon4.70Not Tried

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About the Royal Oak

The pub sign. Royal Oak, Borough, Central London

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional11
Excellent137
Good97
Acceptable33
Poor4

Website.

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 having been runner-up in 2022.

We have visited this pub 159 times, seen 54 different beers and tried 31 of them.

Map location

Postcode: SE1 4JU