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The Cat's Back (Harvey's Brewery)

Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Harvey's - Sussex Best BitterExcellent4
Harvey's - Knots of May Light MildExcellent2
Harvey's - Lewes Castle Brown AleExcellent1
Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale)Excellent1
Harvey's - Hadlow BitterAcceptable1
Harvey's - Armada AleNot Tried0
Harvey's - OlympiaNot Tried0
Harvey's - Tom PaineNot Tried0
Harvey's - Sussex Wild HopNot Tried0
Harvey's - IPANot Tried0
Harvey's - Christmas AleNot Tried0
Picture 1. The Cat's Back, Wandsworth, Greater London

Visits Details

04 Dec 2017 (ChrisE)
Probably the busiest that I have ever seen this pub, a good atmosphere and well worth visiting.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Excellent
Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale)4.30Not Tried
Harvey's - IPA3.50Not Tried
Harvey's - Christmas Ale7.50Not Tried
05 Dec 2016 (ChrisE)
Monday evening and reasonably busy. I did not make a note of all the beers on offer but there was a good selection from the Harvey's range.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Excellent
03 Feb 2014 (ChrisE)
I had taken the trouble to check opening times on another web site, which said the pub was open all day, so I was disappointed to find that it is currently closed on Mondays.
BeerABVScoreNotes
02 Dec 2013 (ChrisE)
Monday evening, there was a fairly large group of us, but otherwise the pub was quiet. A most enjoyable visit and the landlord told me that he used to manage the Ram (Brewery Tap) before it was converted to a vistor centre.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale)4.30Excellent
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Good
Harvey's - Armada Ale4.50Not Tried
Harvey's - Sussex Wild Hop3.70Not Tried
10 Jul 2012 (ChrisE)
Early evening and soon after 5pm opening.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Hadlow Bitter3.50Acceptable
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Harvey's - Tom Paine5.50Not Tried
Harvey's - Olympia4.30Not Tried
21 Jun 2012 (Martin the Mildman)
A visit by the Thursday evening mild drinkers saw the mild on special offer at £2/pint.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Knots of May Light Mild3.00ExcellentSweet and malty with a fruity finish. My score 16/20.
Harvey's - Lewes Castle Brown Ale4.80ExcellentGood mix of traditional hops and sweetish toffee and caramel malt flavours. Full bodied with a dryish, nutty finish. My score 16/20.
06 May 2012 (Philip Pirrip)
Oh how Wandsworth used to be a beer paradise with locally brewed Young's at all points of the compass but latterly with the beer brewed at Bedford it has been off my compass completely. Now we have a new beacon of hope with the opening of a Harveys of Lewes house on 4th May 2012. A refurbishment during a short period of closure. No great smell of paint nor varnish and an interesting wall paint design of cream with dappled brown. This was a mid evening visit and 15 or so imbibers in place.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Knots of May Light Mild3.00Excellent£2.70 p.p.
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Good£3.20 p.p.
Harvey's - Armada Ale4.50Not Tried
Harvey's - Olympia4.30Not Tried

About The Cat's Back

The pub sign. The Cat's Back, Wandsworth, Greater London

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional-
Excellent6
Good2
Acceptable1
Poor-

Website.

The pub is found in Wandsworth, Greater London, SW18 1PP.

Harvey & Son (Lewes) Ltd. has acquired The Cat’s Back, in Wandsworth, SW London. The history is believed to be that the house dates back to the mid 1800s when it is understood that the name was Ye Olde House At Home. This was later changed to The Foresters Arms. At that time brewery ownership has not been traced but it has a certain Watney’s feel. Under recent private ownership building works were carried out during which time the pub's cat disappeared. Sometime later the cat reappeared and somebody allegedly said "the cat’s back" - the expression stuck and the pub's name was changed in the cat's honour! The pub re-opened as a Harveys house on Friday 4th May 2012. The pub is an Ale House. Initially food was not being offered but Harveys hoped to have a modest menu in place on the First Floor by mid May 2012. Harveys said it intended to build a new bar later in 2012, and improve the outside facility etc. The pub is located in Point Pleasant towards south Thameside in an area that continues to be gentrified with some nearby substantial housing developments. Awarded joint winner of the Joe Goodwin Award for Best Street Corner Local in CAMRA’s 2013 Pub Design Awards.

We have visited this pub 7 times, seen 11 different beers and tried 5 of them.

Map location

Postcode: SW18 1PP