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Old King's Head (Star Pubs & Bars (Heineken UK))

Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Butcombe - Bitter (or Original Beer)Excellent1
Otter - BitterExcellent1
St Austell - TributeGood1
Harvey's - Sussex Best BitterGood2
St Austell - Proper JobGood3
Robinsons - CrusoeAcceptable1
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - SwiftAcceptable1
Timothy Taylor - LandlordNot Tried0
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Wells Bombardier (now superseded by 4.1% version)Not Tried0
Sharp's - Doom BarNot Tried0
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Bombardier (was Bombardier Glorious English) (use Eagle entry now please)Not Tried0
Harvey's - IPANot Tried0
Woodforde's - WherryNot Tried0
Purity - Pure UBUNot Tried0
Harvey's - Wild HopNot Tried0
Picture 1. Old King's Head, Borough, Central London

Visits Details

07 May 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Well hidden traditional boozer with just about reasonable prices still.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00AcceptableRounded off an evening of lacklustre Harvey's, rather sour bitterness on this one
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
St Austell - Tribute4.20Not Tried
St Austell - Proper Job4.50Not Tried
26 Jul 2017 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit. Always a traditional feel and service here.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Excellent
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
St Austell - Tribute4.20Not Tried
St Austell - Proper Job4.50Not Tried
Harvey's - Wild Hop3.70Not Tried
16 Jan 2017 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit for SE London CAMRA branch AGM in upstairs function room. Buffet was unhealthy as buffets should and must be.
BeerABVScoreNotes
St Austell - Tribute4.20Good
St Austell - Proper Job4.50Good
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Harvey's - IPA3.50Not Tried
10 Oct 2016 (Stephen Harris)
Early evening. Sensible pricing here means that there is always a good crowd of drinkers in.
BeerABVScoreNotes
St Austell - Proper Job4.50GoodFull-bodied beer with good hop levels.
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Otter - Bitter3.60Not Tried
St Austell - Tribute4.20Not Tried
Harvey's - IPA3.50Not Tried
25 May 2016 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. I'd forgotten what a basic boozer this is and probably the cheapest cask ale in the area.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Otter - Bitter3.60ExcellentSimple pleasures, a mid brown English hopped bitter. Luxury
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
St Austell - Tribute4.20Not Tried
St Austell - Proper Job4.50Not Tried
Harvey's - IPA3.50Not Tried
07 Jan 2016 (ChrisE)
Afternoon visit, a group of gentlemen were having a political discussion about the Labour Party and Jeremy Corbyn in particular, they were gradually getting louder so I sat in the opposite corner which was quieter.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Swift3.90Acceptable
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Timothy Taylor - Landlord4.30Not Tried
Woodforde's - Wherry3.80Not Tried
Purity - Pure UBU4.50Not Tried
25 Mar 2015 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening.
BeerABVScoreNotes
St Austell - Proper Job4.50Excellent
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
St Austell - Tribute4.20Not Tried
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Bombardier (was Bombardier Glorious English) (use Eagle entry now please)4.10Not Tried
Harvey's - IPA3.50Not Tried
17 May 2012 (Stephen Harris)
I came in here for a change of scene as all my usual haunts were packed solid – packed in here too.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Robinsons - Crusoe3.90AcceptableA very soft, lagery, pale amber beer with sweetish malt character.
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
St Austell - Tribute4.20Not Tried
St Austell - Proper Job4.50Not Tried
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Bombardier (was Bombardier Glorious English) (use Eagle entry now please)4.10Not Tried
01 Nov 2011 (thebrewingman)
Very busy with lots of Millwall fans (the sensible ones) prior to a game. The competent bar staff served everyone quickly and pints were only £2.50 (happy hour).
BeerABVScoreNotes
Butcombe - Bitter (or Original Beer)4.00Excellent
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter4.00Not Tried
Timothy Taylor - Landlord4.30Not Tried
St Austell - Tribute4.20Not Tried
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Wells Bombardier (now superseded by 4.1% version)4.30Not Tried
St Austell - Proper Job4.50Not Tried

About the Old King's Head

The pub sign. Old King's Head, Borough, Central London

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional-
Excellent4
Good3
Acceptable3
Poor-

Website.

The pub is found in Borough, Central London, SE1 1NA.

Once an important coaching inn on the main road out of London, this pub was rebuilt in the late-nineteenth century as a more straightforward boozer. A large, single room, with a function room upstairs and an alleyway for standing outside. The walls exhibit many fine prints and photos of old Southwark coaching inns. Has a reputation for being the cheapest pub in which to eat and drink in the Borough Market area. In King's Head Yard, a cobbled narrow alley off Borough High Street. Outside windows are stained glass. Inside is a bare-boarded open space with an L shaped bar counter with 4 handpumps.

We have visited this pub 9 times, seen 15 different beers and tried 7 of them.

Map location

Postcode: SE1 1NA