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The Butchers Arms (Free House)

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Iron Pier - Perry St PaleExceptional1
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - War HorseExceptional2
JW Lees (see also Lees) - Harvest AleExceptional2
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 3Exceptional1
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - HPA Hoppy Pale AleExcellent1
Oakham - CitraExcellent1
Iron Pier - English PaleExcellent1
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Black Pearl Oyster StoutExcellent1
Wiper and True - BitterExcellent1
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Über BrewExcellent3
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Copper TopExcellent1
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 5Excellent6
Iron Pier - Cast Iron StoutExcellent1
Adnams - BroadsideExcellent2
Hopdaemon - IncubusGood1
Oakham - JHBNot Tried0
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - ESBNot Tried0
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - ÜberHopNot Tried0
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Thoroughly Modern MildNot Tried0
Iron Pier - Export India PorterNot Tried0
Picture 1. The Butchers Arms, Herne, Kent
Picture 2. The Butchers Arms, Herne, Kent

Visits Details

23 Jan 2024 (Magnus Greel)
Martyn kindly opened just for our group of 9 of us for a superb lunchtime session. By the time we'd left a couple of hours or so later we'd enjoyed hearing all about and celebrating Martyn's recent accolade with good banter, great company and great beers.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Iron Pier - Perry St Pale3.70ExceptionalPerfection for this dry peppery light and hoppy with hints of citrus session ale. Difficult to wean us off this and try something else.
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 54.40ExcellentNotes of toffee, red berry, and spicy blackcurrant.
Iron Pier - Cast Iron Stout4.70ExcellentDark chocolate, Oxo and coffee are hugely prominent in this highly drinkable smooth stout brewed with 7 different malts.
18 Jul 2023 (Magnus Greel)
Not long after 17.30 opening just one other chap in sooned joined by many others. Superb welcome as always and enjoyed beers and banter as expected from Martyn.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 54.40Excellent
Iron Pier - English Pale3.90Excellent
Wiper and True - Bitter4.70ExcellentA traditional nutty malty cooking bitter.
Iron Pier - Export India Porter5.90Not Tried
10 Jan 2023 (Magnus Greel)
Pre arranged lunchtime opening for our group of 9 and a first visit for a couple of us who were very impressed and a most enjoyable couple of hours spent with great beer and banter under the auspices of Martyn the guv.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 35.00ExceptionalDangerously perfect hence another had to be done.
JW Lees (see also Lees) - Harvest Ale11.50ExcellentJust a few sips of a taster of this syrupy sweet medicine was all one could tolerate!
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Über Brew3.80ExcellentThe best of OD's mainstream - earthy fruity and refreshing.
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - War Horse4.00ExcellentNutty malty brown ale
20 Dec 2022 (Jack William)
Evening visit - my first for 3 years due to COVID and more restricted opening times. A warm welcome and the best part of two hours flew past with excellent conversations. Landlord Martyn said he had been at a wake yesterday, “Chris Excell’s?” I asked, but of course it was. Good beers and a sample of some well-aged J.W.Lees Harvest Ale. What a treat.
BeerABVScoreNotes
JW Lees (see also Lees) - Harvest Ale11.50ExceptionalJust a taster, in a brandy glass, warmed by the hand of the landlord!
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 54.40Excellent
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Über Brew3.80Good
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Thoroughly Modern Mild6.00Not TriedI didn’t dare. But I maybe back xmas eve for some.
17 Nov 2022 (Magnus Greel)
Fabulous evening spent with a few locals and Martyn as spot on host keeping everyone entertained yet ensuring an empty glass didn't stay that way for long. I started off at the low end of the ABV list, working my way back through in reverse. Each pint was faultless in all aspects, a joy to drink and easily justified my 5* rating.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 54.40ExceptionalA complex toffee, red berry, and spicy blackcurrant treat.
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Über Brew3.80ExceptionalCrisp light hoppy ale with a strong floral aroma, most unlike OD's usual sticky malty syrup offerings.
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - War Horse4.00ExceptionalA ruby bitter brewed with fuggles and golding hops.
27 Apr 2022 (Blair)
First visit since before the pandemic. Great time had as ever. Pub no longer open on a Saturday, so Tuesday to Friday.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Adnams - Broadside4.70Excellent
Hopdaemon - Incubus4.00Good
26 Oct 2021 (ChrisE)
It was good to be back here, I was the first customer at 5pm opening but was soon joined by a steady trickle of customers. Good conversation all round.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 54.40Excellent
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - HPA Hoppy Pale Ale3.60Excellent
23 Feb 2020 (ChrisE)
This pub currently opens from 14:00 to 16:00 on Sundays, I did the first hour of opening and enjoyed some very good company but left at 15:00 as a Rugby game was about to start. I assume that they all enjoyed the game and probably stayed a bit longer than the advertised closing time.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 54.40Excellent
Adnams - Broadside4.70Excellent
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - ESB5.50Not Tried
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Black Pearl Oyster Stout6.20Not Tried
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Copper Top4.10Not Tried
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - ÜberHop5.20Not Tried
13 Feb 2020 (Philip Pirrip)
Mid evening visit. Every seat taken and usual banter, venom and bull in barrel-loads.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Black Pearl Oyster Stout6.20ExcellentGlorious, albeit I was rather rushed to finish it
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Copper Top4.10ExcellentLots of zingy mouthfeel
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 54.40Not Tried
Oakham - JHB3.80Not TriedRan out
Oakham - Citra4.20Not Tried
18 Dec 2019 (Jack William)
Lunchtime - nearly all seats occupied. Two guys on a pilgrimage from Blackpool where they are planning to open their own micropub in the new year. Martyn gave them a tour and some sage advice including “go for a soft opening”. Wise words.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Oakham - Citra4.20ExcellentSpot on.
Oakham - JHB3.80Not Tried
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Copper Top4.10Not Tried

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About The Butchers Arms

The pub sign. The Butchers Arms, Herne, Kent

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional239
Excellent423
Good90
Acceptable14
Poor-

Website.

The pub is found in Herne, Kent, CT6 7HL.

In the middle of Herne village in Herne Street, once the Canterbury Beer Shop selling beer straight from the cask. It is now a pub (with the same owner as before) and still does off-sales which is fantastic! Voted CAMRA Kent Pub of the Year in 2008 and East Kent CAMRA Pub of the Year in 2009 (...and not surprisingly). Regarded universally as the first micropub, which has spawned many similar ventures in East Kent and throughout the UK. Real ales are kept on gravity dispense in a cold room to the right and you will view this when you walk through it to the unisex toilet at the rear. Displays a Micropub Association Certificate of Registration warranting, annually, that it adheres to the tenets and ethics of the Association's definition of a micropub. Since post-Covid re-opening in October 2021 now open 5-8 Tuesday to Friday only. The landlord and founder of the Micropub Association, Martyn Hillier, was awarded an MBE in the 2024 New Years Honours list for services to Business and to Hospitality.

We have visited this pub 377 times, seen 163 different beers and tried 134 of them.

Map location

Postcode: CT6 7HL