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The Bull (Ei Group (formerly Enterprise Inns))

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Castle Rock - Harvest PaleExcellent1
Purity - Mad GooseExcellent1
Wye Valley - HPA (Hereford Pale Ale)Good2
Butcombe - Rare Breed (or Adam Henson's Rare Breed)Good2
Moorhouse's - White WitchGood1
Long Man - Best BitterGood3
Adnams - BroadsideGood1
Exmoor - Christmas AleGood1
Exmoor - FoxAcceptable1
Timothy Taylor - LandlordPoor1
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's Seafarers AleNot Tried0
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Wells A Good StuffingNot Tried0
Butcombe - GoldNot Tried0
Long Man - American Pale AleNot Tried0
Shepherd Neame - The Faversham Steam Brewery - Whitstable Bay Pale AleNot Tried0
Moorhouse's - Spring WatchNot Tried0
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Jolly Mr. FezziwigNot Tried0
Greene King - AbbotNot Tried0
Marston's - Courage Best Bitter (was brewed at Banks's for a while)Not Tried0
Adnams - Southwold BitterNot Tried0
Sharp's - Doom BarNot Tried0
Sharp's - Coaster (or Cornish Coaster)Not Tried0
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Bombardier (was Bombardier Glorious English) (use Eagle entry now please)Not Tried0
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Wells Bombardier Burning Gold (use Eagle entry now please)Not Tried0

Visits Details

15 Oct 2024 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until an earlier close than expected no doubt due to low footfall. Quite a transformation in décor and furnishing since my last visit with the saloon bar being all Chesterfields and leather armchairs. Highlight was the pool players' juke box music choices in the public bar.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Timothy Taylor - Landlord4.30PoorFresh on earlier in the day, tremendous fobbing on pouring and haze
Wye Valley - HPA (Hereford Pale Ale)4.00Not Tried
10 Jun 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit. Sat in the almost deserted saloon with many seats upturned already, the public was where the jukebox singalong to action was.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Wye Valley - HPA (Hereford Pale Ale)4.00PoorStale, sourish and with apple flavours
Butcombe - Rare Breed (or Adam Henson's Rare Breed)3.80PoorFobbed on pouring which made me doubt it. Alas, like my different first pint, was sourish, stale and apple flavours too. Even dashes of lemonade did not take the edge off it
Adnams - Southwold Bitter3.70Not Tried
11 Mar 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until midnight close. Impressed by new tenants and how real ales kept. Grey pastel décor throughout, which style is not a personal favourite of mine.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Wye Valley - HPA (Hereford Pale Ale)4.00ExcellentVery light in colour but good bitterness
Butcombe - Rare Breed (or Adam Henson's Rare Breed)3.80ExcellentFirst was excellent and second even better being a tad cooler
Marston's - Courage Best Bitter (was brewed at Banks's for a while)4.00Not Tried
28 Dec 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until the last orders bell. Something here seems to have subtly changed or maybe it was just that the beer selection was very limited.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Long Man - Best Bitter4.00GoodGood enough but pretty basic
Greene King - Abbot5.00Not Tried
15 Dec 2017 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until 11.30pm close. An unspoilt example of a community boozer, just regulars in, as they always do.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Exmoor - Christmas Ale3.80GoodThe name conjures up spices and Christmas pudding but it seemed to be just an un-special session bitter
Long Man - Best Bitter4.00AcceptablePerhaps rather fresh, seemed caramel sweet, did not want a second one
Castle Rock - Harvest Pale3.80Not Tried
Shepherd Neame - The Faversham Steam Brewery - Whitstable Bay Pale Ale3.90Not Tried
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Jolly Mr. Fezziwig4.50Not Tried
22 Apr 2017 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until 11.30pm close plus a bit. Always good to try this neighbourhood local which has no airs and graces. A rare Gents' loo smelling of bleach like they all used to once!
BeerABVScoreNotes
Long Man - Best Bitter4.00GoodCaramel taste, not one I like in a beer. Odd shaped Brains branded glass used
Exmoor - Fox4.20AcceptablePretty bland best bitter with sweetish aftertaste
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Bombardier (was Bombardier Glorious English) (use Eagle entry now please)4.10Not Tried
Shepherd Neame - The Faversham Steam Brewery - Whitstable Bay Pale Ale3.90Not Tried
Moorhouse's - Spring Watch3.90Not Tried
27 Feb 2016 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until close. Lots of Charlton Athletic distraught activists' paperwork and beer mats about.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Moorhouse's - White Witch3.90Good
Butcombe - Gold4.40Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Sharp's - Coaster (or Cornish Coaster)3.60Not Tried
Long Man - American Pale Ale4.80Not Tried
18 Dec 2015 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Castle Rock - Harvest Pale3.80ExcellentCouldn't fault it
Adnams - Broadside4.70Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Sharp's - Coaster (or Cornish Coaster)3.60Not Tried
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Wells A Good Stuffing4.50Not Tried
13 Nov 2015 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Purity - Mad Goose4.20ExcellentIn superb condition
Adnams - Broadside4.70Not Tried
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Sharp's - Coaster (or Cornish Coaster)3.60Not Tried
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Gale's Seafarers Ale3.60Not Tried
23 Oct 2015 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until close. Limited range tonight.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Adnams - Broadside4.70Good
Sharp's - Doom Bar4.00Not Tried
Sharp's - Coaster (or Cornish Coaster)3.60Not Tried
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Bombardier (was Bombardier Glorious English) (use Eagle entry now please)4.10Not Tried
Eagle (formerly Wells & Young's, formerly Charles Wells, formerly Wells) - Wells Bombardier Burning Gold (use Eagle entry now please)4.10Not Tried

[More Visits]

About The Bull

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional-
Excellent13
Good11
Acceptable5
Poor3

The pub is found in Woolwich, Greater London, SE18 3HP.

Located at the southern extremity of Woolwich on the border with Eltham and virtually on the brow of Shooters Hill. It dates from 1749 (though it was rebuilt in 1881) and it was a popular stopping place for coaches travelling along the route between London and Dover (Shooters Hill Road follows the route of the Roman Watling Street). The Bull is reputedly haunted by ghostly footsteps and according to The Haunted Pub Guide by Guy Lyon Playfair ‘Mrs Weedon, a former landlady, has also mentioned a fleeting impression of a face looming at her out of the air.’ It consists of 2 quite separate bars (unusual these days) being a public and a saloon with separate street entrance doors. Recently given a makeover throughout. A circular bar counter provides a central servery to both bars. 3 handpumps in total and all in the saloon bar. Extensive garden with a pizza concession out there at weekends.

We have visited this pub 26 times, seen 50 different beers and tried 19 of them.

Map location

Postcode: SE18 3HP