The White Horse (Castle (Mitchells & Butlers) )
Visits Details
10 Sep 2013 (HSB)
17:30 Insufficient time to go South of the river so came here instead.
Magic Rock - Curious | 3.90 | | |
Oakham - JHB | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
Hobsons - Best Bitter | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
Hobsons - Twisted Spire | 3.50 | Not Tried | |
London Brewing Co. - Beer Street | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Hastings - Hastings Blonde | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Knoll | 5.80 | Not Tried | Brewed in collaboration with the White Horse |
25 Jan 2011 (Ian)
We were invited to a Belgian brewery focus group in one of the upstairs rooms. The BrewDog Burns Night event was in the room next door and sounded like good fun. Great line of beers on cask, but never sure about the condition of the beers in this pub now.
BrewDog - Punk IPA | 5.40 | | Punk IPA has dropped it's ABV and also changed it's recipe slightly. Decent attractive hoppy aroma. Bit thin in body and a fast finish. Will try it again, but on this example the new PUnk is not as good as the old Punk |
Oakham - JHB | 3.80 | | I knocked this back whilst stood at the bar. Ok hop flavours but again, the condition left a bit to be desired. |
Harvey's - Christmas Ale | 8.10 | | Just didn't really taste of the Christmas Ale as I remember it. |
BrewDog - Edge | 3.20 | Not Tried | |
BrewDog - 5AM Saint | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
BrewDog - Alpha Dog | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
BrewDog - Rip Tide | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
BrewDog - Alice Porter | 6.20 | Not Tried | |
30 Aug 2009 (Ian)
Belgian beer festival was on. Even 3 days in there was plenty to choose from on cask and on tap. Met up with some Ratebeer people and also the brewers from Alvinne in Kortrijk in Belgium. Very good afternoon and the hog roast bap I had was chock full of pork.
Oud Beersel - Unfiltered Lambic | 5.00 | | Orange/gold with no head. Very decent lemony lambic with a touch of wood. Really nice lemony notes, not too acidic, but with lemon drizzle cake edge to it. Does remind me a lot of an English cider in its character. |
BrewDog - Punk Monk | 6.00 | | Definitely an estery yeast aroma. Definitely Punk IPA in the mouth. Not a bad mix, a peachy grapefruit IPA. Best beer of the day. |
Alvinne - Halleschelle | 6.30 | | Gold, slight haze, white head. Yes this almond marzipan flavour is quite present. Pretty good white stone fruit. Some herby hop on finish. Bit of pepper on finish. Spicy Belgian Blonde ale. |
Alvinne - Tatsevoet | 6.00 | | Hazy cloudy red/brown. No real head. Lots of fruits, red grape and raisin. Settles down into a sourish red ale with some hop on end. OK, but not really for me. |
07 Aug 2009 (Ian)
The Burgundian Babble Belt have a table here each year towards the end of the day on the Friday of GBBF. This year was no exception. I came down to enjoy the chatter.
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Alecost | 5.20 | | Not to my taste really. A bit too much of the liquorice and herb. Others at the table really liked it, but just a bit oily and too herby rather than a roasty dry stout which I prefer. |
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Epic Halcyon | 7.70 | Not Tried | Co brewed with the brewer from Epic Ales in New Zealand |
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Julius | 3.90 | Not Tried | Modesty does not allow me to rate a beer I helped design and brew, but it turned out pretty much as we wanted it too and I'm very proud of it. |
03 Jul 2009 (Ian)
I came here with the Burgundian BabbleBelt for the American Beer Festival. Very odd pub in that it has a culture clash between the local Sloaney set and the beer scooper set. Odd. However, new owner gave us a cellar tour which was nice. Some good beers on, but got very busy in the evening and service was quite slow.
Dogfish Head - 75 Minute IPA (aka Johnny Cask) | 7.50 | | Copper gold, slight haze, lasting thin beige head. Good tangerine flavour, little bit boozy if being honest. Almost a cognac edge. Not really overly bitter. |
29 Nov 2008 (Dubbel)
The unmissable 26th White Horse Old Ale Festival. A simply outstanding selection of fine and rare cask ales, stouts, porters, milds, barley wines and winter warmers from one of the best pubs in London. Morris dancers in attendance, bbq & hogroast despite bitterly cold conditions. The place was understandably busy.
Dark Star - Critical Mass | 7.80 | | Ridiculously drinkable, ruby red hues, smooth and treacly. |
Hanlons (formerly O'Hanlon's) - Thomas Hardy Ale | 11.70 | | Wowee. Perfect condition, full rich buttery hit and a long bitter aftertaste. The strongest on offer and one of the many highlights of the day. |
Meantime - Winter Time | 5.40 | | Extremely rare cask conditioned version of this sublime winter warmer. Very dark with a rich, mocha and fruitcake palate and warming finish. |
BrewDog - Paradox Arran Edition | 10.00 | | Hugely smooth and complex, pronounced chocolate and vanilla flavours. Gorgeous. |
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - 1845 | 6.30 | | Strong, beautifully flavoured cakey ale with a spicy, dry and fruity morish finish. |
Meantime - Old Smoked Bock | 7.10 | | Great interpretation, smoked malts and fine german hops in sweet harmony. |
Ossett - Hercules | 6.50 | | Golden amber treat, full of big fruit flavours. |
Whitstable - Oyster Stout | 4.50 | | |
BrewDog - Rip Tide | 8.00 | | Smooth, dark chocolate notes, incredibly drinkable for the strength. Brilliant. |
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Saint Petersburg Imperial Russian Stout (now superseded by 7.4% version) | 7.70 | | |
Sierra Nevada - Chico IPA | 7.00 | | Super-rare big hitting yankee IPA. |
BrewDog - Zeitgeist | 4.90 | | Wonderful 'black lager', sweet, roasty, flowery hop flavours and chocolate malts with bitter hop finish. |
Fernandes - Malt Shovel Mild | 3.80 | | |
Whitstable - Reserve Old Ale | 5.00 | | |
Ascot - Winter Reserve | 5.20 | | Cinnamon, coriander and ginger spices, like drinking cold mulled wine. |
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Golden Pride | 8.50 | | Intense barley wine. Good but overshadowed by the 1845. |
Museum - Worthington's White Shield | 5.60 | | Biggest disappointment of the day, didn't deliver. |
Orkney (Sinclair) - Skull Splitter | 8.50 | Not Tried | |
Sarah Hughes - Dark Ruby | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
Highgate - Old Ale | 5.30 | Not Tried | |
Robinsons - Old Tom | 8.50 | Not Tried | |
Batemans - Rosey Nosey | 4.90 | Not Tried | |
Hobsons - Mild | 3.20 | Not Tried | |
Hobsons - Old Henry | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
Woodforde's - Headcracker | 7.00 | Not Tried | |
Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
Adnams - Old Ale | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
Adnams - Tally-Ho | 7.00 | Not Tried | |
Breconshire - Rambler's Ruin | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
Dark Star - Imperial Stout | 10.50 | Not Tried | |
Cotswold Spring - Christmas Old Ale | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
Meantime - Coffee Porter | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
Robinsons - Old Tom Chocolate Ale | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
Gale's - Prize Old Ale | 9.00 | Not Tried | |
Sierra Nevada - Stout | 5.80 | Not Tried | |
Sierra Nevada - Porter | 5.60 | Not Tried | |
Sierra Nevada - Brown Ale | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
23 Aug 2008 (Ian)
The White Horse was running a Belgian Beer Festival over the Bank Holiday weekend. Several beers on cask which you wouldn't normally see, plus a fair few on tap and in bottle. Hog roast outside was excellent. As the weather was good, the outside seating was full, which meant I had a table more or less to myself.
Twickenham (also uses sub-brand Old Hands) - Twickenham Struise Porter | 5.00 | | Having been to the Twickenham brewery during the time that Urbain from Struise was over brewing this, I approached it with a lot of anticipation. Very dark brown with thin beige head. Chocolate and malt aroma. Just a little watery in mouth, could do with a bit more condition. Quite full on the swallow though, with good drying malt on finish. Good full choc maltiness that has a hint of spiceo n the finish. |
De Ryck - Special Ale | 4.30 | | Gold, thin white head. Rose petal Belgian fruit aroma. Drinkable enough, good condition, some bitterness on end. Deos taste stronger than 4.3%. It is pretty tasty. |
Alvinne - Extra | 7.00 | | Great to see this on cask as in bottle it is one of my favourite hoppy beers. Hazy gold, thin lasting white head. Far less hoppy on cask. Yes, it's hoppieer than usual for a Belgian beer, but the Chinooks and Amarillos don't sing. Lacks fullness in mouth. It's a bit like a hoppy blond, hops are a bit dusty on the finish instead of being sparkling. It's fine, but as I say, I want the hops to sing. |
Ascot - Double Trouble | 5.40 | | Dark brown, thin beige head. Tastes as though it's brewed with a Belgian yeast. Very much in the Belgian dubbel style. Again like the Twickenham/Struise porter, just a bit watery in mouth. It's alright, quite tasty, decent malts. Does a decent impression. |
17 May 2008 (Ian)
The Oddbins wine festival had moved location to Stamford Bridge, Chelsea and I saw that Parson's Green was only a stop down so decided to come here as I haven't been since Mark Dorber left and I had heard conflicting reports on whether it was better or worse. On this visit, the pub is about the same, still full of Sloane Rangers, but I did get chatted up by a Swedish girl and the beer range is great. However, all the beers I had were a bit oxidised I thought, including Hommelbier and Westmalle Dubbel both on tap. Then again my tastebuds could have been wiped out by all that wine.
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur | 5.90 | | One of my favourite beers in the world, but tasted oxidised here as though it had been on for a few days. |
Adnams - Broadside | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
Harvey's - Sussex Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
Sharp's - Special | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
Crouch Vale - Blackwater Mild | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
RCH - Old Slug Porter | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
27 Jan 2007 (Ian)
It was the Old Ale festival and there were a couple of people who I knew were going that I wanted to catch up with, not least, Joris Pattyn, one of the foremost writers on Belgian beer. Along with a couple of people from Ratebeer and Beer Advocate, I ended up on a table with the people from the Burgundian Babblebelt, another beer website. Stoke City supporters were also in the pub before their game with Fulham in the FA Cup. Saturday lunchtime and it was very full and continued to be so for the rest of the day. Beers were dispensed through the handpumps and were replaced by new beers on the festival list as the others ran out. I even met up with the brewer from Daleside Brewery and the one from 21st Amendment in the USA along with a cellar run with outgoing owner Mark Dorber.
Hogs Back - A over T | 9.00 | | Most of the people around the table where I was sat thought that this was the best of the beers on. And I wouldn't disagree. Sweet strawberry fruit is great. Sweet, strong with a great hop kick. There were some Stoke City fans in for a drink before the Fulham FA Cup game and they hadn't seen this before and someone ordered a pint before his mate pointed out that it was 9%. He quickly changed his mind. Good on them though, they did try a half before they left. |
Museum - Bass P2 Imperial Stout | 8.00 | | Black colour with tan head. I love this to bits. Intense dark syrupy malt aroma. Very full bitter choc, espresso coffee in mouth. Great imperial stout. Good carbonation. Just a beer I can keep drinking. A session imperial stout! I had this in bottle last year and the bottle version was a bit more intense I think. |
Dark Star - Imperial Stout | 10.50 | | Intense imperial stout. Such intense dark roasted malts. The tingle on the end is part sour, part charcoal, part roasted malt. Sour liquorice flavours too. What a greaty impy stout. The alcohol is heating the finish. |
Museum - Bass No. 1 | 10.00 | | So I was drinking a bit of history. Hazy ruby colour with disappearing beige head. Classic barley wine. Dark fruits in mouth bit of coffee/choc. Dry malt develops in mouth. Wonderful powdery dry malt. Very raisiny aroma. Was it worth the £14 train fare and half an hour on a packed tube train? You betcha! Very very rich raisiny coffee develops. Tart finish that is really quite sharp. |
Orkney (Sinclair) - Skull Splitter | 8.50 | | Chestnut colour with thin beige head. Great sweet malt. Some appley woody texture. Good candy sugar. Very nice. Best example I've ahd of this beer. Very drinkable. |
Exmoor - Beast | 6.60 | | Very deep ruby colour with lasting beige head. Subtle dark malt aroma. Burnt toast. Good dark strong beer, good mouthfeel. Not great, but extremely competent. Bit of creamy vanilla too. |
JW Lees (see also Lees) - Moonraker (superseded by 6.5% version) | 7.50 | | I had this at the first White Cliffs beer festival I went to in Dover and then I found it too sweet and "purple" and had to chuck the rest away. I had it on the cellar run here and it was fantastic. So I had to have a half when it came on in the bar. Great dark fruits, deep ruby colour with lasting thin dark beige head. Dark cherry/plum aroma. Very attractive dark fruit aroma, some syrupy malt fruit in mouth, some tingly hop on finish. |
Fuller's (part of Asahi Europe) - Old Winter Ale | 4.80 | | Toffee, nutty aroma. Good ESB style beer. Some raisiny malt. Red/amber in colour with thin beige head. Sweet dried fruits balanced by a decent hoppy finish. Some choc malt. |
Broughton - Old Jock | 6.70 | | Very deep red with thin beige head. Lovely malt fruit flavour. Bit of harsh nettle. Nice, but could be better, lacks intensity and a bit too nettley for me. |
Gale's - Winter Brew | 4.20 | | Brown/red colour with disappearing beige head. Some yeastiness. Bit of good hoppy bite on end. Bit of yeast. Bit of gingery spice. |
Adnams - Tally-Ho | 7.00 | | Very deep ruby, with lasting beige head. Adnams yeasty aroma. Some dark malts, but the dark fruits are the stand out things here. Nice tingly hop finish. Not bad toffee too. The pump clip kept being turned around and then it was back on again. |
Cottage - Norman's Conquest 7% | 7.00 | | Fine, but not really that interesting. Some toffee malt, some hop kick on finish |