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The Ivy House (Free House)

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Brick - Kinsale BitterExcellent1
By The Horns - Lambeth WalkExcellent1
Jones The Brewer - Abigail's PartyExcellent1
Brockley - Summer XPAGood1
Moor - Traditional MildGood1
Heavy Industry - Nelson's EyeGood1
Southwark - Double Chocolate Oatmeal StoutGood1
Brockley - Pale AleGood2
Five Points - Five Points PaleGood1
Brick - Table Beer Galaxy / EnigmaGood1
Drop Project - ChoppyAcceptable1
Brick - Peckham PaleAcceptable2
Kernel (The Kernel) - Pale Ale - MosaicAcceptable1
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - SwiftPoor1
Blackjack - Bramling CrossPoor1
Dark Star - SunburstNot Tried0
Siren Craft - Under CurrentNot Tried0
Brockley - Light GoldNot Tried0
By The Horns - Shell Suit DreamsNot Tried0
Brockley - Red AleNot Tried0
Southwark - LPA London Pale AleNot Tried0
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)Not Tried0
Lost and Grounded - Spring ProtagonistNot Tried0
Hobsons - Best BitterNot Tried0
Clarence & Fredericks - Cascadian BlackNot Tried0
Hop Stuff - FusilierNot Tried0
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - RunnerNot Tried0
Signature Brew - Dark HeartNot Tried0
Cottage - AphroditeNot Tried0
Jones The Brewer - The CreatureNot Tried0
Buxton - Buxton SpaNot Tried0
Reunion - Opening GambitNot Tried0
Picture 1. The Ivy House, Nunhead, Greater London
Picture 2. The Ivy House, Nunhead, Greater London
Picture 3. The Ivy House, Nunhead, Greater London
Michael Croxford

Visits Details

11 Apr 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit on a soaking wet night.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Brick - Peckham Pale4.50AcceptableSlight haze, seemed a bit tired
Drop Project - Choppy4.80AcceptableOK, probably slow mover and sensed could have been better if fresher
Lost and Grounded - Spring Protagonist4.40Not Tried
04 Mar 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit. Thriving in all three drinking areas. Great community feel and vary mixed clientele. Friendly communicative bar staff.
BeerABVScoreNotes
By The Horns - Lambeth Walk5.10ExcellentDelicious form, well served
Brick - Table Beer Galaxy / Enigma3.20GoodProbably meant to be hazy, tasty for a 3.2% job
Brockley - Red Ale4.80Not Tried
Southwark - LPA London Pale Ale4.00Not Tried
07 Feb 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until close. A relaxing feast for the eyes, being surrounded by all the old features in the front bar.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Southwark - Double Chocolate Oatmeal Stout5.10GoodNo fan of Southwark but this was a full bodied and very tasty pint, holding head and lacing well
Brick - Peckham Pale4.50AcceptableOK but needed more condition
Brockley - Light Gold3.50Not Tried
By The Horns - Shell Suit Dreams4.10Not TriedA taster resembled battery acid sharpness
05 Sep 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until 11pm close. An event was on in the back room.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Brockley - Summer XPA3.60GoodA welcome relief from the Blackjack
Blackjack - Bramling Cross4.00PoorAwful. A dark brown liquid of sour hopping with no head and little or no condition. I would not have tried selling it
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Swift3.90Not Tried
23 Jul 2017 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until 10.30pm close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Brockley - Pale Ale4.10AcceptableVery average
Kernel (The Kernel) - Pale Ale - Mosaic5.30AcceptableMurk hazy. On KeyKeg so argued to be real ale. Heavy hopping ruined by overchilling and overcarbonation (burp generating) with metallic taste dominating
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried
Dark Star - Sunburst4.80Not Tried
Siren Craft - Under Current4.50Not Tried
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Swift3.90Not Tried
16 Jul 2017 (Philip Pirrip)
Skin of the teeth arrival at 10.30pm closing time.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Brick - Kinsale Bitter4.00ExcellentVery yeasty head but I am not complaining. Very English mid brown bitter
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried
Brockley - Pale Ale4.10Not Tried
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Swift3.90Not Tried
Reunion - Opening Gambit3.80Not Tried
23 May 2015 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. There was a private party, in the rear room, whose noise and bustle inevitably permeated into the front room.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Moor - Traditional Mild3.90GoodNot seen a mild from Moor before
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Swift3.90PoorHazy and either too fresh or not fully fermented out. Perhaps the £2.95 pp price, when all others were £3.80 or £4, implied a fire sale
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried
Buxton - Buxton Spa4.10Not Tried
Brockley - Pale Ale4.10Not Tried
Brick - Kinsale Bitter4.00Not Tried
26 Feb 2015 (ChrisE)
My first visit here and I was very impressed. We sat in the theatre bar and had a couple of pints each. A few of us decided to eat here as well, good food and a very slight problem with some menus that had out-of-date prices on them. A wonderful pub that I hope to visit again.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Jones The Brewer - Abigail's Party3.80Excellent
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried
Brockley - Pale Ale4.10Not Tried
Five Points - Five Points Pale4.40Not Tried
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Runner4.00Not Tried
Signature Brew - Dark Heart5.00Not Tried
Cottage - Aphrodite3.80Not Tried
Jones The Brewer - The Creature4.50Not Tried
26 Feb 2015 (HSB)
13:45 Been on my to visit list for a long time. Really worthwhile. Fascinating interior. Reasonable busy when we turned up. Sat in the theatre area.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Brockley - Pale Ale4.10GoodBit too vanilla
Five Points - Five Points Pale4.40GoodRather cloudy, but tasted fine. I never know if beers are unfined or badly served these days.
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Runner4.00Not Tried
Signature Brew - Dark Heart5.00Not Tried
Jones The Brewer - Abigail's Party3.80Not Tried
Cottage - Aphrodite3.80Not Tried
Jones The Brewer - The Creature4.50Not Tried
12 Aug 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. Irish fiddlers night again.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Heavy Industry - Nelson's Eye4.50GoodTotal clarity with orangey citrus tang. Did subside a bit part way down
Dark Star - Hophead was 3.8% (some has also been brewed by Fuller's)3.40Not Tried
Hobsons - Best Bitter3.80Not Tried
Brockley - Pale Ale4.10Not Tried
Big Penny (formerly Truman's) as of late 2022 contract brewed - Swift3.90Not Tried
Clarence & Fredericks - Cascadian Black5.00Not Tried
Hop Stuff - Fusilier4.30Not Tried

[More Visits]

About The Ivy House

The pub sign. The Ivy House, Nunhead, Greater London

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional-
Excellent6
Good9
Acceptable7
Poor2

Website.

The pub is found in Nunhead, Greater London, SE15 3BE.

Formerly Newlands Tavern then Stuart Arms this is a rambling 1930s ex Truman pub (ex Enterprise Inns too), on the Nunhead / Peckham border, which is Grade II listed and was the first in the country to be registered as an Asset of Community Value, was then acquired via the community right to buy provisions of the Localism Act by a cooperative which now owns the pub and has employed a manager to run it. As the Newlands Tavern this was a famous South London "Pub Rock" music venue in the 1970s. Lots of dark wood and many original Truman's fittings. The front bar has a curved counter with 4 handpumps and there is a black and white tiled spittoon round its base. A double doored partition leads to a massive rear room with another bar counter and further tiled spittoon at its base. This room has an ornamented and curtained stage. To the right rear is another area of seating and is dominated by a massive fireplace. Truman's gold lettering remains at picture rail level in the front bar advertising its Burton and London heritage and some of its beers. There are plans to bring back the former public bar area into use (it was a licensee's flat for many years) which is currently used for storage. A real feast for the eyes of any lover of how London suburban big brewery pubs used to be. Can be difficult to find but 343 and 484 bus routes stop 200m away at the "Stuart Road" bus stops. SE London CAMRA branch runner-up Pub of the Year 2017.

We have visited this pub 13 times, seen 36 different beers and tried 17 of them.

Map location

Postcode: SE15 3BE