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The Three Pillars (Free House)
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Shivering Sands - Ribersborg Stout |  | 1 |
| Mighty Oak - Top Hat | | 1 |
| Triple fff - Comfortably Numb (spent a while at 5.4%) | | 1 |
| Mighty Oak - The Old Man and The Sea | | 1 |
| Shivering Sands - Maunsell Bitter | | 1 |
| Kent - Old Skool | | 3 |
| Kent - Yule Log | | 1 |
| Musket - Fife & Drum Golden Ale | | 1 |
| Tonbridge - Rustic | | 1 |
| Kent - White Noise | | 1 |
| Brentwood - Santa's Sack | | 1 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Single Hop Kazbek Rye Porter | | 1 |
| Saltaire - Titus | | 1 |
| Deeply Vale - DV8 | | 1 |
| Musket - Ball Puller |  | 1 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Friar's Ale | | 1 |
| Mighty Oak - New Year Beer | | 1 |
| Iron Pier - Admiral & Amarillo Joined at the Hop | | 1 |
| Kent - Ron's One In The Wood | | 2 |
| Kent - Born To Be Mild (was 3.5%) | | 1 |
| Mighty Oak - Captain Bob | | 1 |
| Three Acre - Skylark Stout | | 1 |
| Musket - Flintlock Best Bitter | | 1 |
| Kent - Dubai - creamy milk stout | | 1 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 7 | | 1 |
| Kent - Christmas Session | | 1 |
| Mighty Oak - Calypso | | 1 |
| Musket - Powder Burn | | 1 |
| Mighty Oak - Griffin Gold | | 1 |
| Kent - Session Pale | | 1 |
| Mighty Oak - Brown Hare | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 5 | Not Tried | 0 |
| Deeply Vale - Citra Storm | Not Tried | 0 |
| Two by Two - Mashup (collaboration with Kent) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Blonde Ambition | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - American Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mighty Oak - Simply the Best | Not Tried | 0 |
| Kent - The Quiet American | Not Tried | 0 |
| Cairngorm - Santa's Sledgehammer | Not Tried | 0 |
| Northdown - Tidal Pool | Not Tried | 0 |
| Kent - Frostbite | Not Tried | 0 |
| Kent - Extra Stout | Not Tried | 0 |
| Iron Pier - Seventh Heaven - Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Kent - Karma | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
07 Mar 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
3rd visit of the outing to Gravesend: This bustling little basement micropub was busier than usual for our late afternoon arrival and we were joined by a third fellow real ale enthusiast from SE London here. Speedy friendly service and we withdrew to an empty side room which houses two sizeable, boardroom-like tables with accompanying chairs, and away from the main backroom with bar. Five real ales on to try as is often the case.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonbridge - Rustic | 4.00 | | 1st beer of this visit: This Kentish bronze-coloured ruby bitter from, East Peckham, north-east of Tonbridge, exhibited a very good head and lacing and lasting throughout its pleasurable performance. A bitterness mixed with a fruity note on the first bite. A hedgerow fruitiness rising aided by its blend of hops, Northdown, classic Fuggles, and the rare Kent-grown Epic hops, the latter lending a spicy note. A gentle maltiness winning over with subtle hints of coffee and the odd green apple-flavouring lingering. Very moreish and in great condition. |
| Kent - Ron's One In The Wood | 3.70 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Served with a very good head and with its lacing persisting throughout on this golden-coloured session pale from Birling, north of West Malling in Kent. A hoppiness in its first bite. Hints of citrus and elderflower rising. A malty biscuity note winning over from its base of Maris Otter pale malt, lending it a dry, malty lingering finish. Kent's Session Pale is here referred to by another name and coined as a tribute to the One Inn the Wood micropub in Petts Wood and the previous owner's grandfather, Ron, who used to ask regulars to "put one in the wood" (meaning to buy him a drink for later) and when he ran a pub in Sittingbourne. Very palatable indeed and well presented. |
| Kent - Dubai - creamy milk stout | 4.70 | | 3rd beer of this visit: A very creamy head presented on this milk stout and sticking to the end. A malty fruity first bite off this dark creamy concoction from Birling, north of West Malling, Kent, and forming part of their specialty range designed to be a dessert-style beer. A gentle chocolatey note rising with creamy pistachio infusions bobbing up and down aided by lactose (milk sugar), lending it a sweet and creamy texture. A dark fruited maltiness winning over from its roasted malt base. A dry malty bitterness paddling out from hop varieties such as Fuggles and East Kent Goldings likely to have been used to give an earthy, spicy and mild bitterness to balance the sweetness of the lactose and chocolate. One half sufficed as somewhat over-sweetened for my taste buds. |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Friar's Ale | 4.30 | Not Tried | Ran out during my visit. |
| Kent - Karma | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Brown Hare | 4.10 | Not Tried | Replaced The Friar's Ale. |
24 Jan 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
3rd stop of the outing: This basement micropub never fails to impress with its ever-changing range of real ales on and confirmed on this late afternoon visit. Always ticking and never seen it without custom. Today was no exception with a good mix of what appeared to be regular faces from earlier visits I have made. You do also get your beer tourists such as me. Usual friendly service from the staff team and seating at a shared table to be had. This micro is one of my highlights of the visit to Gravesend and I am never disappointed by the condition of the real ales on offer and sampled.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Triple fff - Comfortably Numb (spent a while at 5.4%) | 5.00 | | 2nd beer of this visit: This Hampshire English strong bitter from Four Marks-based independent brewery, south-west of Alton, set up in 1997, was recommended by my fellow real ale enthusiast who had sampled theirs whilst I was sampling the earlier Iron Pier Joined at the Hop pale. Very good head and lacing and almost lasting to the end on this dark copper-coloured ale. A very bitter first bite. A sherry-infused, dark-fruited berry flavouring rapidly rising with hints of elderflower. Brewed with Styrian Wolf hops, it exhibited spicy notes of cinnamon and cloves. A moreish maltiness paddling out with flavours of biscuit and toffee. Its warming and sweet blend of malts includes Maris Otter and Cara Gold. In fine condition and perhaps greatly more flavoured in reflecting its strong gravity. |
| Kent - Old Skool | 4.10 | | 3rd beer of this visit: Fresh on towards the end of my visit to the ever-eventful micro. This Birling-based bitter from north of West Malling in Kent presented superb head and lacing and lasting throughout. A moreishly dry bitter first hit. A gentle hoppiness swimming up to the surface with hints of spicy orange marmalade and from such English hops as East Kent Goldings for floral hints and Fuggles for its earthy bitterness. A maltiness, derived from its Maris Otter, Crystal and Chocolate malts, driving this mermaid's tail of a quaffable ale to wag with great vigour. A very dry bitterness with hints of dark fruits such as plum and fig prevailing before a pleasant slide down. |
| Iron Pier - Admiral & Amarillo Joined at the Hop | 3.80 | | 1st beer of this visit: I did not ask which specific variety of Joined at the Hop* from the local Northfleet brewery this is and so have selected the first one listed on Pubs and Beer. Iron Pier also does Admiral & Chinook Joined at the Hop at 3.8% and Admiral & Mosaic Joined at the Hop also at 3.8%. Very good head and lacing and almost lasting. This barrel had a little later on run out as it was taken off to mark this. This pale ale/session golden ale came with a lightly fruited first hit. A gentle hoppiness rising. A fruity note or two bobbing up with hints of citrus and tangerine and a dryish hoppiness paddling out. It tasted slightly tired reflecting is was nearly at the end but it was still perfectly drinkable at this point of sampling. *The name of this series of Joined at the Hop pales comes from the concept of pairing a local English hop with an international variety. In this example, Admiral hops, a British-grown variety developed at Wye College in Kent, are mixed with Amarillo hops, an American variety primarily grown in Washington State. |
| Kent - Session Pale | 3.70 | Not Tried | Came on to replace Iron Pier's Joined at the Hop running out. |
| Kent - Extra Stout | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Seventh Heaven - Pale Ale | 4.20 | Not Tried |
20 Dec 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
3rd visit of the outing: Certainly buzzing in all areas of this sprawling basement micro but with a seat at a table with one other in the main bar area for my late afternoon visit. Usual friendly, prompt service from the same barman as on my earlier most recent visit.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Old Skool | 4.10 | | 3rd beer of this visit: Fresh on is this Birling-brewed Kentish bitter from north of West Malling. Presenting wonderful head and lacing and lasting steadfastly. A dry hoppy first hit. A bitter hoppiness jumping up which any discerning taste bud could be blown off its feet by, and from such Kent varieties as Fuggles, Target and East Kent Goldings. A caramel sweetness in on the mix aided by hints of dark fruit such as plum and fig. A superb hoppy dryness prevailing throughout its performance before its final hoppy descent with a subtle toasted maltiness. Very moreish and could have easily had another! |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - Single Hop Kazbek Rye Porter | 5.30 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Fresh on and exhibiting superb head and lacing and lasting for its sailing out on this Chartham-brewed rye porter from south-west of Canterbury itself. A spicy malted first bite from this creature. Lashings of maltiness climbing up with a caramelised fruitiness winning over aided by its Kazbek hops, originally bred in the Czech Republic and a cross between the traditional Saaz hop and a wild male variety. Spicy hints of Christmas cake with a malty sweetness slithering out. |
| Mighty Oak - Griffin Gold | 4.40 | | 1st beer of this visit: Very good head and lacing and present to the end on this Essex-brewed golden ale from Maldon. A sweetish, hoppy first bite. A dry bitter note sauntering up with a biscuity hint. A hop-infused fruity note winning over with a slight kick to it. A fruitiness sliding downwards care of its hints of mango, lemon and elderflower aided by the merest flavouring of marmalade that Paddington Bear would have been proud of. |
| Cairngorm - Santa's Sledgehammer | 5.60 | Not Tried | |
| Northdown - Tidal Pool | 4.60 | Not Tried | A fellow customer commented that this pale ale looked like honey in the jar on display to give you an idea and then read it was labelled as unfined. |
| Kent - Frostbite | 5.00 | Not Tried |
18 Oct 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
3rd visit of the outing: Ticking over for our late afternoon arrival time to this popular micro with many a customer in the usual seating area with the bar at its end. Only three real ales to choose from on this visit when it can often be 4 or 5. A quiet side room as you enter offered plenty of seating and away from the jukebox in the main bar area. Customary warm welcome and speedy, efficient service from the couple running it.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mighty Oak - Captain Bob | 3.80 | | Very good head and lacing and lasting on this Essex amber bitter from Maldon from Mighty Oak who have been brewing since 1996. A dry bitter first bite. A good maltiness rising with many a pleasant fruity, bitter note or two. Hints of grape, elderflower and gooseberry bobbing up and down and suitably aided by its New Zealand hops before its finale downwards. |
| Mighty Oak - Simply the Best | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - The Quiet American | 4.20 | Not Tried |
13 Sep 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Not overly busy for this little basement micropub on my late afternoon visit. Usual friendly attentive service from the barmaid.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deeply Vale - DV8 | 4.80 | | This Lancashire breakfast stout from Bury, north of Manchester, came with good head and lacing and lasting throughout. A fruity liquorish-tasting first bite. A dry raisin flavouring rising and a good fruity hoppiness dancing on my taste buds. A hint of roasted coffee. A dry fruity note playing out with a good dose of malty bitterness aiding its downwards voyage. Deeply Vale Brewery is a family-run venture founded in 2012 and I think my first introduction to it and certainly in The Three Pillars micropub. |
| Musket - Ball Puller | 4.00 | | Good head and lacing but not lasting on this Kentish bitter from south of Maidstone. A very toffee-infused first hit. A malty mouthfeel with a good fruity caramel-infused eruption rising and lasting with strong spicy and herbal flavouring. A dry malty note playing out in its sweetish aftertaste. |
| Kent - Ron's One In The Wood | 3.70 | | This Kentish pale from Birling, north of West Malling, came with a good head and lacing and kept this throughout. A dry hoppy first bite. A fruit-infused hoppiness climbing with hints of citrus and elderflower. A dry hoppy fruity note playing out. Very moreish! No doubt another name coined for Kent's Session Pale at 3.7%. |
| Tonbridge - Blonde Ambition | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - American Pale | 5.00 | Not Tried |
07 Jun 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy with one very large party of rather raucous middle-aged patrons who should have perhaps set a better example! Does not take a lot to fill this low-ceilinged micropub either with punters or their sometimes over-loud voices. There is a separate room as you come in on your left where I would have encouraged them to sit. I ended up sitting at the bar as far away as you could get from them in the main room with bar and cold-room leading off. 5 real ales on and the 4 sampled were all superb. Prompt friendly service from the couple running this micropub for my late afternoon visit, marking my third of this outing, and nothing has changed about the place since my last visit in February 2025 apart from the table of at least 8 noisy punters on this occasion.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shivering Sands - Maunsell Bitter | 4.00 | | Excellent head and lacing on this dark amber ale from Manston, near Ramsgate, and lasting superbly. A moreishly dry bitter first hit. A touch of malty caramel flavouring rising up in the mouthfeel alongside a fruit-infused hoppiness from US-style hops winning over on the taste buds. A lip-smacking hoppy dryness to end on. Set up in summer of 2020, I have always enjoyed Shivering Sands. This bitter has got its name from the designer of the Maunsell sea forts north of Herne Bay, which were built during the Second World War. In the mid-1960s the forts at Shivering Sands became home to pirate radio, including Radio Sutch set up by Screaming Lord Sutch. |
| Kent - Born To Be Mild (was 3.5%) | 3.40 | | Came with good head and lacing on this mild from Birling, north of West Malling in Kent. A very berry-infused fruity first hit. Almost the flavouring of Ribena pervading the mouthfeel with a maltiness rising up from all those berry flavours. A bitter dryness then coming to the fore in its aftertaste and lasting. |
| Three Acre - Skylark Stout | 4.60 | | Began with good head and lacing on this Sussex-based stout from south-east of Uckfield, and north of Eastbourne, but did not manage to hold onto it. A dry bitter first hit. The merest malty chocolatey and subtle cocoa flavouring rising up on the palate and a dry maltiness lingering with the odd hint of a hazelnut or two in the aftertaste. |
| Mighty Oak - Calypso | 3.90 | | Came with good head and lacing on the amber ale from Maldon in Essex and lasted to the end. A very bitter first hit. A touch of malty fruitiness rising up from its Maris Otter malt on the taste buds and doing battle with a dry fruit-infused hoppiness from its Calypso and Columbus hops. A dry hoppy moreish aftertaste. |
| Two by Two - Mashup (collaboration with Kent) | 5.00 | Not Tried | Can look like a milkshake by all accounts and so not my cup of tea by a long way. |
15 Feb 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for this little basement micropub just out of the main part of Gravesend and for our early evening visit. Usual friendly and prompt service.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Musket - Fife & Drum Golden Ale | 3.80 | | Good head and lacing thrown in on this Kentish golden from Maidstone. A hoppy first hit followed by a dry mouthfeel with a slight oiliness from the hops. It had pleasant spicy and honey-infused hints and the odd blackcurrant in the flavourings. Very moreish! |
| Shivering Sands - Ribersborg Stout | 4.70 | | A very creamy head on this stout from Manston in Thanet and good lacing followed. A burnt and smokey mouthfeel. Not in the least sweet with a dryness lingering amongst a hint of liquorice. |
| Musket - Flintlock Best Bitter | 4.20 | | Very good head and lacing on this Maidstone bitter. A very bitter, bitter mouthfeel with slightly sweet flavourings from marmalade and spice. A moreishly dry bitterness lingering. |
| Musket - Powder Burn | 5.00 | | Good head and lacing on this porter from Maidstone. A very dry and slightly sweet mouthfeel with a moreishly malty aftertaste. |
| Deeply Vale - Citra Storm | 4.00 | Not Tried | From Bury, north-east of Bolton. Should have tried this pale as not sampled from this brewery as I recall. |
08 Feb 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Usual busy place for our late afternoon visit. Prompt, friendly service as in the custom here.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saltaire - Titus | 3.90 | | Very good head and lacing on this Yorkshire bitter from Shipley. A first hit of malty bitterness and this remained throughout and was very moreish. |
| Mighty Oak - Top Hat | 4.30 | | A superbly creamy head on this Maldon-based porter and holding its head and lacing well. A very malty first hit. Was not in the least sweet as darker ales can tend to be with just the merest hint of coffee and chocolate. A moreish dryness and maltiness lingering. |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 7 | 3.80 | | Good head and lacing on this Ramsgate pale bitter. A dryish bitter first hit. A moreishly hoppy mouthfeel lingering. |
| Mighty Oak - New Year Beer | 4.00 | | Very good head and lacing on this Malden-based golden ale from Essex. A fruity and hoppy first hit. A moreishly dryish mouthfeel and lingering. |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 5 | 4.40 | Not Tried |
11 Jan 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy but not overly for late afternoon visit. Usual friendly, prompt service.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mighty Oak - The Old Man and The Sea | 4.10 | | Superbly creamy head and lacing on this Maldon stout. Malty with liquorice and espresso coffee flavours in the mouthfeel. A dryness to die for in making it extremely moreish and with the merest hint of chocolate and the odd berry or two. A wonderfully malty, dry aftertaste. |
| Kent - Old Skool | 4.10 | | Very good head and lacing on this bitter. A very bitter first hit and a slightly malty mouthfeel. A touch of hoppiness in its aftertaste which made it very moreish. |
| Kent - White Noise | 5.00 | | Superb head and lacing on this winter IPA from Birling. Not in the least fruity but dry with a moderately hoppy first hit. A powerfully dry hoppiness lingering and a great escape again from all those sweet Christmas beers of late! |
| Kent - Session Pale | 3.70 | | Very good head and lacing on this pale brew from Birling, north of West Malling. A very dry first hit. A pleasantly lightly fruity mouthfeel alongside a lingering dryness which made it very moreish. |
21 Dec 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
Late afternoon visit to this basement micropub in coming back into Gravesend after walk from Windmill Tavern. Not overly busy and seating to be had. Met with the usual friendly, prompt service.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Yule Log | 4.50 | | Reasonable head and lacing on this chocolate cream stout. The first hit was of dry flavouring, and not sweet and as you might expect with chocolate being involved. A moreishly dark chocolatey mouthfeel with a dryness lingering. |
| Brentwood - Santa's Sack | 4.00 | | Fresh on and oozing with a frothy head and lacing. A very dry first hit on this Essex-based brown ale. A bitter mouthfeel with a touch of fruitiness from stone fruit and pear flavouring. A very moreish aftertaste. |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Friar's Ale | 4.30 | | Good head and lacing. A dry, fruity first hit. A pleasantly hoppy mouthfeel with a moreishly dry aftertaste. |
| Kent - Christmas Session | 3.70 | | Good head and lacing on this pale from the Birling-based brewery near West Malling. A very dry hoppy mouthfeel with a hint of elderflower in it. A pleasantly dry, lingering aftertaste which made it very moreish. |
About The Three Pillars
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | - |
| 20 |
| 23 |
 | 1 |
 | - |
The pub is found in Gravesend, Kent, DA11 0PA.
Micropub which opened underneath the Masonic Hall in Wrotham Road initially on 1st May 2017 then finally opened permanently on 23rd June 2017 after an enforced closure due to licensing issues. Steep steps on the right hand side of the Hall lead down to what was, at one time, the Masonic Hall's bar. Carpeted front rooms, with standard tables and chairs, lead to the brick floor bar counter area with its high tables and at the bar seating. Real ales and ciders are sold on gravity dispense from a temperature controlled cellar room. Very much along the physical lines of the Cellars Alehouse in Maidstone but the floor area is less extensive. The Masonic Hall car park must not be used by patrons. From November 2017 onwards closed on Mondays. Cash only here please, cards not accepted.
We have visited this pub 21 times, seen 77 different beers and tried 38 of them.
Postcode: DA11 0PA