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The River Ale House (Free House)

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Tonbridge - RusticExcellent2
Mighty Oak - Victory AleGood2
Goacher's - Gold StarGood1
Titanic - Plum PorterGood2
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Oatmeal StoutGood3
Tonbridge - Blonde AmbitionGood3
Burning Sky - Plateau (was 3.5%)Good1
Wantsum - HurricaneGood1
Goacher's - Silver StarGood1
Oakham - Thirteen StepsGood2
Southwark - Honey'd Brown AleAcceptable1
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 7Acceptable1
Redemption - Urban DuskAcceptable2
Wantsum - Montgomery (was SS Richard Montgomery)Not Tried0
Dark Revolution - OrbitalNot Tried0
Pig & Porter - Jumping FrogNot Tried0
Milestone - New World Pale AleNot Tried0
Redemption - KazbekNot Tried0
Disruption IS Brewing (sub-brand of Ascot) - Chaos More ChaosNot Tried0
Picture 1. The River Ale House, East Greenwich, Greater London
Picture 2. The River Ale House, East Greenwich, Greater London
Picture 3. The River Ale House, East Greenwich, Greater London
Stephen Harris

Visits Details

11 May 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Just very low footfall of Sunday night regulars inhabiting.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Titanic - Plum Porter4.90GoodGood condition but the usual level of fruitiness was missing
Redemption - Urban Dusk4.60AcceptableNot impressed, have had much better examples of this before
Pig & Porter - Jumping Frog4.20Not Tried
Milestone - New World Pale Ale3.90Not Tried
Redemption - Kazbek4.00Not Tried
Disruption IS Brewing (sub-brand of Ascot) - Chaos More Chaos5.00Not Tried
Southwark - Honey'd Brown Ale5.60Not Tried
11 May 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Sunday evening for last 35 minutes of serving and just four hardened regulars in and before myself and one other just behind me. Never noted it as quiet as this in a good 7.8+ years of its running. First beer sampled with CAMRA discount just £4.30 and the cheapest pint in ages or even this year. So cannot be prices totally putting punters off with a choice of seven real ales on as well. The Southwark Honey'd Brown though now on for its 9th night but certainly not reflecting any others on for that incredible length of time!
BeerABVScoreNotes
Titanic - Plum Porter4.90GoodGood head and lacing and also fresh on like the Redemption bitter. This plum porter from Burslem, on the northerly outskirts of Stoke-on-Trent, came with a positive plum explosion on the first hit! More "natural" plums exploded everywhere in the mouthfeel following on and with a hoppy bitterness, derived from the odd Goldings hop, then prevailing in its final acts on the taste buds.
Redemption - Urban Dusk4.60PoorFresh on for this Tottenham in North London bitter and with good head and lacing. BUT tasted vinegary from the outset as if at the end of its barrel. A very malty first hit slightly disguised its apparent wish to be sprinkled on fish and chips! It had a sour and medicinal kick to it from the off with a gentle bitterness rising up in the mouthfeel and which persisted alongside the vinegary flavouring in the aftertaste. Such a shame for a new bitter on! Whatever went wrong?! Sadly also, only ever one bitter on at any one time and so others are one to two dark ales and about four pales prevailing.
Pig & Porter - Jumping Frog4.20Not Tried
Milestone - New World Pale Ale3.90Not Tried
Redemption - Kazbek4.00Not Tried
Disruption IS Brewing (sub-brand of Ascot) - Chaos More Chaos5.00Not Tried
Southwark - Honey'd Brown Ale5.60Not TriedTried it the Saturday before the most recent and was too sweet then for my taste buds. Now on its 9th night on and would be not so brave to try it after this length of time! Must be an all-time record for being among the ones the longest on? Some have achieved eight nights on recently but not nine!
10 May 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for last 45 minutes of serving with many a Saturday regular in alongside the more occasional.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Goacher's - Silver Star4.20GoodSecond night on for this Maidstone pale and still presenting good head and lacing and sticking throughout. A hoppy mouthfeel from those Kent Fuggles' hops alongside the odd hint of fruit thrown in. A dry hoppiness persisting.
Tonbridge - Rustic4.00GoodJust got this East Peckham bitter, north-east of Tonbridge, on my arrival before it ran out. Only its second night on and no Charlton FC home-game fans to blame for this. It came with good head and lacing. A malty bitter first hit. A hoppy bitterness then rose up, aided by the Kent variety that is little seen called Epic, and persisted in the aftertaste. Very moreish!
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Oatmeal Stout4.60Not Tried
Milestone - New World Pale Ale3.90Not Tried
Redemption - Kazbek4.00Not Tried
Disruption IS Brewing (sub-brand of Ascot) - Chaos More Chaos5.00Not Tried
Southwark - Honey'd Brown Ale5.60Not Tried
09 May 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet footfall for last 40 minutes of serving but with the Friday regulars, mixed in with the more occasional, on parade.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Tonbridge - Rustic4.00ExcellentFresh on and positively shining was this Kentish bitter from East Peckham, north-east of Tonbridge. A first hit of maltiness. A hoppy bitterness rising up in the mouthfeel, and from the little-grown Kent hop variety called Epic, alongside the odd hint of spice. A pleasantly moreishly hoppy bitterness lingering. This for me is one of the perfect bitters you could have the pleasure of sampling!
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Oatmeal Stout4.60Not Tried
Goacher's - Silver Star4.20Not Tried
Burning Sky - Plateau (was 3.5%)3.40Not Tried
Disruption IS Brewing (sub-brand of Ascot) - Chaos More Chaos5.00Not Tried
Southwark - Honey'd Brown Ale5.60Not Tried
Mighty Oak - Victory Ale4.30Not Tried
08 May 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for last 30 minutes of serving with many a regular in alongside the less frequent.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Oatmeal Stout4.60GoodFifth night on for this Ramsgate-brewed stout and still holding its head and lacing. A smokey malt-infused first hit. A hoppy maltiness exploding in the mouthfeel with the odd hint of chocolate and a bitter hoppiness lingering from those Fuggles' hops.
Mighty Oak - Victory Ale4.30GoodFresh on and good head and lacing on this Essex golden pale from Maldon and remaining to the end. A dry hoppy first hit. A slightly sweet hoppiness in the mouthfeel. A dry fruity hoppiness lingering. A mix of British and American hops used for this Victory Ale to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day - Victory in Europe.
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 73.80Not Tried
Burning Sky - Plateau (was 3.5%)3.40Not Tried
Southwark - Honey'd Brown Ale5.60Not Tried
Oakham - Thirteen Steps4.00Not Tried
08 May 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. No VE Day hours extension here.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Mighty Oak - Victory Ale4.30GoodFresh cask on - good basic zingy bitter
Oakham - Thirteen Steps4.00AcceptableRather unappetising and bland on flavour
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 73.80Not Tried
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Oatmeal Stout4.60Not Tried
Tonbridge - Blonde Ambition4.20Not Tried
Burning Sky - Plateau (was 3.5%)3.40Not Tried
Southwark - Honey'd Brown Ale5.60Not Tried
07 May 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening until close.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Tonbridge - Blonde Ambition4.20GoodStill holding up pretty well
Burning Sky - Plateau (was 3.5%)3.40GoodAlas dumbed down for duty savings
Oakham - Thirteen Steps4.00GoodGood condition but drank it with hardly noticing
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 73.80Not Tried
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Oatmeal Stout4.60Not Tried
Wantsum - Montgomery (was SS Richard Montgomery)4.00Not Tried
Southwark - Honey'd Brown Ale5.60Not Tried
06 May 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy for last 30 minutes of serving with a local club meeting ending and so some familiar faces from seeing them many a time before mixed in with the regulars on parade amongst them.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Oatmeal Stout4.60GoodThis Ramsgate-based stout came with still good head and lacing to begin with and on its third night on. A dryish bitter first hit. A maltiness then came to fore in the mouthfeel with the odd chocolate hit contrasted with the bitterness from its Fuggles hops and lingering.
Tonbridge - Blonde Ambition4.20GoodSecond night on for this pale ale from East Peckham, north-east of Tonbridge itself in Kent, and presented with very good head and lacing and holding very well. A hoppy dryness was in the first hit from those Kent Challenger and First Gold hops. It had a definite hoppy bite to it in the fruity mouthfeel, and perhaps aided by the odd spiciness erupting and citrus explosion. A dry hoppiness lingered on and very moreish.
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 73.80Not Tried
Wantsum - Montgomery (was SS Richard Montgomery)4.00Not Tried
Wantsum - Hurricane4.50Not TriedJust went off shortly after my arrival.
Southwark - Honey'd Brown Ale5.60Not Tried
Oakham - Thirteen Steps4.00Not Tried
Dark Revolution - Orbital3.50Not Tried
05 May 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. Dogends of a bank holiday weekend low footfall.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Tonbridge - Blonde Ambition4.20GoodNew cask on this evening. Excellent head and lacing throughout
Wantsum - Hurricane4.50GoodGood condition but pretty average on taste
Southwark - Honey'd Brown Ale5.60AcceptableNo change on yesterday - just a half
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 73.80Not Tried
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Oatmeal Stout4.60Not Tried
Wantsum - Montgomery (was SS Richard Montgomery)4.00Not Tried
Dark Revolution - Orbital3.50Not Tried
04 May 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
A handful or two of regulars in for the last 30 minutes of serving.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Goacher's - Gold Star5.10GoodSome head and lacing on being presented this Maidstone pale on its second day on. A powerfully hoppy and oily first punch did it pack on the taste buds! A hoppy fruitiness then came to the fore and lingered from those East Kent hops and nothing too sharp about its fruit-infusions.
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Oatmeal Stout4.60GoodFresh on today was this Thanet-based stout from near Ramsgate and so head and lacing put up a good show on this. A malty first hit. A very bitter maltiness then pervaded the mouthfeel and with the merest hint of chocolate. A hoppy dryness from those Fuggles hops then lingered on.
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - No. 73.80AcceptableSadly came with little head and lacing on only its second day on did this Thanet-based pale bitter from just outside Ramsgate. A hoppy first hit from those Fuggles hops in it. A bitter hoppiness in the mouthfeel from the Goldings hops also used and lasting unlike the head and lacing which soon vanished on being served it.
Wantsum - Montgomery (was SS Richard Montgomery)4.00Not Tried
Southwark - Honey'd Brown Ale5.60Not Tried
Dark Revolution - Orbital3.50Not Tried

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About The River Ale House

The pub sign. The River Ale House, East Greenwich, Greater London

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional11
Excellent660
Good1551
Acceptable453
Poor36

Website.

The pub is found in East Greenwich, Greater London, SE10 0RJ.

Micropub in Woolwich Road in a former street corner lingerie and hosiery business premises and which opened on 13th September 2017. Comprises a front room with bar counter and with real ales and ciders served on gravity dispense from a temperature controlled cellar room behind the bar, and a rear room down one step. Each day a pre-prepared paper ale menu sheet, with tasting notes, is provided to every table. Bare-board flooring throughout and all seating at wall mounted high settles and hand made wooden high tables. CAMRA card holders' discount on pints and halves of real ale and cider. Card payments accepted. SPBW London Pub of the Year 2019. Local CAMRA branch 2019, 2022 and 2024 Pub of the Year and its Cider Pub of the Year too in 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024. CAMRA Greenwich District Pub of the Year 2024.

We have visited this pub 1236 times, seen 1772 different beers and tried 1032 of them.

Map location

Postcode: SE10 0RJ