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The River Ale House (Free House)
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Real Mild Ale |  | 2 |
| Kent - Old Skool | | 2 |
| Kent - Kent Golding Bitter or KGB |  | 1 |
| Steam Town - Ralph Dutton ESB | | 1 |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | | 4 |
| Bexley - Bursted Session Bitter (was 3.8%) | | 3 |
| Elusive - Sunset Oregon Trail | | 1 |
| Attic - Quarter | | 1 |
| 360° - Triple Act |  | 1 |
| Vibrant Forest - Black Forest | | 1 |
| 360° - Bluebell Sussex Best Bitter | | 2 |
| Goacher's - Best Dark Ale (aka Original) | | 1 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Seashore Blues | | 1 |
| Bexley - Black Prince Vanilla Porter | | 1 |
| Castle Rock - Go With The Flow | Not Tried | 0 |
| Kent - Tropic Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| 360° - Tacoma | Not Tried | 0 |
| Oakham - Belma | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vocation - Golden Ale (collaboration with Fierce) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Monkey - Sea Wall | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | Not Tried | 0 |
| Two Flints - Santiago | Not Tried | 0 |
| 360° - Session IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vocation - Winter Bloom | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ossett - White Rat | Not Tried | 0 |
| Kent - Kohatu | Not Tried | 0 |
| Bexley - XPA (Extra Pale) | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
18 Feb 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attic - Quarter | 4.50 | | English hopped tasty bitter |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Seashore Blues | 4.00 | | Golden Ale which soon went flat in the glass |
| Vibrant Forest - Black Forest | 4.90 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - Tropic Ale | 4.90 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - Old Skool | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| 360° - Tacoma | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Vocation - Golden Ale (collaboration with Fierce) | 4.60 | Not Tried |
17 Feb 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for my extended late evening visit due to the midnight extended closing time to accommodate Charlton FC playing at home, losing 1-3 against Portsmouth. Some of the fans who attend this micropub therefore had extra time along with everyone else to sup after the late evening finish of the game. A good beer for me made this all the more worthwhile!
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Old Skool | 4.10 | | Fresh on and displaying very good head and lacing and lasting all the way on this traditional bitter so-named from Birling, north of West Malling, Kent. A dry bitterness to kick off with. A fruity hoppiness from local Kentish varieties such as Goldings and Fuggles rising through my open goal with hints of dark fruits such as plum and fig colliding. A subtle sweetness from its caramel malt tackling well. A moreish hoppiness ending the game for my taste buds with a dry fruited hoppy note or two being sent off and whistling downwards. |
| Vibrant Forest - Black Forest | 4.90 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - Tropic Ale | 4.90 | Not Tried | |
| 360° - Tacoma | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Belma | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Vocation - Golden Ale (collaboration with Fierce) | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
| Attic - Quarter | 4.50 | Not Tried |
17 Feb 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until midnight's extended close time due to Charlton Athletic home match nearby.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Old Skool | 4.10 | | All the bitterness of a traditional bitter. |
| Vibrant Forest - Black Forest | 4.90 | | Poured flat in glass. Lacking condition to enhance the strong flavour |
| Kent - Tropic Ale | 4.90 | Not Tried | |
| 360° - Tacoma | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Belma | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Vocation - Golden Ale (collaboration with Fierce) | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
| Attic - Quarter | 4.50 | Not Tried |
15 Feb 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent - Kent Golding Bitter or KGB | 4.10 | | Good condition - basic bittering |
| Steam Town - Ralph Dutton ESB | 5.80 | | Heavy ale with lots of maltiness |
| Ossett - White Rat | 4.00 | Not Tried | Ran out |
| Kent - Kohatu | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Bexley - XPA (Extra Pale) | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Castle Rock - Go With The Flow | 4.10 | Not Tried |
12 Feb 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elusive - Sunset Oregon Trail | 5.80 | | Tasty well balanced brew |
| Goacher's - Best Dark Ale (aka Original) | 4.10 | | Not at its best at all. Last couple of times this has been on it has not tasted right |
| Goacher's - Real Mild Ale | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| 360° - Session IPA | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Vocation - Winter Bloom | 3.80 | Not Tried |
10 Feb 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for last half an hour of serving with the hardened regulars alongside members from a local club in after their meeting and the fiddlers out the back and the odd occasional.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Real Mild Ale | 3.40 | | 2nd beer of this visit: This Maidstone-brewed mild was also fresh on today and presented good head and lacing and lasting well in clinging to the glass to the end. A dry malty first hit. A gentle bitterness rising with a hoppy note climbing up from its Kent Fuggles. A malty finale lingering from its use of roasted black malts and chocolate malt. Thankfully not overly malted or chocolatey to make it a chore to drink and so still quaffable and not like a soup consistency. Its flavouring certainly belies its low gravity. Very moreish in fact! |
| 360° - Bluebell Sussex Best Bitter | 4.30 | | 1st beer of this visit: Had a sample and it tasted perfectly fine and so went for a pint of this Sussex Best bitter from originally Sheffield Park, on the edge of the Ashdown Forest, and next to the southern end of the Bluebell (heritage) Railway and some 5 to 7 miles north-west of Uckfield.* It presented a good head and lacing but not lasting. A dry malty first bite from its English malt. A dry bitterness rising with a good fruity hoppiness shining from its East Kent Goldings, Fuggles and Cascade hops and lingering. It became rather flat in appearance but managed another because it presented a good flavour. *The brewing operation has vacated its original Sheffield Park site (the "Bluebell" location) in July 2025 after the brewery deciding not to renew the lease and so the brewing has recently moved to a smaller but undisclosed location. |
| 360° - Bluebell Sussex Best Bitter | 4.30 |  | A 3rd offering of this bitter was rejected on the basis of its murkiness that was not present in the other two sampled. I was told it was at the end of its cask at this point and having just come on from the 4pm opening time. Clearly it was well liked by those in earlier. |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Two Flints - Santiago | 3.80 | Not Tried |
10 Feb 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. The back room fiddlers were perhaps more subdued than usual.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Real Mild Ale | 3.40 | | Basic mild - thin but refreshing |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | | Holding up well |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| 360° - Bluebell Sussex Best Bitter | 4.30 | Not Tried | Ran out but one customer sent back their nearly last out of the cask |
| Monkey - Sea Wall | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Two Flints - Santiago | 3.80 | Not Tried |
09 Feb 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | | Settled down somewhat since yesterday's |
| Bexley - Bursted Session Bitter (was 3.8%) | 3.40 | | Lost a lot of condition since yesterday's |
| Goacher's - Real Mild Ale | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Vibrant Forest - Pupa | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Monkey - Sea Wall | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Two Flints - Santiago | 3.80 | Not Tried |
08 Feb 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet football with only the hardened in and the odd occasional for the last half an hour of serving. Just five real ales on compared to the usual six to seven. The so-called monthly quiz has not yet reared its head again in the month of February following its inaugural January appearance two weeks ago and no notice clearly displayed to suggest when in February if at all on a Sunday evening.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bexley - Bursted Session Bitter (was 3.8%) | 3.40 | | 1st beer of this visit: Second day on and better for it was this bitter. Presently perhaps an even better head than the evening before on this Erith-brewed dark amber session bitter from the Bexley borough. Such a shame it was low gravity at just 3.4% as otherwise might have been afforded more flavour, though I was not the only one of the regulars to detect that the range of beers this evening seemed noticeably at a cooler temperature compared to the recent norm. Defiantly, it displayed excellent lacing but for a slightly cooler offering than is usual. Still a very dry bitter first bite which was unmistakable. Still an ever so lightly fruited bitterness. Still that hint of pine, plus hints of stone fruit. Kentish hops lending it a hoppy mouthfeel and Crystal malts adding their flavours, including a subtle biscuity, caramel and toffee infusion. A hop-infused piney touch playing out with a fruity kick afforded. Once again, for being in such good nick appearance-wise with its head and lacing, a pity it was so low gravity since it continued from the evening before in lacking distinct hoppy flavouring to my taste buds. Less watery though than the evening before! |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | | 3rd beer of this visit: Fresh on was this Maidstone-brewed pale ale, originally brewed in 1993 to mark the brewery's 10th anniversary, but a touch too fresh in appearance and for my liking on this occasion. A head, yes, but very lacking the normal frothiness of a good head. Its lacing though lasting in its favour. A very lightly fruited first hit. A hoppy bitterness surfacing and prevailing from its East Kent Goldings. A distinct hoppy fruitiness sliding out with a lingering sweetness arising from its Maris Otter floor-malted barley. |
| 360° - Triple Act | 3.90 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Second day on for this East Sussex "tri-hopped" American pale ale approximately 5 to 6 miles to the south-east of Uckfield and brewed about 1.2 miles from the village of Fletching. Displaying the merest head and not lasting. A lightly fruited first hit. A distant hoppiness rising with hints of fruitiness from its hops with its Motueka adding a distinct kiwi flair. A very gentle fruited hoppiness sliding downwards also care of its Mosaic and Galaxy hops, before climaxing with a fruity kick in its finale. |
| Bexley - Black Prince Vanilla Porter | 4.60 | Not Tried | A half sufficed the evening before and for me not in the least moreish and so I have let it be! |
| Monkey - Sea Wall | 4.20 | Not Tried | Glad I escaped this as saw one other with this hazy and what looked liked a fruit-juiced concoction in their pint glass. They were a braver man than me! |
08 Feb 2026 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bexley - Bursted Session Bitter (was 3.8%) | 3.40 | | Very good condition and full flavour for a 3.4% ale |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | | Fresh, green, slight haze. Can be a lot better |
| Bexley - Black Prince Vanilla Porter | 4.60 | | Poured flat, stayed flat in glass. No life |
| Monkey - Sea Wall | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| 360° - Triple Act | 3.90 | Not Tried |
About The River Ale House
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 14 |
| 734 |
| 1995 |
| 626 |
 | 58 |
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 1577 times, seen 1931 different beers and tried 1142 of them.
Postcode: SE10 0RJ