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The River Ale House (Free House)
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Tonbridge - IPA |  | 1 |
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale |  | 2 |
| Tonbridge - Connor's Ruby Ale | | 1 |
| Leatherbritches - Citra Pale | | 2 |
| Tonbridge - India Pale Ale | | 3 |
| Phipps NBC - IPA | | 3 |
| Kent - Session Pale | | 2 |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - West Coast IPA (collaboration with Burning Sky) | | 3 |
| Squawk - Mallard GF |  | 1 |
| Orkney (Sinclair) - Man O' Hoy | | 1 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | | 3 |
| Milestone - New World Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Pig & Porter - Target | Not Tried | 0 |
| Squawk - Mallard | Not Tried | 0 |
| Iron Pier - Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Aitcheson's (formerly East Yorkshire) - Kiwi IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Squawk - Mallard | Not Tried | 0 |
| Goacher's - 1066 Old Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Siren Craft - Lumina | Not Tried | 0 |
| Salopian - Day in a Life | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
21 Jun 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet footfall for my belated arrival some 10 minutes before closing time after a train delay getting back from my outing to Broadstairs with two other real ale enthusiasts.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonbridge - Connor's Ruby Ale | 3.40 | | I was recommended this ruby bitter by a Saturday regular and not in the least disappointed as punches above its weight at just 3.4% and the price reflecting its lesser gravity at £4.30 with the CAMRA 30p discount. It has just replaced the Goacher's Fine Light which was still on, and on its fourth day, about an hour earlier. Fresh on and so positively brimming with head and lacing and lasting throughout. Brewed by this East Peckham-based brewery, north-east of Tonbridge, this is a one-off in aid of a local youngster with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, an incurable disease. All proceeds are going to the Duchenne UK charity to aid their on-going research. A very malty first hit. A pleasant bitterness rising up and a hint of plum favouring to my taste buds but not sweet. A bitter dryness winning over and lingering. Not tried it before and hope they might repeat it again. |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - West Coast IPA (collaboration with Burning Sky) | 5.50 | | Third night on and some head and lacing on show but not lasting on this India Pale Ale collaboration between Thornbridge, north-west of Bakewell and south-west of Sheffield, and Burning Sky Brewery at Firle, north-west of Eastbourne. An oily hoppy-infused first bite to it. A dry hoppiness rearing up and persisting and full of citrus and tropical fruit flavours. A definite touch of wood resin flavouring not unlike the Greek white wine, Retsina, to my taste buds, and where pine resin from the wooden vessels helped keep air out and in so doing, infused the wine within. |
| Goacher's - 1066 Old Ale | 6.70 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - Session Pale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Lumina | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Salopian - Day in a Life | 4.30 | Not Tried |
20 Jun 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet footfall on this balmy summer's Friday evening for last 30 minutes of serving with a mix of some of the all-time regulars and the Friday-only regulars on parade.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | 3.70 | | Third night on and holding its head and lacing is this Maidstone-based pale amber bitter and lasting. A first hit of a bitter dryness. A moreish hoppiness hitting the taste buds. Not my favourite Goacher's but did not want anything too strong before being up early the following day for the coast and so did just the job. Its bitterness winning over the hops and a pleasant dryness lingering. |
| Goacher's - 1066 Old Ale | 6.70 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - Session Pale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Leatherbritches - Citra Pale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - West Coast IPA (collaboration with Burning Sky) | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Squawk - Mallard | 4.50 | Not Tried |
19 Jun 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for last 40 minutes of serving with a large helping of regulars and some others who appeared to have brought their own plates along to assist them to dine out. Perhaps they began in the park on this balmy summer's evening?
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | 3.70 | | Second night on and still holding its head and lacing well is this Maidstone-based pale amber bitter. A dry bitter first hit. A hoppy bitterness rising and lingering, aided by its WGV (Whitbread Golding Variety, first developed by Edward Albert White of Yalding, Kent, in 1911) and East Kent Golding hops. Personally not my favourite Goacher's as slightly lacklustre in flavouring I find but perfectly palatable nevertheless. |
| Kent - Session Pale | 3.70 | | Fresh on and positively brimming with a very good head and lacing and holding to start with on this Birling-based pale, north of West Malling, but then it went for a wander somewhere else as no longer to be seen! A very hoppy first hit. A fruity hoppiness rising up, complete with a good dose of citrus in the mix meaning a fruity hit after hit and lingering. |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - West Coast IPA (collaboration with Burning Sky) | 5.50 | | Fresh on and very good head and lacing on show and lasting on this India Pale Ale collaboration between Thornbridge, north-west of Bakewell and south-west of Sheffield, and Burning Sky Brewery at Firle, north-west of Eastbourne. A hoppy-infused first bite to it aided by its Mosaic and Citra hops. A moreishly dry hoppiness rising up and persisting. Lashings of citrus and tropical fruits such as orange and kiwi bobbing up and down on my sailing journey with it and lasting. |
| Squawk - Mallard | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Target | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Leatherbritches - Citra Pale | 4.20 | Not Tried |
19 Jun 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late sweltering evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - West Coast IPA (collaboration with Burning Sky) | 5.50 | | Obviously a superbly brewed collaboration ale |
| Kent - Session Pale | 3.70 | | Head disappeared almost immediately after serving |
| Goacher's - Fine Light Ale | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Target | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Leatherbritches - Citra Pale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Squawk - Mallard GF | 4.50 | Not Tried |
17 Jun 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall on this humid summer's evening for the last 30 minutes of serving with the fiddlers and their fiddles out the back and a good turnout of regulars out the front.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonbridge - India Pale Ale | 4.80 | | Third night on for this India Pale Ale from East Peckham, north-east of Tonbridge, and not now holding its head and lacing and so needed a decant or two from the start but this little helped. A moreishly dry oily first hit. A pleasant fruity hoppiness rising up and a hoppy dryness lasting. |
| Leatherbritches - Citra Pale | 4.20 | | Fresh on and so holding its head and lacing well and lasting on this Leicestershire single-hopped Citra Pale from Ashby-de-la-Zouch, south-east of Burton-upon-Trent. Very much that citrusy first hit. A fruity hoppiness rising up and lingering among its many citrusy notes. One sufficed but in fine condition as fresh on. |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | 4.20 | | Third night on and has lost much of its conditioning from trying it on Sunday. Not holding its head and lacing very well and a few decants only woke it up temporarily. A malty first hit on this ruby bitter from south-west of Canterbury itself. A malty first hit. A toffee-infused bitterness rising up and lingering. |
| Milestone - New World Pale Ale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Target | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Squawk - Mallard | 4.50 | Not Tried |
17 Jun 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leatherbritches - Citra Pale | 4.20 | | New cask on today and good head and lacing |
| Squawk - Mallard GF | 4.50 | | Lumbered with a hazy ale with no pre-warning |
| Tonbridge - IPA | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Milestone - New World Pale Ale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Target | 3.40 | Not Tried |
16 Jun 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonbridge - India Pale Ale | 4.80 | | Served with a good head |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | 4.20 | | OK condition for this darkish ale |
| Phipps NBC - IPA | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Milestone - New World Pale Ale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Orkney (Sinclair) - Man O' Hoy | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Target | 3.40 | Not Tried |
15 Jun 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
The usual Sunday regulars out and ticking over for the last 40 minutes of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonbridge - IPA | 4.80 | | Fresh on today and holding its head and lacing very well and lasting on this India Pale Ale from East Peckham, north-east of Tonbridge itself. A pleasantly hoppy first hit. A dry hoppiness rising up mixed with a moreish oiliness lingering. I was being well oiled care of this fine IPA. |
| Phipps NBC - IPA | 4.30 | | Second night on for this Northampton golden ale, south-east of Coventry, and still presenting good head and lacing and lasting. A hoppy oily first hit. A pleasant hoppiness rising up on the taste buds and an oiliness lingering. |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | 4.20 | | Fresh on today was this ruby bitter, south-west of Canterbury, and holding its head and lacing to the end. A very bitter first hit. A sweetish maltiness from its toffee notes coming to the fore. A dry bitterness aided by those fruity hops winning over and lingering. Very moreish. |
| Milestone - New World Pale Ale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Orkney (Sinclair) - Man O' Hoy | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Target | 3.40 | Not Tried |
15 Jun 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. The regulars abounded.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonbridge - India Pale Ale | 4.80 | | Best of the evening by far. Good condition |
| Phipps NBC - IPA | 4.30 | | Head dissipated almost immediately. Lacklustre |
| Orkney (Sinclair) - Man O' Hoy | 4.20 | | Flat in glass as poured |
| Milestone - New World Pale Ale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Target | 3.40 | Not Tried |
14 Jun 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall with some of the Saturday regulars on parade for the last 40 minutes of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phipps NBC - IPA | 4.30 | | Fresh on today and so very good head and lacing on this Northampton golden ale, south-east of Coventry, and lasting. A very hoppy first bite to it derived from its Goldings and Fuggles hops. A dry resinous and oily hoppiness rising up on the mouthfeel. Very moreish to my taste buds and following a 1930s' recipe, and relying solely on the pale ale malt for its colour. A pleasant bitterness coming to the fore and a moreish hoppiness lingering. I stuck to this one like a limpet for the session. |
| Iron Pier - Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Milestone - New World Pale Ale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Orkney (Sinclair) - Man O' Hoy | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Target | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Aitcheson's (formerly East Yorkshire) - Kiwi IPA | 5.00 | Not Tried |
About The River Ale House
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 11 |
| 673 |
| 1627 |
| 468 |
 | 37 |
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 1287 times, seen 1794 different beers and tried 1043 of them.
Postcode: SE10 0RJ