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The River Ale House (Free House)
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Riverhead - Spring Pale |  | 2 |
| Siren Craft - Memento | | 2 |
| Five Points - Railway Porter | | 3 |
| Tonbridge - Connor's Ruby Ale | | 1 |
| Five Points - XPA | | 1 |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Evening Star Revival APA | | 3 |
| Goacher's - 1066 Old Ale | | 5 |
| Salopian - Day in a Life |  | 1 |
| Milestone - Cromwell Best Bitter | | 2 |
| Mighty Oak - Explorer | | 1 |
| Siren Craft - Lumina |  | 1 |
| Squawk - Mariana | Not Tried | 0 |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - West Coast IPA (collaboration with Burning Sky) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Siren Craft - Mesmerist | Not Tried | 0 |
| Iron Pier - Harlequin | Not Tried | 0 |
Stephen Harris
Visits Details
29 Jun 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Points - Railway Porter | 4.80 | | Good head and lacing |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Evening Star Revival APA | 4.80 | | Basic citrus job with great clarity |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Milestone - Cromwell Best Bitter | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Mesmerist | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Riverhead - Spring Pale | 4.20 | Not Tried |
29 Jun 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Not overly busy on arriving for last 30 minutes of serving with a mix of regulars in and then three separate Aladdin groups of the less frequent comprising about four in each group being rubbed by a genie until closing. Managed to time my visits to the bar with masterly co-ordination so as to avoid a queue or two which formed towards the end of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Points - Railway Porter | 4.80 | | Out of the trio this evening this was the best as echoed from the previous night's late visit. Second night on and still holding a good head and lacing and lasting on this Hackney-based porter. Still an unmistakably liquid-chocolatey first bite. Coffee-infused flavourings veering up in its maltiness. Only seven different malts to blame and competing with its one moderate hoppy note or two rising up from its East Kent Goldings. Not as overly-sweet as in the previous evening's tasting. A dry moreishly malty bitterness lingering. |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Evening Star Revival APA | 4.80 | | This collaborative Downlands from north-west of Brighton and Evening Star was still puffing well with good head and lacing and lasting on this retro American pale ale now on its second day on. Still a dry and mildly fruity first bite. Its dry full-blown fruitiness prevailing on the mouthfeel. A very strong moreishly hoppy dryness lingering. Did not taste like a 4.8% whereas some can punch above their weight. Notably, this boxer of a pale was punching well below it! |
| Milestone - Cromwell Best Bitter | 4.40 | | Now second night on and still only momentary head and lacing barely visible as was the case the evening before on this amber bitter from this Cromwell-based brewery north of Newark-on-Trent and south-west of Lincoln. Still tasted ok in spite of its appearance and so lack of conditioning. Same malty hoppiness from its first bite aided by its exclusively English hops. A dry maltiness in the first slurp. A bitterness pervading the mouthfeel. Caramel biscuity notes rising and good. A bitter maltiness sailing off into the sunset and lingering. Opted again for another as some other alternatives were strong and also perhaps very fruity-infused. Same poor head and lacing evident on second pint and so the general synopsis is drinkable but does not quite look all the ticket! |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Mesmerist | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Riverhead - Spring Pale | 4.20 | Not Tried |
28 Jun 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Very quiet footfall for last 30 minutes of serving with just a handful of regulars in among a few of the Saturday faces.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Points - Railway Porter | 4.80 | | Good head and lacing and lasting on this Hackney-based porter on its first day on. A dark chocolatey first hit. Coffee-infused flavourings also veering up in the malty mouthfeel, aided by seven different malts. Slightly over-sweet for my taste buds. A dry lingering bitterness prevailing. The odd hoppy note rising up from its East Kent Goldings, moderate. |
| Downlands (formerly South Downs) - Evening Star Revival APA | 4.80 | | A co-incidence it was this brewery's ale I last tasted earlier on my day-trip to Hastings albeit it was a bitter and not as now a pale. A collaboration between Downlands from north-west of Brighton and Evening Star Brewery, it came full steam ahead with good head and lacing and lasting on this first day on. The tasting notes tell us that this brew follows a classic recipe from 2005 and is a retro American pale ale. My tasting commenced with a dry and mildly fruity bite on the palate. Prevailing was a dry full-blown fruity dryness rising up. Its fruitiness veering into sunset was marked by its very strong hoppy dryness lingering. Not overly fruited I thought for my taste buds. |
| Milestone - Cromwell Best Bitter | 4.40 | | Fresh on and yet only momentary head and lacing barely visible on this amber bitter from this Cromwell-based brewery set up in 2004 and north of Newark-on-Trent and south-west of Lincoln. I think I had the first one out. Tasted ok but had no life about it. A malty hoppiness from its first bite aided by its Challenger, Progress and Goldings hops. A dry maltiness veering up and pervading the mouthfeel. Caramel biscuity notes rising. A bitter malty mix prevailing and lingering. Opted for another as some other alternatives were perhaps very fruity-infused and still a poor head and lacing evident. |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Explorer | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Riverhead - Spring Pale | 4.20 | Not Tried |
27 Jun 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Not overly busy for last 30 minutes of serving. We waited patiently as we attempted to enter for three dogs and their three owners to come out. Just a sprinkling of regulars in and the less frequent when my faithful hound and I ambled in.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Siren Craft - Memento | 3.80 | | Third night on for this best bitter from Finchampstead, south-east of Reading, in Berkshire. Head and lacing, surprisingly good. Holding onto it, fair. A good bitter first bite on it minus its maltiness from yesterday. The sourness gone also from my previous visit and so very poor. The odd biscuity and caramel-flavouring also not as pronounced. Far less fruit-infused in its hoppiness. It has improved for me from yesterday's visit in my general synopsis. Still a dry bitterness from the odd Cascade hop or two. A citrus-fruity kick in its finale not now evident thankfully and so very poor. |
| Goacher's - 1066 Old Ale | 6.70 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Explorer | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Riverhead - Spring Pale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Squawk - Mariana | 5.30 | Not Tried |
26 Jun 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Not overly busy for last 30 minutes of serving save for a group of six who were preferring to stand close to the bar but not quite blocking it from the rest of us.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Siren Craft - Memento | 3.80 | | Second night on for this best bitter from Finchampstead, south-east of Reading, in Berkshire. Head and lacing and holding onto it, good. A bitter malty first bite. A slightly astringent sourness rising up among the odd biscuity and caramel-infused maltiness. A fruit-infused hoppiness from its English hops winning over. In its finale, a dry bitterness aided by a touch of Cascade hop veering up but a good citrus-fruity kick prevailing and strong. |
| Riverhead - Spring Pale | 4.20 | | This Riverhead brew from Marsden, south-west of Huddersfield, was perhaps my first tasting of it. Riverhead is a brewpub which opened in 1995 and owned from 2009 by the Ossett Brewery, south-west of Wakefield and south of Leeds. The Riverhead range is brewed independently from Ossett. Second night on and head and lacing, fair. Not lasting. A first bite of mildly fruit-infused hoppiness. Its fruitiness on the taste buds was moderate; its hoppiness rising up, strong. A note of apricot and mandarin, lasting. Slightly too overly fruited for my liking. |
| Goacher's - 1066 Old Ale | 6.70 | Not Tried | |
| Five Points - XPA | 4.00 | Not Tried | Ran out |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Explorer | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Harlequin | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Squawk - Mariana | 5.30 | Not Tried |
26 Jun 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverhead - Spring Pale | 4.20 | | Shown wrongly on beer board as Ossett. Good condition but weak on flavour |
| Goacher's - 1066 Old Ale | 6.70 | | Nearing end of cask after 7th day on and tired |
| Mighty Oak - Explorer | 3.80 | | New cask on. I picked up few if any of the tasting notes' flavours |
| Five Points - XPA | 4.00 | Not Tried | Ran out |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - Memento | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Harlequin | 3.90 | Not Tried | Somehow still truckin' |
| Squawk - Mariana | 5.30 | Not Tried |
24 Jun 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Quite a crowd in for the last 30 minutes of serving with a mix of regulars dotted about among the less frequent. No electronic background music as the fiddlers seemed to be fully charged up strumming and otherwise squeezing and blowing into their instruments out the back.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Points - XPA | 4.00 | | Had better from Five Points from Hackney but fresh on and so gave it a good go. Very good head and lacing visible and staying intact. A lightly fruity first bite off this extra pale ale and perhaps just a touch too fresh and lively for its own good. A citrus-infused hoppiness rising up aided by its US and Australian hops, namely Citra and Galaxy. Hints of orange, peach and passionfruit bobbing up and down on the tongue before then veering downwards aided by a moderately dry bitterness pervading the hoppy infusions and lingering. |
| Goacher's - 1066 Old Ale | 6.70 | | Just a small half sufficed for me having first tried it on Sunday and now its fifth night on. Only moderate head and lacing and not holding as it had done two days before. It seemed to come with a smokey first hit this time around on this Maidstone barley wine of a strong ale. Its fruit cake flavours then veering up and before sliding down with a sherry-like infusion. A moderately dry maltiness lingering on the palate. |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Harlequin | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Connor's Ruby Ale | 3.40 | Not Tried | Literally just taken off on asking for it when I first got here. |
| Squawk - Mariana | 5.30 | Not Tried |
24 Jun 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close. The back room Irish fiddlers had accompaniment from a few varied other instruments tonight.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - 1066 Old Ale | 6.70 | | Its strength keeps it as good on its 5th day |
| Five Points - XPA | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Wealdway IPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Harlequin | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Connor's Ruby Ale | 3.40 | Not Tried | Ran out |
| Squawk - Mariana | 5.30 | Not Tried |
23 Jun 2025 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - 1066 Old Ale | 6.70 | | Just about holding up as good on its 4th day on |
| Salopian - Day in a Life | 4.30 | | Flat, lifeless then ran out soon after |
| Siren Craft - Lumina | 4.20 | | No off flavours but flat, lifeless and rather unpleasant |
| Five Points - XPA | 4.00 | Not Tried | Came on very much at last knockings |
| Iron Pier - Harlequin | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Connor's Ruby Ale | 3.40 | Not Tried | |
| Squawk - Mariana | 5.30 | Not Tried |
22 Jun 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
A good helping of Sunday regulars for the last 30 minutes of serving.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goacher's - 1066 Old Ale | 6.70 |  | Third night on and a good creamy head and lacing and lasting throughout on this Maidstone-based dark old ale. It was noticeably darker than the Tonbridge ruby ale enjoyed just before but similar in flavouring to a degree. The first bite was like chewing into a fruit-cake pervaded by a subtle caramel-infused sweetness. Certainly a barley wine as the tasting notes testify and produced every winter since 1983 and described as a strong winter ale. Strange it should be served in the height of summer but its strength has no doubt aided it to keep. A moreishly malty dark fruitiness, no doubt from some red berries in on the mix, veering up with the odd sweet note or two from its marmalade and treacle flavourings. A dry moderate bitterness lingering. Very moreish but one sufficed! |
| Tonbridge - Connor's Ruby Ale | 3.40 | | Second night on and still very good head and lacing and staying the course on this ruby ale by this East Peckham-based brewery, north-east of Tonbridge. A bitter and malty first bite. A pleasant and subtle infusion of plum flavouring bobbing up and down on the taste buds and a malty bitterness lingering. |
| Siren Craft - Lumina | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Harlequin | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - West Coast IPA (collaboration with Burning Sky) | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Salopian - Day in a Life | 4.30 | Not Tried |
About The River Ale House
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | 11 |
| 674 |
| 1642 |
| 475 |
| 38 |
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 1298 times, seen 1797 different beers and tried 1045 of them.
Postcode: SE10 0RJ