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The Real Ale Way (Free House)
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Iron Pier - Wolf & Olicana Joined at the Hop |  | 1 |
| Tonbridge - Traditional |  | 1 |
| Larkins - Pale | | 6 |
| Brew Buddies - Beckenham Bunny | | 1 |
| Wantsum - Portly Pig |  | 1 |
| Larkins - Best Bitter | | 1 |
| Larkins - Traditional | | 1 |
| Larkins - Porter | | 1 |
| Mad Cat - Saint Augustine's Cross | Not Tried | 0 |
| Iron Pier - Whiteout IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Iron Pier - Export India Porter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Iron Pier - Rosherville Red | Not Tried | 0 |
| Westerham - Helles Belles | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - House Session Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mad Cat - Jet Black Stout (previously Meaney's Jet Black Stout) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Whitstable - East India Pale Ale (or EIPA) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Countryman | Not Tried | 0 |
| Nelson - Shipwrecked | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mad Cat - Green & Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Whitstable - Winkle Picker | Not Tried | 0 |
| Iron Pier - Seconds To Midnight - Black Rye IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Blonde Ambition | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Seasider | Not Tried | 0 |
| Goody Ales - Bleangate Brewery - Good Lord | Not Tried | 0 |
| Kent - Prohibition | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ripple Steam - Classic IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Southwark - Routemaster Red | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hop Fuzz - Old Chap English Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ripple Steam - Farmhouse Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Koomor (contract brewed at Iron Pier) - Trunk | Not Tried | 0 |
| Westerham - 1965 Special Bitter Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Old Chestnut | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Easy Street Pale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ripple Steam - Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Northdown - Tidal Pool | Not Tried | 0 |
| Musket - Fife & Drum Golden Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - India Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Musket - Flintlock Best Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wantsum - Black Pig | Not Tried | 0 |
| Bexley - BOB (Bexley's Own Beer) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tonbridge - Rustic | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wantsum - Red Smacker | Not Tried | 0 |
| Iron Pier - Cast Iron Stout | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
08 Mar 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Quiet for my early afternoon visit just minutes after opening at 2pm as on a Saturday. Prompt and friendly service in this micropub and the first of three. All sharing the one name, another ran for about two and half years in Westerham, Kent, shutting in August 2022, and the third one which is still running is in West Wickham.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Good head and lacing on this Kent-based Chiddingstone micro-brewery's pale. A pleasantly dry and hoppy first hit. There was a hop-infused mouthfeel with the hops grown on Larkins Farm and a moreishly dry aftertaste. There was not a hint of grapefruit which is very welcome to my palate. |
| Larkins - Porter | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Seasider | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Westerham - Helles Belles | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Westerham - 1965 Special Bitter Ale | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - Prohibition | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - House Session Bitter | 3.60 | Not Tried | |
| Hop Fuzz - Old Chap English Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | From Hythe, south-west of Folkestone, Kent, and for my future reference. Should have tried it! |
08 Mar 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Second visit of the day and early evening following the bus back from Westerham. Now very busy compared to when first there earlier. A DJ was setting up with many boxes of vinyl and two turntables positioned on one side of the bar counter. Speedy and warm service and a seat to be had for the now weary two on this outing.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larkins - Porter | 5.20 | | Came with reasonable head but no lacing from the start in this Chiddingstone porter. A dry and fruity first hit. Red berry flavoured to my taste buds and certainly a sweetish mouthfeel with a hint of bitter chocolate. A dry maltiness lingered. Reading up on it, it had grapes from the vine and peppery hops. Would not have drunk too much of it and my half sufficed before the bus connection to Orpington for the real ale club to follow. |
| Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Seasider | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Westerham - Helles Belles | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Kent - Prohibition | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - House Session Bitter | 3.60 | Not Tried | |
| Hop Fuzz - Old Chap English Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried |
23 Nov 2024 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy footfall for mid-afternoon visit with a Bromley CAMRA crawl to this little awarding-winning micropub. Good, friendly service.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonbridge - Traditional | 3.60 | | Good head and lacing. A bitter mouthfeel. |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Good head and lacing. Pleasant lightly hoppy mouthfeel which lingered. |
| Westerham - Helles Belles | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Mad Cat - Jet Black Stout (previously Meaney's Jet Black Stout) | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Countryman | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Rosherville Red | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Mad Cat - Green & Gold | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Seconds To Midnight - Black Rye IPA | 5.20 | Not Tried |
11 Feb 2023 (Philip Pirrip)
Late evening visit. I felt positively invisible as I tried to order at the bar, seemed attentions were elsewhere.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Superb condition but the service made me want to drink up and catch the next bus |
| Tonbridge - Traditional | 3.60 | Not Tried | Badged here as a house ale |
| Musket - Fife & Drum Golden Ale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Musket - Flintlock Best Bitter | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Bexley - BOB (Bexley's Own Beer) | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Wantsum - Red Smacker | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Mad Cat - Saint Augustine's Cross | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Export India Porter | 5.90 | Not Tried |
22 Jul 2022 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit. As on previous visit never felt cosily comfortable here probably because all stools being occupied at the bar counter makes for a view of backsides.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larkins - Best Bitter | 4.40 | | Rather cloying and lost all condition once half way down the pint glass |
| Goody Ales - Bleangate Brewery - Good Lord | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Southwark - Routemaster Red | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - House Session Bitter | 3.60 | Not Tried | Re-badged Traditional |
| Koomor (contract brewed at Iron Pier) - Trunk | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Easy Street Pale | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Northdown - Tidal Pool | 4.60 | Not Tried | Beer of the week here but as a murk job not to be for me |
12 Dec 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening re-visit until 10pm close having yo-yoed back from the Westerham sister pub to this one. 2 extra ales on in the couple of hours betwixt.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wantsum - Portly Pig | 5.50 | | New cask on - still rather fresh |
| Whitstable - East India Pale Ale (or EIPA) | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Nelson - Shipwrecked | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Whitstable - Winkle Picker | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Blonde Ambition | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Rustic | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Traditional | 3.60 | Not Tried | |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | Not Tried |
12 Dec 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Early evening visit on a miserable wet night. Brief stay with intention being to catch the 246 bus to its sister pub of the same name in Westerham.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Quite a sharp bitter, quite intense on the lips |
| Whitstable - East India Pale Ale (or EIPA) | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Nelson - Shipwrecked | 5.00 | Not Tried | Blackboard says beer of the week! |
| Whitstable - Winkle Picker | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Rustic | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Traditional | 3.60 | Not Tried | Badged here as the house beer |
13 Jul 2019 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit, my second after nearly a year. Well settled in with a thriving clientele. Good chat with a fellow about his early life on Gravesend Marshes.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Pier - Wolf & Olicana Joined at the Hop | 3.80 | | First rate |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Difficult to judge as a long time since I last had this one. Teeny suspicion of a forming off flavour |
| Wantsum - Black Pig | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Rustic | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Cast Iron Stout | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Whiteout IPA | 5.30 | Not Tried | |
| Iron Pier - Rosherville Red | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - House Session Bitter | 3.60 | Not Tried | Bound to be Tonbridge Traditional |
01 Aug 2018 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening visit until 10pm close. Immediately friendly Micropub which has only been open 10 or so days. Good to see the concentration on Kentish ales and ciders and I was delighted to see a rare appearance (this far from its home) from Larkins which will be a regular beer here.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | |
| Brew Buddies - Beckenham Bunny | 6.20 | | Presumably unfined as it was very hazy, no pre-warning though. A malty brew |
| Larkins - Traditional | 3.40 | | |
| Ripple Steam - Classic IPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Ripple Steam - Farmhouse Pale Ale | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - Old Chestnut | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Ripple Steam - Gold | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Tonbridge - India Pale Ale | 4.80 | Not Tried |
About The Real Ale Way
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | - |
| 3 |
| 5 |
| 5 |
 | - |
The pub is found in Hayes (SE London), Greater London, BR2 7EB.
In Station Approach right opposite Hayes railway station this family run micropub opened on Friday 20th July 2018 in former bank (and latterly accountant's office) premises. Real ales and cider/perry are sold on gravity dispense from a temperature controlled cellar room behind the bar counter. Smart décor in contemporary style with more floor space than some micropubs. Concentrates on Kentish made ales and ciders but does sell some wine and gins inevitably from elsewhere. Handily placed on several bus routes to and from Bromley.
We have visited this pub 9 times, seen 42 different beers and tried 7 of them.
Postcode: BR2 7EB