PubsandBeer
The Crown (Star Pubs & Bars (Heineken UK))
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Thurstons - Un-American Pale Ale |  | 2 |
| Thurstons - Horsell Gold | | 2 |
| Church End - Grave Digger's Ale | | 1 |
| Rooster's - Yankee | | 1 |
| Firebird - Two Horses | | 1 |
| Steam Town - Stoke Pale |  | 1 |
| Surrey Hills - Shere Drop | Not Tried | 0 |
| Thurstons - Horsell Best | Not Tried | 0 |
| Tiny Rebel - Pit Stop - Session IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
25 Apr 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
5th visit of my outing to Woking and its environs: Second visit of the day to The Crown and now early evening and the undoubted highlight of the day for not just having Thurstons ale on as brewed next-door, but also for its good choice of those 6 real ales on and its very comfortable atmosphere. Again, met with very attentive staff and served with ease despite now being busier than my mid-afternoon visit earlier but all with drinkers rather than diners as entirely wet-led. The garden was still buzzing with the evening sunshine creating a very pleasant outdoor space and then a move to inside as the sun started to lower behind the trees, lining the garden.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Church End - Grave Digger's Ale | 3.80 | | 3rd beer of this visit: Perhaps defiantly some life in this Warwickshire dark mild from Ridge Lane, near Nuneaton, and first set up in 1994 in an old coffin workshop in Shustoke, about 8 miles west of Nuneaton, before relocating in 2001. A very frothy beige head and lacing and lasting. A dry bitter first hit on this dark mild. A maltiness derived from its floor-malted barley climbing out of its coffin with roasted malt, cinder toffee, coffee beans and a hint of liquorice all in on the act. Most memorably, a dark chocolatey note tantalising my taste buds. A dry bitterness winning over with an oaty biscuity flavouring. A hoppiness emerging with dark fruits on display from its traditional whole hops and although not stated, likely to be Fuggles known for its earthy and resinous flavours, and Goldings behind its delicate, floral and honey-like sweetness to contrast with its dark malts. Not overly malty for me in this brew’s aftertaste before its downwards passage. Certainly, highly palatable in the condition served. |
| Thurstons - Un-American Pale Ale | 4.60 | | 1st beer of this visit: Very good head and lacing and sticking all the way on this next-door gold coloured ale from Horsell microbrewery, Thurstons. Known for its "Un-American" name because it is an American-style pale ale brewed using exclusively English-grown hops, it presented for me a moreishly hoppy bitter first hit. A dry hoppiness rising from its Chinook, Endeavour and Jester hops. A fruited note quietly rising with hints of grapefruit and pineapple. A maltiness winning over with its likely Pale Ale Malt and Biscuit Malt, the latter lending it a sweetness to do battle against its grapefruit and pineapple hop notes. Its English Heritage Malt likely containing English barleys like Maris Otter aiding a bready and nutty note or two emerging for me. A hoppy bitterness paddling out. Served in superb nick. |
| Steam Town - Stoke Pale | 3.80 | | 2nd beer of this visit: Presented with good head and lacing and hanging on to the end from Hampshire microbrewery, Steam Town, in Eastleigh and which commenced brewing in 2018, and housed in a refurbished Edwardian red-brick building that applied to be a pub in 1906 but this was refused. This American-style extra pale ale’s name, Stoke, is derived from the local area, Bishopstoke, just across the bridge from the brewery. A hoppy first hit from its US Citra and Mosaic. A tropical fruitiness rising on this pale golden-coloured ale with hints of mango, passion fruit, lychee and pineapple from its Citra, and mango, papaya, guava and pineapple from its Mosaic. Almost like a tropical punch for me with blueberry and other berry-like flavours also emerging. A maltiness joining in from its extra pale malt. A citrusy hoppiness paddling out with light grapefruit flavours lingering for me. In good form but slightly over-fruity for my taste buds’ preferences. |
| Surrey Hills - Shere Drop | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Thurstons - Horsell Gold | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Tiny Rebel - Pit Stop - Session IPA | 3.40 | Not Tried |
25 Apr 2026 (Hogan Sampling)
3rd visit of my outing to Woking and its environs: Serving two Thurstons’ ales from the microbrewery next-door and which I visited to admire its outside but closed on a Saturday. Friendly, prompt welcome in The Crown and a good choice of 6 real ales to choose from. Not like your average pub and appears to be entirely wet-led. It has a large rear garden, housing two pétanque pistes. The pub has a locals-feel about it and hosts regular motorcycle and scooter club meets in the summer to bring more punters in. It was ticking over nicely on this early afternoon visit and another stop here planned on the way back from Chobham to Woking was very likely. Local CAMRA Pub of the Year 2025.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thurstons - Horsell Gold | 3.80 | | Very good head and lacing presented on this locally accoladed golden session ale*, brewed next-door in Horsell, having been set up in 2012 in the kitchen of The Crown. A lightly hoppy first hit. A dry but slightly fruited hoppiness rising and likely to be from locally grown First Gold hops, and perhaps also following their "Horsell Hooker" which utilises Target and Challenger hops. Hints of caramel and spice and a slightly nutty flavouring coming to the fore from its likely caramel and crystal malts. A dry but slightly citrusy and floral hoppiness lingering before its final descent. Served in great form. *A major winner at the Woking Beer Festival, taking 1st Overall and 1st Golden Bitter in 2013, and Winner of Category in 2014. |
| Church End - Grave Digger's Ale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Surrey Hills - Shere Drop | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Steam Town - Stoke Pale | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Thurstons - Un-American Pale Ale | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
| Tiny Rebel - Pit Stop - Session IPA | 3.40 | Not Tried |
15 Jun 2023 (Magnus Greel)
Friendly and welcoming yet incongrous for the affluent area, a proper no frills no music peaceful locals pub with a superb choice of well kept ales on offer. Incredible this never fell in range of ChrisE's or any other P&B scribe's radar seeing as it's so close to Woking Hbf!
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rooster's - Yankee | 4.30 | | Light and easy-drinking with floral and citrus fruit aromas. |
| Firebird - Two Horses | 3.80 | | Intensely hopped with modern bold varieties to give a big aroma with balancing bitterness. |
| Thurstons - Un-American Pale Ale | 4.60 | | Great taste from fruity hops, but with strong malty, bitter finish. |
| Thurstons - Horsell Gold | 3.80 | | Golden with a rounded bitterness, caramel and spice on the palette, and a hoppy aroma. |
| Surrey Hills - Shere Drop | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Thurstons - Horsell Best | 3.80 | Not Tried |
About The Crown
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | - |
| 6 |
| 2 |
 | - |
 | - |
The pub is found in Horsell, Surrey, GU21 4ST.
A traditional and welcoming two bar village community pub in the High Street which is also the brewery tap for the local Thurstons brewery. The Crown is the local CAMRA branch's pub of the year 2022. The focus of the pub is on serving great beer to their enthusiastic and loyal customer base. There are six hand pumps, three of which always serve Thurstons beers which are brewed just a one minute walk from the pub. Other locally brewed ales such as those from Surrey Hills and Tillingbourne often feature on the other three hand pumps. Antoinette runs the pub with the help of her very knowledgeable and experienced team, and her partner John runs the multi-award winning Thurston brewery, which was originally based at The Crown but is now located in its own building just two doors away from the pub.
We have visited this pub 3 times, seen 9 different beers and tried 6 of them.
Postcode: GU21 4ST