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The Bullfinch (McMullen)

Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
McMullen (sometimes latterly brand badged as Rivertown or Whole Hop) - Country Best BitterGood1
McMullen (sometimes latterly brand badged as Rivertown or Whole Hop) - IPANot Tried0
McMullen (sometimes latterly brand badged as Rivertown or Whole Hop) - BootwarmerNot Tried0

Visits Details

13 Dec 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
5th visit of the outing: Just 20 minutes’ trotting from one not so local brewery’s pub, the Bricklayers Arms at Chipstead, led us to Hertfordshire brewery, McMullen’s only pub in Kent. One of our party of 9 decided to try taking a more scenic route along by the lake and did not make it as slipped over in a muddy field and so had to go directly home to clean up. Thankfully the rest of us all made it along Chipstead Lane and then along Bullfinch Lane. Tiny from the outside and yet so vast on the inside is an understatement. It also looked so deceptively pub-like indeed on the outside and operating since at least the 16th century. Unlike the McMullen house I tried to visit in Hertford back in November 2025 but it was too busy and noisy to bother with, this one was somewhat on the empty side but for the odd table or two of diners and quiet but for one dancing toddler as I tried to navigate from the bar to the table our party were finally assembling at. Almost all the tables had reserved signs on them at about half four in the afternoon. As we were told there was a party of 70 turning up for the evening, we asked where we could be for our one drink and to avoid sitting somewhere only to be moved on. In its favour, the service at the bar was speedy. We were all united that this pub would not be one to visit again but counted our blessings that we turned up well before the party of 70 did!
BeerABVScoreNotes
McMullen (sometimes latterly brand badged as Rivertown or Whole Hop) - Country Best Bitter4.30GoodThis Hertford-brewed best bitter made up for the pub being so unpub-like in presenting a good head and lacing and lasting. A dry bitter first bite. A good fruity hoppiness rising from is Fuggle, Progress and Bramling Cross hops with hints of ripe pear. A gentle maltiness from Hertfordshire-farmed and malted pale and crystal malts winning over with a light caramelised flavouring. Ambling downwards with a good lingering bitterness. Not bad was this Hertford-brewed bitter and so just a shame the place could not have been a bit more pub-like on the inside.
McMullen (sometimes latterly brand badged as Rivertown or Whole Hop) - IPA4.80Not Tried
McMullen (sometimes latterly brand badged as Rivertown or Whole Hop) - Bootwarmer5.20Not Tried

About The Bullfinch

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional-
Excellent-
Good1
Acceptable-
Poor-

Website.

The pub is found in Riverhead, Kent, TN13 2DR.

More of a restaurant than a pub but three real ales on, no less, on a visit in December 2025 and all from Hertfordshire’s McMullen’s brewery set up in Hertford and brewing since 1827. It has been a McMullen house since 2009 and the only McMullen's in Kent. Extensively open plan on the inside with no quaint old bar to greet you but some old features remain such as a large log fire and some exposed wooden beams in evidence. Its looks very tiny from the outside, a real Tardis, as just an old modest cottage frontage with more modern additions at its rear including an adjoining sizeable barn. A large garden exists for summer with table service. According to Kent's archival website for public houses, dover-kent.com, it is said that the original owner of the pub in the 16th century was called a Mr Bull Finch, and so hence the reason for the pub’s name. It is located on the corner of London Road and Bullfinch Lane which might be another reason for its longstanding name after all this time.

We have visited this pub once, seen 3 different beers and tried 1 of them.

Map location

Postcode: TN13 2DR