The Eagle Ale House in Clapham
Venturing away from tube stations in London has often rewarded me with some fantastic places for a pint, The Eagle Ale House in Clapham being one of them. Situated to the east of Clapham Common, this rustic Ale House could easily be missed among the winding residential roads that border on Wandsworth.
Full of individual charm and character, The Eagle offers a constantly changing selection of cask conditioned ale on tap, along with the standard affair of bottled drinks and wine. Unusual for the up and coming Clapham area, this public house has decided not to target the gastro crowd by serving food in any form. What we have here is a traditional British boozer, free from the artificial history and borrowed culture that is pumped into many a London pub these days.
In keeping with its focus on Real Ale, The Eagle host their own Beer Festivals in the summer months with over 50 Ales and Ciders to sample – perhaps not all by the same person. With a beer garden at the rear, this local hotspot attracts family groups as well as the good honest beer drinker seeking out a full flavoured well-maintained ale.
On my last visit, I was rather surprised to hear from one of the pub’s owners that The Eagle was not a Freehold. In their mission to keep with CAMRA philosophy, this pub has however managed to stay relatively independent from the profiteering and consolidation focussed major pub groups. So much so in fact that they proudly boast of over 7,000 guest beers being served in their history – how far back in the pub’s 150 year history that was counted from I dared not ask.
The hardwood cladding and dark red leather chairs add a feeling of warmth in the winter months, with a jumble of tables – some featuring chess boards. A number of well-used board games are stacked in the corner of a room opposite the bar and above the fire place, with a small number of unobtrusive TVs on the walls – all but one turned off during my visit.
The Eagle Ale House is a perfect choice for families in the Clapham area to enjoy drink after a Sunday lunch at home, or for the quiet evening pint. The absence of many restaurants in close proximity does however limit its appeal for people looking for more than a bag of Ready Salted to eat. Some great food choices are available closer to the high street of Clapham, but it would take some strong will-power to pry yourself out of your gastropub or restaurant chair in the winter months to walk over to this noble pub.