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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by paulof horsham
Submitted on Saturday, 14th December 2024
With picture contributions to 5694 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (13 more images)
Detail Pages
The Sultan, SW19
SW19
SW19 1BT
Served areas
Reviews of The Sultan (Average Rating: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Sultan
The Sultan is one of those pubs that somehow stands out in my mind. Last here in 2011, I recall my last visit being on a dark winter's evening and where I stayed in the smaller left-hand room where I was unable to get a seat.
My latest visit was centred around a visit to a 2-day beer festival featuring around 20 cask ales and a few ciders too. It was the first time I'd set foot in the larger bar to the right-hand side which has its own separate entrance. The only room connecting the two appears to be the gents toilets which unusually has 2 entrances/exits. The larger room to the right also has a conservatory area which opens into an outdoor seating area where most of the festival beers could be found on stillage and there was also a barbecue in operation.
With tokens purchased at the bar, I thought that £11 for 5 tokens (halves) was good value. I'd initially planned to stay for just 4, but decided to purchase the 5 and ended up having 2 others' tokens too. So, my planned return to the Trafalgar fell by the way side.
At the bar, there are 5 regular cask ales from Hopback who run the pub - Summer Lightning, GFB, Citra, Entire Stout & Taiphoon. In addition, their Fuggle Rock was also on. Guest beers as part of the festival were from Peakstone Rock, Deeply Vale, Pennine, Pig Pub, Bowland, Welbeck Abbey, Burton Bridge, 4T's, O'Neill's, Holden's, Milton, Darklands, Collyfobble, Milestone, Front Row, Nottingham, Dow Bridge & Uttoxeter. To add to the list, there were also 6 real ciders, some outside and some found across the 2 inside rooms.
With other bar snacks such as toasties and pork pies available, there is almost something for everyone. This pub is hidden away in the backstreets of South Wimbledon, but is well worth seeking out, even without a beer festival. I'm hoping not to leave it over 14 years before paying the Sultan another visit.
On 30th April 2025
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3040 recommendations about 3038 pubs]
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Sultan
A very substantial early 50's exterior on a back street corner with lots of Hop Back signage indicating the tie.The interior still retains a two room layout,a smaller room to the left with a modest bar,better go right to the larger,carpeted room with the 6 handpumps dotted about the bar and a helpful chalk board listings ales and ciders available.There is a small conservatory with a book exchange scheme and some outside drinking options.Sadly two small fireplaces have modern gas boiler radiators in there hearths,and the windows are UPVC but I will forgive all that for the authentic pub atmosphere and very decent ale selection.Food comes in the form of pork pies,scotch eggs and toasties all perfect when on a session.
On my visit the ale options were Hop Back GFB,Citra,Spring Zing,Taiphoon and Summer Lightning (NBSS 4) with a guest in Downton Red Fox.Guest rotation seems large given a diverse set of pump clips on the ceiling.There are real ciders too.I didn't investigate the upstairs room but the alcove at the bottom of the stairs contains the many awards this pub has received.Large scale beer festivals are held here and the soundtrack was perfect,mellow and not too loud.
A must visit when in SW 19,a great double header with the Trafalgar and a big treat for real ale fans.I will be back.
On 18th April 2025
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2936 recommendations about 2936 pubs]
Tris C left this review about The Sultan
A short walk from South Wimbledon tube, this is a late 19th century backstreet pub, destroyed during World War II and rebuilt in the 1950s; there’s a surviving freestanding pole sign with a Meux’s frame; of greater importance, it’s a CAMRA heritage pub, with a citation of **.
The interior is well detailed on CAMRA’s site and as mentioned, this has been a Hopback’s house since the mid-‘90s. The interior is something of a time warp, marred only by slightly modern furniture. There was a decent live guitarist on my visit last Saturday night, appreciated by a local crowd of mixed age.
With a mass of pump clips to some wall space, there were six Hopback ales on, all beverages comprehensively detailed to a beer board, but otherwise: GFB, Summer Lightning, Hop Jam, Taiphoon, Entire (a name which has been all but extinct for around 100 years) and Citra at just £2.10 a half, served by a very attentive barman who offered to change my drink due to a slight haze, though I told him it was great.
This is a quality boozer, with a good choice of affordable cask ales in a traditional environment; I doubt very much I’ll find anything else this good in the rest of SW19.
On 21st May 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2207 recommendations about 2164 pubs]
View more reviews of The Sultan (10)
Pubs Galore is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
- Official site of The Sultan - www.hopback.co.uk
- Randomness Guide to London - Sultan entry
- Facebook - The Sultan SW19
- Twitter - The Sultan SW19
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Sultan - whatpub.com
- Historic Pub Interiors - pubheritage.camra.org.uk
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 10 August 2013 by Malden man
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 10 August 2013 by Malden man
- Beer Festivals : Yes last updated 27 December 2024 by paulof horsham
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 10 August 2013 by Malden man
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 10 August 2013 by Malden man
- Car Park : Yes last updated 30 October 2017 by Komakino .
- Child Friendly : Yes last updated 30 April 2025 by Blue Scrumpy
- Darts : Yes last updated 10 August 2013 by Malden man
- Dog Friendly : Yes last updated 10 August 2013 by Malden man
- Function Room : Yes last updated 30 October 2017 by Komakino .
- Hot Food : No - Sandwiches and bar snacks - last updated 30 October 2017 by Komakino .
- Jukebox : No last updated 21 May 2024 by Tris C
- Karaoke : No last updated 21 May 2024 by Tris C
- Live Music : Yes last updated 27 September 2017 by hondo .
- Live TV Sports : No last updated 21 May 2024 by Tris C
- Micropub : No last updated 30 October 2017 by Komakino .
- Pinball : No last updated 10 August 2013 by Malden man
- Pool Table : No last updated 10 August 2013 by Malden man
- Quiz Night : Yes - Every other Tuesday, 20.00. - last updated 21 May 2024 by Tris C
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 27 September 2017 by hondo .
- Real Cider : Yes last updated 30 October 2017 by Komakino .
- Wheelchair Access : Yes last updated 30 April 2025 by Blue Scrumpy
- WiFi : Yes last updated 27 September 2017 by hondo .
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