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The Hop Pole (Vale)

Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Aylesbury (ABC) - Illumination PorterExceptional2
Vale - VPAExcellent1
Bays - GoldExcellent1
Ilkley - BestExcellent1
Vale - Red Kite (superseded by 4.3% version)Excellent1
Aylesbury (ABC) - HornswogglerExcellent2
Tryst - Nelson SauvinExcellent1
Aylesbury (ABC) - Pure GoldExcellent1
Vale - Best BitterExcellent2
Waen - Janners PrideGood1
Vale - GravitasGood1
Peerless - Triple BlondGood1
Vale - Pale AleGood1
Vale - King of SnowAcceptable1
Wentworth - WPANot Tried0
Wood's - Old Fireside (aka Xmas Cracker)Not Tried0
Sambrook's - Powerhouse PorterNot Tried0
Bath Ales - SPANot Tried0
Moles - Elmo's FireNot Tried0
Botley - Gringo's GoldNot Tried0
Great Oakley - Oakley BlondeNot Tried0
Vale - CapturedNot Tried0
Picture 1. The Hop Pole, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
Picture 2. The Hop Pole, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire

Visits Details

12 Sep 2013 (ChrisE)
Afternoon visit, the pub was quiet at first, but gradually got busier. Eric the manager was expecting us and made us very welcome.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Aylesbury (ABC) - Pure Gold3.80Excellent
Vale - Gravitas4.80Good
Peerless - Triple Blond4.20Good
Vale - Best Bitter3.70Not Tried
Botley - Gringo's Gold4.50Not Tried
Great Oakley - Oakley Blonde4.00Not Tried
Vale - Captured3.90Not Tried
09 Jan 2013 (HSB)
In the same company as ChrisE.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Aylesbury (ABC) - Illumination Porter4.90Exceptional
Vale - Best Bitter3.70Excellent
Vale - VPA4.20Excellent
Aylesbury (ABC) - Hornswoggler4.40Excellent
Vale - King of Snow3.90Acceptable
09 Jan 2013 (ChrisE)
A large group of us turned up for a lunchtime and afternoon session here. We stayed for about three hours and enjoyed some great beers in this good traditional pub.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Vale - Best Bitter3.70Excellent
Bays - Gold4.30ExcellentVery enjoyable golden ale.
Ilkley - Best4.00ExcellentA good traditional Best Bitter.
Aylesbury (ABC) - Illumination Porter4.90Excellent
Aylesbury (ABC) - Hornswoggler4.40Good
Vale - Pale Ale4.20Good
Bath Ales - SPA3.70Not Tried
Moles - Elmo's Fire4.40Not Tried
Vale - King of Snow3.90Not Tried
22 Jan 2012 (Stephen Harris)
Quiet on a Sunday afternoon, with beer talk at the bar and a few watching the Arsenal match on TV in the rear area. Very disappointingly, no Aylesbury Brewhouse beers are available today.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Vale - Red Kite (superseded by 4.3% version)4.00ExcellentMalty, but less sweet than many red ales. And unlike some red ales, there is a hop presence. Fittingly, there was a Red Kite in view out of the pub window as I drank this.
Tryst - Nelson Sauvin3.90ExcellentA very pale beer with an immediate, lip-smacking hit of grapefruity NZ hop tastes. Backed by a decent malt foundation. The barman’s quip that it is “Alcoholic Lilt” falls well short of the mark.
Waen - Janners Pride4.60GoodAn easy-drinking, copper/brown, fruity and malty beer.
Wentworth - WPA4.00Not Tried
Vale - Best Bitter3.70Not Tried
Wood's - Old Fireside (aka Xmas Cracker)5.50Not Tried
Vale - VPA4.20Not Tried
Sambrook's - Powerhouse Porter4.90Not Tried

About The Hop Pole

The pub sign. The Hop Pole, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional1
Excellent10
Good5
Acceptable1
Poor-

Website.

The pub is found in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP19 9AZ.

This spacious pub lies a short walk away from the town centre. It is the official brewery tap for Vale Brewery and since October 2011 has additionally been home to the Aylesbury Brewhouse. A good range of guest beers are also sold. There are off sales from the brewery and also a good bottle shop at the rear (but check opening hours, which are more restricted than those of the pub itself).

We have visited this pub 4 times, seen 22 different beers and tried 14 of them.

Map location

Postcode: HP19 9AZ