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The Hop Pole Inn (Vale)

Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Aylesbury (ABC) (brewed by Vale) - Illumination PorterExceptional2
Aylesbury (ABC) (brewed by Vale) - HornswogglerExcellent2
Vale - Best BitterExcellent2
Vale - GravitasGood2
Aylesbury (ABC) (brewed by Vale) - PetrichorExcellent1
Aylesbury (ABC) (brewed by Vale) - Pure GoldExcellent1
Bays - GoldExcellent1
Ilkley - BestExcellent1
Left Handed Giant - TitanExcellent1
Tryst - Nelson SauvinExcellent1
Vale - Red Kite (superseded by 4.3% version)Excellent1
Vale - VPAExcellent1
Windsor & Eton - IndependenceExcellent1
Jiddler's Tipple (cuckoo at By The Horns) - Juicy ChugGood1
Peerless - Triple BlondGood1
Titanic - DunkGood1
Vale - Pale AleGood1
Vale - Red KiteGood1
Waen - Janners PrideGood1
Vale - King of SnowAcceptable1
Bath Ales - SPANot Tried0
Botley - Gringo's GoldNot Tried0
Great Oakley - Oakley BlondeNot Tried0
Moles - Elmo's FireNot Tried0
Sambrook's - Powerhouse PorterNot Tried0
Vale - CapturedNot Tried0
Wentworth - WPANot Tried0
Windsor & Eton - Eton BoatmanNot Tried0
Wood's - Old Fireside (aka Xmas Cracker)Not Tried0
Picture 1. The Hop Pole Inn, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
Picture 2. The Hop Pole Inn, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
Stephen Harris

Visits Details

18 Sep 2026 (Magnus Greel)
Seven of us in total for this month's Friday Evening Group venue, arriving just before noon opening. Quiet for a few hours then many folk drifted in as the afternoon progressed. All beers @ £3.75pp for the thrifty minded!
BeerABVScoreNotes
Windsor & Eton - Independence4.00ExcellentZesty hoppy refreshing fare with a flowery nose.
Left Handed Giant - Titan3.80ExcellentA not too sweet orange & grape fare with a piney finish.
Aylesbury (ABC) (brewed by Vale) - Petrichor4.00ExcellentDry hoppy refreshing fare with a punchy mango and citrus flavour.
Vale - Gravitas4.80GoodBold, zesty flavours with a hoppy hit complemented by a smooth malty finish.
Vale - Red Kite4.30GoodNot as rich and malty as I was expecting which is a good thing!
Jiddler's Tipple (cuckoo at By The Horns) - Juicy Chug3.40GoodFlavoursome and not too hazy with subtle apricot and oats.
Titanic - Dunk4.80GoodA collaboration brew with Tiny Rebel, a biscuity pale ale with a sweet, malty, tea flavour.
Windsor & Eton - Eton Boatman4.30Not Tried
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) (brewed by Vale) - 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) (brewed by Vale) - Illumination Porter4.90Exceptional
Vale - Best Bitter3.70Excellent
Vale - VPA4.20Excellent
Aylesbury (ABC) (brewed by Vale) - 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) (brewed by Vale) - Illumination Porter4.90Excellent
Aylesbury (ABC) (brewed by Vale) - 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 Inn

The pub sign. The Hop Pole Inn, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional1
Excellent13
Good9
Acceptable1
Poor-

Website.

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

This spacious pub in Bicester Road 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 5 times, seen 29 different beers and tried 20 of them.

Map location

Postcode: HP19 9AZ