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The Ale House (Free House)
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| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Round Tower - Lupuline Gold |  | 1 |
| Hanlons (formerly O'Hanlon's) - Brewers Special Reserve | | 1 |
| Offbeat - Grateful Deaf |  | 1 |
| Indy-Man-Brew-House (only collaborators with others) - Pale (brewed at Blackjack) | | 1 |
| Peerless - Jinja Ninja | | 1 |
| Quantum - Oersoep Lapsang Souchong Saison | | 1 |
| Wibblers - Winter Wibble | | 1 |
| Northern Monk - Chennai Export Porter | | 1 |
| Waen - Chilli Plum Porter | | 1 |
| Arbor Ales - Artisan | | 1 |
| Wiper and True - Porter (Rye Porter) | | 1 |
| Gyle 59 - Toujours |  | 1 |
| Oakham - Jester's Ferret | | 1 |
| Quantum - Small Beer | | 1 |
| Art Brew - Sergei Bergesson | | 1 |
| 360° - West Coast IPA | | 1 |
| Round Tower - Liminal | | 1 |
| Hope - Ghost Rider | | 1 |
| Batemans - Dark Mild | | 1 |
| Round Tower - Stout | | 1 |
| Dancing Duck - Seduction | | 1 |
| Wentworth - Caught Nowt! | | 1 |
| Calvors - Four Runner | | 1 |
| Phipps NBC - Last Orders |  | 1 |
| Castle Rock - Hare | | 1 |
| Adnams - Shingle Shells | Not Tried | 0 |
| Round Tower - Crompton | Not Tried | 0 |
| Cambrinus Craft - St. Anthony's Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Park - Spankers IPA (superseded by 6% version) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Colchester - Dark Ruby Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Black Country - The Thomas Guest Brewing Company Puddlers | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hopcraft (experimental side of Pixie Spring) - Belma & Brewise | Not Tried | 0 |
| Bexley - Kent Green Hop (Gushmere Fuggles) Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Black Sheep - Christmas Special Imperial Russian Stout | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mallinsons - Lindley Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Cotleigh - Night Owl | Not Tried | 0 |
| Canterbury Brewers - East Kent Red Rye Green Hop | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mighty Oak - Yule Love Her | Not Tried | 0 |
| Buntingford - Crow's Nest | Not Tried | 0 |
| Bishop Nick - Ridley's Rite | Not Tried | 0 |
| Acorn - Secret Affair | Not Tried | 0 |
| Otter - Head | Not Tried | 0 |
| Round Tower - Lupuline Black | Not Tried | 0 |
| Deverell's - Darkside | Not Tried | 0 |
| Pig & Porter - Neither Nor | Not Tried | 0 |
| Canterbury Brewers - Halfling IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Umbel Ale (aka Special Coriander Ale) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Batemans - XXXB (now superseded by 4.8% version) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Siren Craft - 1/2 Mast, Quarter IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Weird Beard - Boring Brown Beer | Not Tried | 0 |
| Track - Karamea | Not Tried | 0 |
| Exmoor - Wildcat | Not Tried | 0 |
| Titanic - Compass | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hellhound - Black Shuck | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mighty Oak - Blackbird | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dark Star - Partridge Best Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Downton - Dark Delight | Not Tried | 0 |
| First Chop Brewing Arm - SIP | Not Tried | 0 |
| Mauldons - Kitty | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dark Star - Revelation | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ilkley - Pata Negra | Not Tried | 0 |
| Brass Castle - Ginger Marmalade | Not Tried | 0 |
| Irving - Diamond | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wild Card - Jack of Clubs | Not Tried | 0 |
| Dark Star - Victorian Ruby Mild | Not Tried | 0 |
| Stewart - Dakota Brown | Not Tried | 0 |
| XT Brewing - Animal Brewing Buzzz | Not Tried | 0 |
| Shalford - Levelly Black | Not Tried | 0 |
| Brentwood - Chockwork Orange | Not Tried | 0 |
| Blackjack - Flyer Best | Not Tried | 0 |
| AllGates - Bugle Horn | Not Tried | 0 |
| Colchester - Drizzle | Not Tried | 0 |
| Skinner's - St Piran's Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Exmoor - Gold | Not Tried | 0 |
| Oakham - Citra | Not Tried | 0 |
| Otter - Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Oakham - Paranoid | Not Tried | 0 |
| Oakham - Inferno | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vale - Black Swan Mild | Not Tried | 0 |
| St Austell - Black Prince | Not Tried | 0 |
| Milton - Minerva | Not Tried | 0 |
| B&T (Banks & Taylor's) - Hitchin Old Dark | Not Tried | 0 |
| Oakham - Dreamcatcher | Not Tried | 0 |
| Cliff Quay - Tumble Home | Not Tried | 0 |
| Vale - Telstar | Not Tried | 0 |
| Camerons - Ebony Fall | Not Tried | 0 |
| Scarborough - Stout | Not Tried | 0 |
| Pin-Up - Milk Stout | Not Tried | 0 |
| Ramsbury - Summer Fest | Not Tried | 0 |
| Arbor Ales - NZ Amber Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Wild Raven | Not Tried | 0 |
Michael Croxford
Visits Details
26 Oct 2015 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round Tower - Liminal | 4.50 | | A mid brown English bitter - how rare |
| Oakham - Citra | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Vale - Black Swan Mild | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Dreamcatcher | 6.90 | Not Tried | |
| Scarborough - Stout | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Wild Raven | 6.60 | Not Tried | |
| Park - Spankers IPA (superseded by 6% version) | 5.40 | Not Tried | |
| Bexley - Kent Green Hop (Gushmere Fuggles) Pale Ale | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Brewers - East Kent Red Rye Green Hop | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Acorn - Secret Affair | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Canterbury Brewers - Halfling IPA | 3.60 | Not Tried | |
| Track - Karamea | 4.20 | Not Tried |
09 May 2015 (Stephen Harris)
Early to mid-evening and becoming progressively busier. Superb beer selection tonight.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arbor Ales - Artisan | 4.80 | | Reddish-brown in colour. Heavy, sticky malt overlain with great hops. |
| Wiper and True - Porter (Rye Porter) | 5.40 | | A strongly-flavoured dark porter with lots of rye flavour. |
| Indy-Man-Brew-House (only collaborators with others) - Pale (brewed at Blackjack) | 4.00 | | Excellent, lip-smakingly hoppy Pale Ale. |
| Bishop Nick - Ridley's Rite | 3.60 | Not Tried | |
| Pig & Porter - Neither Nor | 5.00 | Not Tried | |
| Weird Beard - Boring Brown Beer | 8.20 | Not Tried | |
| Mighty Oak - Blackbird | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Mauldons - Kitty | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Irving - Diamond | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| XT Brewing - Animal Brewing Buzzz | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| AllGates - Bugle Horn | 4.30 | Not Tried |
09 Nov 2014 (Stephen Harris)
Early to mid-Sunday evening and fairly quiet.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Monk - Chennai Export Porter | 5.40 | | Very nice. A Black IPA in all but name? |
| 360° - West Coast IPA | 5.60 | | Intense hop flavours. |
| Hope - Ghost Rider | 4.50 | | An amber-coloured, hoppy Bitter. |
| Exmoor - Gold | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Inferno | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Dark Star - Partridge Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| B&T (Banks & Taylor's) - Hitchin Old Dark | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Camerons - Ebony Fall | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Arbor Ales - NZ Amber Ale | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Cambrinus Craft - St. Anthony's Ale | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Hopcraft (experimental side of Pixie Spring) - Belma & Brewise | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Cotleigh - Night Owl | 4.50 | Not Tried |
06 Oct 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until close.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hanlons (formerly O'Hanlon's) - Brewers Special Reserve | 12.90 | | 2010 vintage. Words fail me and not through loss of consciousness. £6 pp but here in halves and thirds only |
| Waen - Chilli Plum Porter | 6.10 | | |
| Gyle 59 - Toujours | 4.00 | | A saison |
| Mallinsons - Lindley Pale Ale | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Buntingford - Crow's Nest | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Deverell's - Darkside | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Siren Craft - 1/2 Mast, Quarter IPA | 2.80 | Not Tried | Only a few in but this was selling well |
| Hellhound - Black Shuck | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| First Chop Brewing Arm - SIP | 5.40 | Not Tried | |
| Brass Castle - Ginger Marmalade | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Stewart - Dakota Brown | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Blackjack - Flyer Best | 4.80 | Not Tried |
23 Jun 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening last knockings. The barman kindly served me even though he had cleaned up to close with no others in.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peerless - Jinja Ninja | 4.00 | | |
| Phipps NBC - Last Orders | 4.80 | | |
| Dark Star - Victorian Ruby Mild | 6.00 | Not Tried | |
| Brentwood - Chockwork Orange | 6.50 | Not Tried | |
| Skinner's - St Piran's Ale | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Paranoid | 5.20 | Not Tried | |
| Milton - Minerva | 4.60 | Not Tried | |
| Vale - Telstar | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Ramsbury - Summer Fest | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Round Tower - Crompton | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Black Country - The Thomas Guest Brewing Company Puddlers | 4.10 | Not Tried |
12 Mar 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Afternoon - latecomer for a morning started Birthday Bash for one of our group. Enough beers here to take all day trying.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham - Jester's Ferret | 3.60 | | |
| Batemans - XXXB (now superseded by 4.8% version) | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Batemans - Dark Mild | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Titanic - Compass | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - Dark Delight | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Castle Rock - Hare | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Round Tower - Stout | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Ilkley - Pata Negra | 6.20 | Not Tried | |
| Calvors - Four Runner | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Wentworth - Caught Nowt! | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Quantum - Small Beer | 2.60 | Not Tried | |
| Quantum - Oersoep Lapsang Souchong Saison | 6.30 | Not Tried |
12 Mar 2014 (ChrisE)
11am and a fair size group of us met here to celebrate a friend's birthday. The beer list was as already listed by others.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batemans - Dark Mild | 3.00 | | A tasty traditional dark mild in good condition. |
| Round Tower - Stout | 4.10 | | |
| Wentworth - Caught Nowt! | 4.10 | |
12 Mar 2014 (HSB)
11:30 First stop on my 61st birthday pub crawl. Fifteen of us including a rare sighting of Philip Pirrip in the daylight.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quantum - Oersoep Lapsang Souchong Saison | 6.30 | | Highly unusual beer |
| Calvors - Four Runner | 3.80 | | Lager like |
| Quantum - Small Beer | 2.60 | | |
| Castle Rock - Hare | 4.20 | | |
| Batemans - XXXB (now superseded by 4.8% version) | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Batemans - Dark Mild | 3.00 | Not Tried | |
| Titanic - Compass | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Downton - Dark Delight | 5.50 | Not Tried | |
| Oakham - Jester's Ferret | 3.60 | Not Tried | |
| Round Tower - Stout | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Ilkley - Pata Negra | 6.20 | Not Tried | |
| Wentworth - Caught Nowt! | 4.10 | Not Tried |
08 Jan 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening until close. Good beer banter with barman.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round Tower - Lupuline Gold | 5.60 | | Round Tower has never let me down and this was just plain superb. Unfined golden beer which just melted in the mouth |
| Wibblers - Winter Wibble | 6.00 | | |
| Otter - Bitter | 3.60 | Not Tried | |
| St Austell - Black Prince | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Cliff Quay - Tumble Home | 4.70 | Not Tried | |
| Pin-Up - Milk Stout | 4.50 | Not Tried | I was amused that this was advertised as Milk Street Pin-Up Stout on the boards (they do sell a lot of Milk Street beers here!!) |
| Adnams - Shingle Shells | 3.90 | Not Tried | |
| Colchester - Dark Ruby Ale | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Black Sheep - Christmas Special Imperial Russian Stout | 7.50 | Not Tried | I dared not |
| Mighty Oak - Yule Love Her | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Round Tower - Lupuline Black | 4.40 | Not Tried | A black IPA |
15 Sep 2013 (Stephen Harris)
I’ve had a very successful weekend on several levels and celebrate with a few early evening strong ones in here. Pub very quiet.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offbeat - Grateful Deaf | 6.50 | | Described as an ‘Imperial Brown Ale’; it is dark brown in colour, strong, seriously hoppy and has a bit of chocolate too. |
| Dancing Duck - Seduction | 5.20 | | I’ve only just got the joke, 18 hours later – Se-“Duck”-tion! I’m very slow sometimes. Amber, strong, malt-heavy, bitter. |
| Art Brew - Sergei Bergesson | 6.00 | | Copper-coloured and very powerful-tasting. In a barley wine style I think. |
| Otter - Head | 5.80 | Not Tried | |
| Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Umbel Ale (aka Special Coriander Ale) | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Exmoor - Wildcat | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Dark Star - Partridge Best Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Dark Star - Revelation | 5.70 | Not Tried | |
| Wild Card - Jack of Clubs | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Shalford - Levelly Black | 4.80 | Not Tried | |
| Colchester - Drizzle | 4.20 | Not Tried |
About The Ale House
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
| 2 |
| 29 |
| 26 |
| 7 |
 | 1 |
The pub is found in Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1TS.
A specialist beer and cider pub which opened in early 2012 in three railway arches underneath the station. It is very conveniently situated, lying between Chelmsford’s bus and railway stations, moments walk from either. There are various seating and standing areas within, plus external drinking space either side of the railway. Decorated rather frugally. 2 banks each of 6 handpumps not on the front counter but on the back fitting instead, making legibility of the pumpclips quite difficult so the beer details are repeated on overhead blackboards. Large range of ciders served from gravity dispense.
We have visited this pub 31 times, seen 245 different beers and tried 63 of them.
Postcode: CM1 1TS