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The Village Freehouse (Free House)

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Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Griffin - Lower RiderExcellent1
Downton - QuadhopExcellent6
Branscombe (was Branscombe Vale) - BranocExcellent1
Keystone - Keystone PorterExcellent1
Downton - Wheat StoutExcellent1
Red Cat - ProwlerExcellent1
Palmers - Dorset GoldGood1
Plain Ales - InncognitoGood1
Downton - Session IPAGood1
3 Piers - Summer BreezeGood1
Collyfobble - Bob On!Good1
Stonehenge - Spire AleGood1
Plain Ales - Arty FartyAcceptable1
Piddle (Dorset Piddle) - Piddle ErnieAcceptable1
Parker - Dark Spartan StoutAcceptable1
Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Umbel MagnaNot Tried0
Branscombe (was Branscombe Vale) - Summa ThatNot Tried0
Beat - RockaNot Tried0
Parkway (formerly Glastonbury Ales) - Giggle and TitterNot Tried0
Beat - Cosmic PopNot Tried0
Red Cat - MosaicNot Tried0
Old School (OSB) - BlackboardNot Tried0
Downton - Mint Chocolypse StoutNot Tried0
Downton - CerberusNot Tried0
Upham - Winter's T'AleNot Tried0
Cotleigh - Red Nose ReinbeerNot Tried0
Plain Ales - Stocking FillerNot Tried0
Brentwood - BBC4Not Tried0
Plain Ales - Wreck the HallsNot Tried0
Cottage - Dark CascadianNot Tried0
Picture 1. The Village Freehouse, Salisbury, Wiltshire

Visits Details

18 Jul 2021 (ChrisE)
A fairly quiet Sunday afternoon but that was expected as it opened three hours early for our group of seven (two tables of course). We sat and enjoyed some good company and beers.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Downton - Quadhop3.90Excellent
Red Cat - Prowler3.60Excellent
Parker - Dark Spartan Stout5.00AcceptableA new beer for me, I was not really sure whether it was past its best or that I just did not like it. I finished it without difficulty so perhaps it was just me.
27 May 2021 (Dosser)
Lovely micro style pub with well isolated punters for covid times. Keen boss.3 beers on.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Downton - Wheat Stout5.00ExcellentBitter stout but lovely change after the same beers in Bournemouth. £4 a pint.
31 Jan 2020 (ChrisE)
An afternoon with Joe the former guv of this pub and a few friends.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Downton - Quadhop3.90Good
Plain Ales - Inncognito4.80GoodA nice dark stout.
Downton - Session IPA3.00GoodVery tasty for such a low gravity beer.
Plain Ales - Arty Farty3.90AcceptableTwo of us tried this and neither of us liked it.
Red Cat - Mosaic4.90Not Tried
16 Mar 2019 (Andrew)
Busy with lots of people watching Wales-Ireland. I liked this pub. It felt like a roadhouse.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Collyfobble - Bob On!3.80GoodDark brown slightly earthy
Downton - Quadhop3.90Not Tried
Beat - Rocka5.30Not Tried
Parkway (formerly Glastonbury Ales) - Giggle and Titter3.80Not Tried
Beat - Cosmic Pop6.00Not Tried
30 Aug 2018 (ChrisE)
Opened earlier than usual at 3pm by prior arrangement althoough we were arrived a little later than that thanks to a signal failure at Basingstoke. Joe, the previous landlord, now retired, provided the first drinks and some pies and scotch eggs to accompany the beers. Several other customers took advantage of the fact that the door was open unexpectedly early and had a beer or two. We spent the afternoon and early evening here enjoying a fair number of beers before leaving at around 7pm.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Branscombe (was Branscombe Vale) - Branoc3.80ExcellentA traditional session beer, I liked this.
Downton - Quadhop3.90Good
3 Piers - Summer Breeze4.00GoodIn very good condition but too sweet and golden for me.
Nethergate (was Nethergate Growler for a while then name reverted) - Umbel Magna5.00Not Tried
Branscombe (was Branscombe Vale) - Summa That5.00Not Tried
12 Dec 2015 (Stephen Harris)
Late-afternoon visit, timed to see the Euro 2016 draw on the TV. I’m happy with the four games I have tickets for. Half a dozen regulars at the bar, Cream on the jukebox. Other beers as listed by Jason.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Griffin - Lower Rider3.90ExcellentNice pale hoppy beer with a good bite.
12 Dec 2015 (Magnus Greel)
Mid afternoon visit very quiet 2 other customers in, around a dozen when we left an hour and a half later.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Downton - Quadhop3.90ExcellentNice hoppy aftertaste
Stonehenge - Spire Ale3.80GoodInstant hop hit with this one
Palmers - Dorset Gold4.50GoodVery fruity
Griffin - Lower Rider3.90Not Tried
Downton - Wheat Stout5.00Not Tried
10 Oct 2015 (Blair)
Friendly welcome in a not so friendly looking part of town. Strange band of regulars in here, all seemed friendly enough despite the stares. Seems a real community pub but to be honest it desperately needs a bit of tlc.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Piddle (Dorset Piddle) - Piddle Ernie4.10AcceptableIn very good condition but this stout was too sweet for me really, sweet and not a whole lot of depth to it.
Cottage - Dark Cascadian4.90Not Tried
23 Dec 2014 (ChrisE)
Lunchtime visit through to late afternoon, Joe made us very welcome as usual. One comment that I overheard was "don't give pickled eggs to the dog".
BeerABVScoreNotes
Downton - Quadhop3.90ExcellentOn top form today.
Keystone - Keystone Porter5.50Excellent
Cotleigh - Red Nose Reinbeer4.50Not Tried
Plain Ales - Stocking Filler4.00Not Tried
Brentwood - BBC44.30Not Tried
Plain Ales - Wreck the Halls5.00Not Tried
13 Jan 2014 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. Last visit of the evening with Aston Villa v Arsenal football on TV. Very quiet. Much brighter inside now that all the renovations are complete.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Downton - Quadhop3.90ExcellentBiggest seller here - always reliable
Old School (OSB) - Blackboard3.70Not Tried
Downton - Mint Chocolypse Stout4.90Not Tried
Downton - Cerberus4.20Not Tried
Upham - Winter's T'Ale4.50Not Tried

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About The Village Freehouse

The pub sign. The Village Freehouse, Salisbury, Wiltshire

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional2
Excellent21
Good12
Acceptable5
Poor-

The pub is found in Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP2 7EF.

Wide booths provide plenty of seating in this attractive pub. Very handy for the railway station and some excellent take-aways on the way. The pub has very much a railway theme too owing to the interests of the owner. Sometimes a cask beer is sold on gravity off the counter top. Salisbury & South Wiltshire CAMRA branch Pub of the Year 2014.

We have visited this pub 19 times, seen 60 different beers and tried 29 of them.

Map location

Postcode: SP2 7EF