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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
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Detail Pages
The Little Ale House, Harrogate
Harrogate
HG1 1DH
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Pub SignMan left this review about The Little Ale House
This two-storey micropub in the centre of town has a surprisingly rustic feel to it, that makes it very easy to settle down for a session. You enter into a compact room with dark floorboards, plain painted, hop lined walls and a cosy front window bay. A large, square archway divides the room into a notional front seating area and rear bar space. Seating comes in the form of basic tables and chairs in the front window bay and down either side of the room, whilst hops have been spread in great profusion under the ceiling and lots of arty black and white photos line the walls. The left-hand wall is bare brick with a small lit stove in a fireplace midway down, before the bar appears to the rear with its simple, short counter and windows across the bar back looking out to what appeared to be a garden, although I couldn't figure out how to get out there. Handy beer boards are displayed to the left and a big glass fronted cabinet to the right has all the barrels, kegs and other such cellar items on display along with various bottles and cans. For some reason, a collection of twigs extends across the ceiling, with small tankards hung from them apropos of nothing. Stairs to the right lead down to a cellar room with pew bench and chair seating in a flagstone floor area, but I didn't linger down there as it was empty and insanely hot for some reason.
The pub seems to pride itself on a well thought out ale range, which on this visit, comprised Vocation Chop and Change and Tonka and Vanilla Stout, Two by Two Sabro Amarillo, Saltaire Blonde and Craven Red. A very nice barman dished up a cracking pint of the Stout which slipped down very easily and, as tends to be the way with most micropubs, we were chatting to the locals before we knew it, leaving the pub armed with a weeks’ worth of pub, restaurant and local attraction recommendations.
I really liked this place, which I thought was a step up from most micropubs, inasmuch as I felt I was actually drinking in a proper pub, and not in some draughty, half-decorated shop unit. The cheery staff and friendly locals made it a memorable stay and the ale range is worthy of an extended session in its own right. This was one of my favourite pubs on our recent visit to Harrogate and I’d be very keen to come back and check it out again the next time I’m in town.
Date of visit - 10th November 2024
On 20th February 2025
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3350 recommendations about 3350 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Strongers . left this review about The Little Ale House
Funnily enough Little Ale House is a micro that serves ale, from five hand pumps found on the counter across the rear. Four were in operation drawing Pentrich Brewing’s Drenched in Sun, North Riding’s US Session, Daleside’s Bitter and Ainsty’s Flummoxed Farmer during my recent Friday afternoon visit. I thought this place was quite characterful with bare board floor and exposed brick and reclaimed wood throughout. It was busy, but being a sunny afternoon the small courtyard out the back seemed to be the prime seating so we managed to bag the table in the window. Friendly service and worth a revisit.
On 28th July 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5965 recommendations about 5931 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Little Ale House
Excellent micropub that immediately appealed when we entered, with a good atmosphere and plenty of customers in the limited space without it feeling crowded. A little outdoor seating can also be found out the front and at the back. Five real ales on handpump from North Riding, Daleside, Pentrich (a very good Drenched in Sun) and a pair from Ainsty, with the casks in a glass-fronted cool cabinet.
On 27th July 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8679 recommendations about 8678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Little Ale House
This micro really was a gem, boarded floors, exposed red brick walls and scrubbed table tops. I liked the way they have done the beer board above the fireplace near the bar. This consisted of two old distressed looking doors turned on their sides, with black coat hooks attached. From this black slates were attached with some rope, with each displaying what beers were craft or cask. Some tree branches along with filiment bulbs hung from the ceiling over the bar area. I went for the two Ainsty beers notably Assassin Oatmeal Stout and Ainsty Flummoxed Farmer, which was a 4% Blonde. I am a great fan of Ainsty Brewery, so this was a real bonus for me.
On 11th July 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3645 recommendations about 3645 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Little Ale House
This is a really charming micro,its small but perfectly formed.At the rear is a charming courtyard with lots of seating there and to the front.The bar itself is at the back of the room with the beer barrels on display in a cooling room behind a glass screen,while there are some bench sesting and small tables to pitch down on.
Besides 5 craft keg taps the real ale on my visit was North Riding US Session (NBSS 4),Pentrich Drentched Sun,Amsty Assassin and Flummoxed Farmer and Daleside Bitter .This was a brief crawl visit but next time I will spend a lot longer in here.One not to miss.
On 8th July 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2936 recommendations about 2936 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Little Ale House
A cracking little mucropub with a warm welcome and a great selection of beers. The main room features the bar at the back, and has a really good atmosphere helped by bines of hops round the ceiling. There is further seating in the cellar and a tabled yard at the back. The cask ale offering on this visit was Wensleydale Sema Water, Daleside Bitter, Vocation Pride and Joy, North Riding Stout and Big Trip Technique. A shame it opens later on in the afternoon but worth waiting around for.
On 25th March 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3641 recommendations about 3576 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about The Little Ale House
Enjoyed our visit to this micropub that features in the 2019 Good Beer Guide. Chose Wishbone Blonde which was fine.
On 12th August 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about The Little Ale House
A really well designed micropub with a seating area as you enter and the bar towards the rear. The casks are stored in a stillage to the right behind glass. There's a small garden to the rear which has real hopbines growing in it. There's also a small cellar area which is used for live acoustic music at times. Five handpumps on the bar with a good selection of beers available. They also serve real cider. Friendly and chatty landlady adds to the attractions. We'll be visiting here every time we come to Harrogate in future I suspect.
On 8th December 2017
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3286 recommendations about 3196 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Little Ale House
This is a micropub situated beneath an Indian restaurant which might be handy for some. It's a proper micropub that has more capacity than most when the weather is better than it was on my visit as there are some tables and chairs at the front and back plus a cellar that I didn't investigate. It's the usual small room with a wooden floor, a fireplace with exposed brickwork and furnishings that looked like they were snapped up at the tail end of a car boot sale. It's dog friendly and I counted five of them (all well behaved) just before I left including the pub dog who was diligently checking out everyone who came through the front door. The place seemed to be doing a brisk trade on my Saturday afternoon visit.
At the rear there is a small bar with five hand pumps and one of those glass chill cabinets. There are some keg options, ciders and a few gins. I had trouble seeing the beers available but there was something called Anglo, North Grain, Ashover Milk Stout, Thornbridge Lumford and Neepsend Citra IPA. I went for the North Grain (£3.60) and Citra IPA (£4.20) both of which were excellent. It is expensive here but so was the JDW. I thought it was a good micropub. It's GBG 2018 listed.
On 23rd October 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
custodian 42 left this review about The Little Ale House
Good place with a decent selection of ales. Only problem is it's too small, but otherwise it will get a return visit.
On 23rd December 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1693 recommendations about 1691 pubs]