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Chat about:
Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
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Detail Pages
Macintosh Ale House, Stoke Newington, N16
N16
N16 0AH
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about Macintosh Ale House
This (micro?) opened in July 2023 as a tap for Macintosh’s beers. It’s situated to the rear of a little down-at-heel cobbled backstreet lot, looking like a set piece from Steptoe & Son, otherwise described as Hackney Chic. The frontage is painted a lovely shade of green with projecting sign (see photos), the operation comprising two separate rooms, the one to the rear with dartboard and not visited. I chose the main front bar area which is very small: a rough boarded floor, peripheral settles, Britannia tables and normal stools; brown paint to dado height then white up to a low white ceiling. Décor takes the form of just a little breweriana (Friary Meux) and limited adverts for fayre such as bar snacks, which include pork pies. Customers were mixed local bohemian types at the time of my Friday 9.40pm visit, all contributing to a good atmosphere, in what felt like going back in time 100 years to a traditional Edwardian beer house, the only nod to modernity being the discrete ceiling mounted speakers from which an unobtrusive soundtrack wafted.
The drinks’ selection is the most limited I’ve ever seen, with just a bottle of Gordon’s mother’s ruin on optics above a sink, then two Macintosh pumps dispensing Pale (£2.75 a half) and Best, £2.40 a half, both in great form, served by a very friendly barman who is apparently none other than Charles Macintosh.
This is unquestionably a bonus for the N16 drinking scene, which has plenty of pubs to make up a quality mini-crawl.
On 15th February 2025
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2207 recommendations about 2164 pubs]
Moby Duck left this review about Macintosh Ale House
A small taproom/pub for Macintosh Ales who currently contract brew at Orbit in Walworth, then condition the beers at the pub site. Set up in July 2023 in a rough and ready, but charming cobbled stable mews behind the Clarence Tavern,along with several other small retail outlets. The pub inside is a simple but yet again charming affair, a small single room with a boarded floor, seating consists of small round tables and stools a couple of benches and a couple of bar stools, bare walls save for a bit of pub memorabilia, there a simple bar on the back wall. There is only one handpump and this regularly serves Macintosh Best Bitter, one keg tap and the regular beer here is Macintosh Pale Ale, not a fan of best bitters in general I took the keg option which was pretty good, I decided to give the bitter a go with a half and immediately wished I'd brought a pint, it was lovely, not overly malty and a good dose of English hops.I started out thinking this is a 6/10 pub, but the surroundings and beer grew on me quickly as well as a little chat with the guy behind the bar about the brewerys history, I left an 8/10 pub. Note that it is closed Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
On 10th February 2025
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2151 recommendations about 2118 pubs]