Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Beer of the Week (w/e 15th June 2025) with hondo
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by Quinno _
Submitted on Friday, 1st November 2024
With picture contributions to 5510 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (15 more images)
Detail Pages
The Ale House, Chelmsford
Chelmsford
CM1 1TS
Served areas
The Ale House
Managed to find a few of these beauties @HalfPintGent https://t.co/2WjCZKrNIm
4:48 PM Mar 21st 2019 from Twitter for iPhone
Reviews of The Ale House (Average Rating: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
paulof horsham left this review about The Ale House
You can enter The Ale House from both sides of the viaduct. Cask is listed on a blackboard to the left of the bar, with the keg beers to the right. There's 7 or 8 of each, though neither are especially cheap. It's all indie though, as you might have hoped. I started with one of cask, but skipped on a second, keg-style, as the one I'd selected ran out, while the next few preferences were on the higher end of the ABV scale.
There's plenty of room inside, but with most punters opting for the outside seating - I initially went for the shady side, with tatty benches, while the crowds mostly seemed to prefer the sunnier side with its view of the chaotic bus station.
With a good range of beers, it's an ideal stop for one beer, or perhaps 2 or 3, depending on what's available on the day, before the train home.
On 2nd June 2025
- rating: 7
[User has posted 561 recommendations about 523 pubs]
Quinno _ left this review about The Ale House
High hopes on approach as there is a Wigan Central vibe from the exterior, being housed as it is in converted railway arches. Interior is two distinct long rooms with curved vaulted ceilings lined with corrugated iron, and the left side has the seating separated into basic booths. Booming modern AOR music was the first sign of a departure from the Wigan Central hopes. The cask is located at the rear of the servery so you either peer over or wait for the beer board to revolve, which is rather unhelpful. Six, IIRC, on. My first choice was, I was curtly informed, off. So a panic order of what should be a home banker of Oakham Citra produced a flabby half lacking turnover (NBSS 2). Judging by what I observed around me after being seated for a few minutes made me think the place clearly trades on craftykeg nowadays. Expensive as well – I left feeling a bit miffed. Maybe I was unlucky given the reviews below, but the best places make their own luck.
On 6th November 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5589 recommendations about 5570 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Ale House
The Ale House is undoubtedly the best place for real ale and cider in town. Set under a couple of arches near to Chelmsford railway station, it has an excellent selection of changing real ales and ciders, in addition to craft beers and an excellent selection of bottles and cans.
We were greeted at the entry and invited to fill out the track and trace and to sanitise. Various rules were explained to us. Whilst this was all very strict, the welcome was still warm.
Ales on offer during our visit were Oakham Inferno, Chelmsford Port Jackson, Nethergate Growling Dog, Harbour Beach Break, Colchester No. 1 & Thornbridge Jaipur. Ciders were Thatcher's Cheddar Valley, Sandford Orchards Rib Tickler, Barbourne 1066, Lilley's Darkcider & Mango Cider, Severn New Orchard, Bertie's Galanthus Perry & Seacider Black Cherry Cider. Craft beers were from breweries such as Howling Hops, Tiny Rebel, Double-Barrelled, The Kernel, Mad Squirrel, Magic Rock, Beavertown, 42/DDH & Burnt Mill. All drinks are listed on paper handouts at each table.
The 2 real ciders I tried were considerably better than the Strongbow Dark Fruits experienced over the road in the Plough.
We sat in the second archway away from the bar. Noise levels were fine and the drinking environment was very pleasant. The best pub we tried in the town.
On 13th October 2020
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3111 recommendations about 3109 pubs]
View more reviews of The Ale House (10)
Pubs Galore is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
- Official site of The Ale House - www.the-ale-house-chelmsford.co.uk
- Facebook - The Ale House Events
- Twitter - The Ale House
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Ale House - whatpub.com
Ingatestone, 6.68 miles, 2 hr 9 min walk (show)
Hatfield Peverel, 6.84 miles, 2 hr 12 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 06 November 2024 by Quinno _
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 06 November 2024 by Quinno _
- Beer Festivals : Yes last updated 06 November 2024 by Quinno _
- Beer Garden : No - Pavement seating area - last updated 06 November 2024 by Quinno _
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 06 November 2024 by Quinno _
- Car Park : No last updated 06 November 2024 by Quinno _
- Child Friendly : Yes last updated 06 November 2024 by Quinno _
- Darts : No last updated 12 December 2013 by john mcgraw
- Dog Friendly : Yes last updated 06 November 2024 by Quinno _
- Function Room : No last updated 06 November 2024 by Quinno _
- Hot Food : No last updated 06 November 2024 by Quinno _
- Jukebox : No last updated 06 November 2024 by Quinno _
- Karaoke : No last updated 06 November 2024 by Quinno _
- Live Music : Yes last updated 25 April 2015 by john mcgraw
- Live TV Sports : No last updated 06 November 2024 by Quinno _
- Micropub : No last updated 06 November 2024 by Quinno _
- Pinball : No last updated 06 November 2024 by Quinno _
- Pool Table : No last updated 06 November 2024 by Quinno _
- Quiz Night : Yes - Last Sunday of the month - last updated 31 December 2019 by john mcgraw
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 06 November 2024 by Quinno _
- Real Cider : Yes last updated 06 November 2024 by Quinno _
- Wheelchair Access : Yes last updated 06 November 2024 by Quinno _
- WiFi : Yes last updated 06 November 2024 by Quinno _
