The Little Ale House, Harrogate

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 20^th February 2025 - rating: 8
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