The Alehouse, Reading

This has to be a must do pub if you are into good beer and are visiting Reading. Its amazing that this small and fairly unique pub has survived from being converted into a retail outlet considering its right in the shopping area of reading and right opposite the Oracle shopping centre. This long time favourite of ours has a small main bar and drinking area with even smaller booths / snugs towards the rear of the pub on the way to the 'outdoor' toilets although the outdoor bit is mostly covered over with plastic corrugated sheeting. Virtually all the walls and ceilings are covered with pump clips form the ales served here over the years. A good range of mainly local ales are available with normally a mild and a dark ale being available along with various ciders. Note that this is a mobile exclusion zone so make sure the ringtone is on silent unlike the first time I had a mobile phone on me and it started ringing as I walked into the pub!