Latest reviews from Farnham Upper Hale

“16/07/21 - finally made it back here and they now have 6 casks (all rotating) and 6 kegs (2 Lost & Grounded beers, a Big Smoke and cider all on permanently, plus two guests. The casks were from Milestone (2), Wantsum, Brentwood, Hop Foundry and Moor. The guest kegs were faux-craft brands from Ascot and Goffs. If I was not driving would have been 10 new ticks for me. Father and son team behind the bar. They were polite in terms of taking my details and then finding me a seat. Definitely one of the better pubs around here. Visited 16/03/17. I’d never heard of this pub until recently,when I spotted it on Google Maps. Perhaps not a surprise as it is tucked down a narrow backstreet, amidst housing. The odd hours don’t help, not open til 17:30 on a Saturday. Then again, plenty of pubs around here are empty half the time so they may well have a point. Slightly misleading set up - from the entrance hall you turn left in to the main bar. This is long but narrow. A slight mildew smell. They’ve not brought in loads of brass to hang up. But there is a log fire. Really snug old fashioned room. It was only when departing that I realised another larger room with more of a dining set up. However only appeared to be one couple in there, compared to a number of locals (plus dog) in the front bar giving it a friendly atmosphere. Barman polite but not overly chatty - perhaps wary because I was asking if certain breweries were ever on and realised I was a ticker and thus oxygen thief. The Alfred certainly has one of the better arrays of beer on in this area - four hand pumps (Wallops Wood + three guests) and a guest keg (also Köstritzer and Leffe on permanently). No golden ales on this day! Seemingly no bottles. A blackboard advertises what’s on, in the cellar and on its way. £3.40 a pint. The burgers looked good. Planning to come back. Pity they don’t open during the day as I would be a regular. Certainly seemed to be up there with the best beer pubs around here.“

BeardedAvenger 2623 days ago

“Been here twice and both times as second choice. The first time because we didn’t know that the Bat and Ball had shut. Today poor research meant that we didn’t realise that the Alfred Freehouse only opens during the day on a Sunday. Read online that this a Greene King pub, but the sign outside advertises itself as a freehouse. And pretty poor selection for a freehouse - three regulars and a guest. Only two regulars were on this lunchtime - GK IPA and Wadworth 6X. Timothy Taylor Landlord off. Looks quite nice from the outside - grey stone cladding - but pretty unimaginably decorated and drab on the inside. Also an advert for a some decent US IPA (I forget which) got my hopes up. Only three other customers. Barmaid chatting to a regular and not very enthusiastic. Perhaps better seen on an evening, I know a colleague pops in with her other half. However was pretty dead last time as well.“

BeardedAvenger 2666 days ago