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Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Ale House
The Ale House has moved to new premises across the street since my last visit. The ground floor here has a similar sized seating area to the previous premises with much of the space taken by the bar. However, there is a first floor room providing valuable additional capacity. There is further seating on the pedestrianised street to the front.
This micropub is carpeted and has brick wallpaper, which seemed a little tacky. A TV in one corner was showing a webcam of the Isle of Wight coastline. Furniture is fairly mis-matched. Music was playing. Dogs are allowed.
There are lots of pumpclips on the beams and ales on are dispensed by gravity. Brain's The Rev James Original & Timothy Taylor Landlord are the regular beers. Guests were Fat Cat Tom Cat, Island Tennyson, Cameron's Thirst Blood & Hop Back Calypso. Ciders are also well represented with Lilley's Rhubarb, Mango, Rum & Pina Colada ciders, JJ's Suicider, Abrahall's Lily The Pink & Saxby's Straight Outta' The Orchard. Island Tennyson was also on keg.
My choice was Hopback Calypso which wasn't up to much. It's rare that I find a 3.4% beer to be to my liking. Nevertheless, whilst the old Ale House was my favourite pub in Cowes, I'd venture to say that the new one has now replaced it as the best pub in Cowes.
On 25th September 2026
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3626 recommendations about 3624 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
E TA left this review about The Ale House
Previously a restaurant, and before that a family shop business, Shergold’s, the building now houses the new, revived Cowes Ale House which was previously in a former shop premises opposite, a micropub with the best of many worlds, and certainly the best beer selection you’re going to find in Cowes. It currently occupies two floors, one large room in each, though the location is relatively discreet given its high street location. The staff are enthusiastic and knowledgable, and there is a lively, growing cohort of regulars who provide a wider raange of discussion than many other nearby pubs’ locals. It’s also popular with a few of the sailing fraternity who know of its existence, though I get the feeling they like not to share it with the seasonal crowd. A small TV screen sat in the corner, showing webcam feed across the river entrance, but available for sports matches on occasion. Six ales on cask behind the bar, which on this occasion were TT Landlord, Rev James, Wild Goose Purity, Nipper Bitter, Ringwood 49er and Schwartz Clipper. There were four boxed ciders available. There was a keg selection of Orchard Pig Reveller, Wightknuckle Fest Bier, Brooklyn Pilsner, Brooklyn Stonewall IPA and Poretti.. I’ll definitely be making this a priority call on my regular trips here.
On 21st May 2025
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3865 recommendations about 3823 pubs]