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2025

Alton Town Centre (17-18 April - TD)

I had a walkabout at the western end of the town centre on Maundy Thursday which started a bit disappointingly at the Ivy House where only one guest ale was on, Oakham JHB. I did not linger there, nor at the White Horse where both handpump clips were turned.
I had better luck at all three pubs on Market Square starting with a very palatable Timothy Taylor Landlord, 4.3%, £4.50 in the Wheatsheaf. Sharp's Doom Bar was also available here.
The Market Hotel continues to offer two Triple fff ales, Alton's Pride, 3.8%, £4.20 which was on good form and Moondance.
Across the square very pleased to see all four handpumps in use at the Ten Tun Tap House and had a couple of them starting with Church End Bad Rabbit, 4.1%, £4.60 which had a nicely full-bodied flavour for what was described on the board as a session bitter. Stand out beer of the day however was Nail in the Coffin from Black Iris Brewery of Nottingham, 5.9%, £5. This is described as an Extra Special Bitter on the board and with a very dark amber colour and a strong caramel malt flavour reminded me more of a strong mild or old ale: very satisfying. Afraid I did not make a note of the other two cask ales available here.
My final port of call was Cassidy's in the High Street where enjoyed Three Acre Spring Golden Ale 4.5%, £4.60 from Uckfield, East Sussex. Also on here were two Three Daggers beers from Wiltshire, Dagger's Ale and EPA. The former went off while I was there to be replaced by Dorking DB One.
I had better luck when returned to the Ivy House on Good Friday to find three guests available. I had a Triple fff Moondance 4.2%. £2.75 in good nick. Also available were Little Valley Tod's Blonde and Thornbridge Jaipur at a premium guest price (for Wetherspoon's) of £3.15.

2024

Alton (26 August - TD)

With the closure of the George following end of service on Saturday 23rd and its future uncertain we are down to two pubs where the High Street meets Butts Road so I popped into both today to see what was what.
The White Horse continues to be a lively combination of sports bar and local's pub serving two cask ales. I had the London Pride 4.1%, a decent pint and competitively priced at £2.70. Hobgoblin Gold was also available.
Across the road in the Ivy House the guest beers were at an even more competitive £2.63 and I enjoyed the powerful, heavily hopped Renegade Maharajah IPA at 5.1% from the revamped West Berkshire Brewery. Other guests alongside the usual Greene King and Sharp's fare today were Loddon Ferryman's Gold and Thornbridge Jaipur.

Selborne Arms, Selborne (4 July - MP)

I had lunch here today with friends, and was delighted to see the range of beers on - see image for the three I tried as per their usual 3 for 1 thirds platter, plus Bowmans Swift One and one other which I've fogotten! The Imperium (4%) was a dark amber beer which was quite hoppy; the Demokracy (3.8) was slightly fruity; while the Hurricane (4.5%) was much better also slighty fruity.
I can recommend the "Leeds & Bradford Railway Pie filled with Indian-spiced Minced Lamb, Potatoes and Peas" - very gently spiced and very more-ish.

Market Hotel, Alton (28 April - TD)

I am very pleased to report that the Market Hotel in Market Square, Alton, after sale of the freehold by Stonegate and six months closure for refurbishment, re-opened on Wednesday 24 April as an independent free house with two handpumps in use. The intention is to have two rotating ales and currently they are two Triple fff stalwarts, Alton'sPride 3.8% and Moondance 4.2%, both priced at £4.20 a pint and in decent nick. Full food service including Sunday roasts is available and opening time currently at noon is expected to move to 10am shortly.

Alton Market Square (23 April 2024 - TD)

There are three pubs on the Market Square, two of them in rude health. The exception is the Market Hotel whose windows remain shrouded in brown paper while refurbishment continues inside. However I understand that reopening may be "imminent".
The Wheatsheaf had a welcoming rose bower over the front door for St. George's Day and inside I was treated to two cask ales on offer. As well as the long-standing Sharp's Doom Bar, 4%, £4.90, which was actually very drinkable, there is now a House Beer called Big Dog, 4%, £4.80 a pale ale from Laine Brewery of Brighton, also on decent form. Opening hours have recently been extended to include from 5pm on Monday (no food). Otherwise food is available from noon through serving hours. Landlord Leycester is keen to foster darts in the pub.
Immediately adjacent the Ten Tun Tap House had three cask ales available and I managed to try halves of all of them. Moonraker Grafter 3.8%, £4.60 is an American red ale style brewed by this new brewery on the old Plain Ales site near Warminster. Allsopp's Pale Ale 4%, £4.70 took a bit of tracking down. The name is a historical brewing one associated with Burton and a merger with Ind Coope, now apparently produced at a nanobrewery by a descendent of the family but with only a London PO Box address that I could find: the beer is typical of the style. Finally Rooster's Capability Brown 4%, £4.60 from Harrogate North Yorkshire is a deep amber best bitterwith a good malt/hop balance. All three were in good condition. Plenty of the usual craft keg beers were also on offer including three of the Ten Tun Brew House's own.

Hollywater and Whitehill (20 April - TD and others)

Three of us made a lunchtime trip out to a couple of pubs on the fringes of Bordon, first to check out the Royal Oak in Hollywater which reopened after just over three years closure in November 2023 under the supervision of Graham and Emma who lease it from Heineken Stars and Bars. They have brought about a light and airy establishment with one long bar and a number of drinking areas boasting two pool tables, two dartboards and a raised bandstand hosting rock bands every Saturday night. Light snacks are currently available with a full food service planned when the kitchen is fitted out. Three cask beers are on offer the two permanently on being Sharp's Doom Bar 4%, £4.70 and Timothy Taylor Landlord 4.3%, £4.85. We all tried the currently rotating guest, an easy drinking light but fruity session bitter from Tring, Side Pocket for a Toad 3.6%, £4.95. This pub is well worth seeking out about a mile along the Liphook Road at the south end of Bordon.
The next port of call was the Woodlark, a family dining oriented Marston's pub on the Petersfield Road heading towards Bordon centre. Here we were concerned about reports of "Fresh Ale", a brewery conditioned beer style ie keg, but served on handpumps, recently introduced by Carlsberg Marston's which is now creeping in for the Wainwright Amber and Gold brands and Hobgoblin. However we were assured by the staff that the Wainwright's Gold 4.1%, £4.90 on the bar was the real thing and it certainly tasted right, a perfectly drinkable if unexciting example of the golden ale style. The Marston's Pedigree 4.5%, £4.75 was also on decent form. Had lunch here and the steak , scampi and jacket potato were all well prepared and generous portions.
Passed by the Greatham Inn in Greatham village on the return journey but this does not open until 4.30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays (closed Mondays, 5 pm Tuesdays to Thursdays), the only lunchtime opening (1 pm) being Sundays. Reports welcomed.

The Royal Oak, Lower Farringdon (16 March - TD)

After a mercifully short hiatus the Golden Pheasant on the A32 in Lower Farringdon reopened under its original name of the Royal Oak on 15 March 2024 having been bought by local resident Barry Pethers.
Very little has changed in the real ale provision with five handpumps in use dispensing three permanent beers, Bowman Swift One, Crafty LBB and Sharp's Doom Bar. There are two changing guests, one of which is always from Triple fff, the other likely to be from local microbreweries such as Dancing Man of Southampton. Today I had LBB and Triple fff Sundown, both in good order. There is live music in the function room on Friday nights and food provision is planned from around mid-April.