Bournemouth – All Hail Ale

I debated whether or not it was worth getting soaked in the rain to visit All Hail Ale, but I decided the thought of craft beer was certainly a justifiable reason and so I went for the wet look. My contribution towards the hospitality industry really is quite impressive I think.

The beer board, although the venue helpfully uses Untappd and so I was already aware of what was available. This is a carefully thought through selection, I was suitably impressed as there were different beer styles and a mixture of cask and keg.

The bar area, all cosy and comfortable with a fair range of spirits to choose from. The staff member was engaging and personable, evidently knowledgeable about the beers which always comes in handy.

Inside the pub, all on-trend, modern and fits very well into the craft beer vibe. There were a range of games to play as well, although I decided against playing Cards Against Humanity on my own.

I was surprised this wasn’t rated higher on Untappd, it’s Dainty from Eight Arch Brewing Company and I thought it was really rather good. Lots of stonefruit, a tropical flavour and decent mouthfeel, all very smooth.

This is the Mavka 2024 from Siren Brew that I decided to treat myself to. Decadent, smooth and gorgeous (all like me, other than I’m not very decadent), there was a heap of coconut, coffee, chocolate, all in all a delightful third. It doesn’t come cheap, but I paired it with some robust ham & mustard flavour crisps to accentuate the flavours. I was happy just with crisps as I had already eaten, but the pub lets you bring in food from nearby food venues. I think dogs are welcome as well, although I don’t have a dog and so I didn’t bring one.

The reviews are mostly all very positive but there’s a quite ridiculous one saying that “I was expecting something more like the vibrant offerings available in Southampton and the New Forest. Sadly this is more of an old man’s drinking den”. It sounds all very fake to me, likely someone jealous that this venue is offering some excellent beers and they wanted to have a venue like that. The venue has been going for a few years now and seems to have built up a really good reputation.

I really like this venue, it was calm and comfortable, with a welcoming ambience. The staff member was friendly and engaging, the surroundings were comfortable and I liked the higher seating. There was a decent mix of cask and keg, although I only went for the keg options on this occasion, although that’s not entirely unusual. If I’m back in Bournemouth I think I’ll meander back in here, I was really rather pleased with the whole arrangement.