Ale House - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition ale-house

Definition :

Ale-house, a place where ale with other intoxicating liquors as deemed proper by the keeper, is sold by retail to be drunk on the premises where sold. Such a house, commonly called also a public-house, has for a long time, by a series of Acts consolidated in 1828 by 9 Geo. 4, c. 61 (styled 'The (English) Alehouse Act, 1828,' by the Short Titles Act, 1896, but [and more correctly 'The (English) Intoxicating Liquors Licensing Act, 1828,' by the Licensing Act, 1872], required a license from justices of the peace as well as an excise license; whereas the houses called beer-houses, first established in 1830 by 11 Geo. 4 & 1 Wm. 4, c. 64, required an excise license only until the passing of the Wine and Beerhouse Act, 1869. See INTOXICATING LIQUORS.