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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum

Image posted by Will Larter
Submitted on Wednesday, 29th June 2022
With picture contributions to 12229 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (34 more images)
Detail Pages
The Vat & Fiddle, Nottingham
Nottingham
NG2 1NB
Served areas

Reviews of The Vat & Fiddle (Average Rating: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Moby Duck left this review about The Vat & Fiddle
A fairly large building fronting The Castle Rock Brewery, handily placed near the train station. There are thirteen handpumps of which the majority were serving Castle Rock beers of course but guest beers are also available, I tried Castle Rock Soft Focus which was fine. Forest were playing at home later in the day so there was a fair sprinkling of footie fans, there was still plenty of room early afternoon but maybe needs to be borne in mind. A decent place.
On 20th November 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2151 recommendations about 2118 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Vat & Fiddle
With time to spare between trains, I decided to take the 3-4 minute stroll from Nottingham railway station to the Vat & Fiddle, which is Castle Rock's brewery tap.
It fronts the brewery, but even as a standalone pub, it is worthy of a visit in its own right. Drinking space curves its way around the long bar, which has around a dozen handpulls dispensing both Castle Rock beers and guests. Craft beers are also well represented. A Vault City takeover had recently been held and there was another one from Kernel looming large. Boxed ciders are also available.
With plenty of staff on hand, service was fairly quick in the main. Hot snacks were also being served on my lunchtime visit.
Standard Castle Rock beers on were Harvest Pale, Elsie Mo, Screech Owl, Preservation & Our House. Also from Castle Rock were Door of the Cosmos & Just Can't Get Enough. Guest ales were Loud Shirt Like Clockwork, Turning Point Swim To The Moon & Light of the Elder, Lenton Lane Pale Moonlights & Pentrich Crimes In Citra.
Ciders were Weston's Old Rosie, Snail's Bank Rhubarb Cider, Torkard Floppy Tabs, Sneinton Fifth Element & Newton Court Original Farmhouse Scrumpy, whilst craft beers all from Vault City were Raspberry Blueberry Bubblegum Bottles, Maple Vanilla Choc Chip Stout, Even Cloudier Double Dry Hopped & Strawberry Supernova.
My first visit here in just over 5 years, this is quite possibly Nottingham city centre's best pub. It is well worth missing a train for!
On 14th November 2023
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3040 recommendations about 3038 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Strongers . left this review about The Vat & Fiddle
The Vat & Fiddle is Castle Rock’s Tap with picnic tables in the car park at the rear overlooked by the brewery behind. Seven of the twelve hand pumps were drawing CRB beers, I went for Bold as Love which was well served. The guests on during a recent Wednesday visit were Little Brewing’s Rambler, Northern Monk’s A Little Faith, Cloudwater & JW Lees’ Piccadilly Star and Redwillow’s Faithless. Standard, premium and craft keg was also available and there’s a food menu, the burger is priced at £13. The staff were all very friendly and I will certainly revisit when next in Nottingham.
On 7th August 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5970 recommendations about 5936 pubs]
View more reviews of The Vat & Fiddle (26)
Nottingham 11.11.11 by Gill Smith
Nottingham's Brewing Highlights by Mark Davey
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- Official site of The Vat & Fiddle - www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk
- Facebook - Vat and Fiddle
- Twitter - VatandFiddle
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Vat & Fiddle - whatpub.com
Netherfield, 3.67 miles, 1 hr 10 min walk (show)
Beeston, 3.78 miles, 1 hr 12 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 14 November 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Bar Billiards : Yes last updated 12 November 2011 by David McNally
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 08 September 2023 by Will Larter
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 08 September 2023 by Will Larter
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 08 September 2023 by Will Larter
- Car Park : No last updated 18 July 2013 by Alan Winfield
- Child Friendly : Yes - Until 21.00. - last updated 26 November 2020 by Tris C
- Darts : Yes last updated 14 November 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Dog Friendly : Yes last updated 26 November 2020 by Tris C
- Function Room : Yes last updated 26 November 2020 by Tris C
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 18 July 2013 by Alan Winfield
- Live Music : Yes last updated 14 November 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Micropub : No last updated 02 October 2015 by ROB Camra
- Pinball : No last updated 14 November 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Pool Table : No last updated 14 November 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Quiz Night : Yes last updated 14 November 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Real Ale : Yes - Castle Rock brewery tap. - last updated 26 November 2020 by Tris C
- Real Cider : Yes last updated 26 November 2020 by Tris C
- WiFi : Yes last updated 26 November 2020 by Tris C