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Submitted on Monday, 7^th October 2024
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The Rook Taproom, Brighton

Pub added by Paul Brett

38 Dean Street
Brighton
BN1 3EG

Phone: 01273710624

Correct details

Served areas

Brighton Central, Montpelier And Clifton Hill Conservation Area

Reviews of The Rook Taproom (Average Rating: 7½ of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Rook Taproom

I hadn't been in this place since pre-Covid when it was the Brighton Beer Dispensary. Tucked away along a side street off the busy Western Road, it has the look and feel of a traditional pub.

The front bar area is fairly small but with a 1pm opening time, we managed to arrive early and grab the table in the window and next to the bar. I sat with my back to the rest of the room and didn't notice too many other features. Two corridors lead off to the rear. The left one goes to the toilets, with the right-hand one going to what I believe was more drinking space.

There are just a couple of cask ales. For our visit, these were Hand Brew Bird & Burnt Mill Pintle. Ciders were Ascension Pilot & Aeronaut. However, it is craft beers for which the pub is know. The selection was Hand Brew Shaka, Abyss Super Pale, Beak Hum, Pomona Island Phaedra & Shablam If Shablam Ida, Deya Into The Haze & Big Zombies, Rivington One In The Morning, Azvex Sleeping Beauty Problems, Abyss/Titch Hill Halugalu, Holy Goat Sabra Cadabra, Left-Handed Giant Deeper Water, Marble Eccles Cake & Vault City Triple Fruited Mango. If that isn't enough, fridges offer further selection in bottles and cans.

I like the traditional feel of this place and the beer and cider selection is excellent. We often forget about this place when in Brighton but it's definitely one of my favourites.

On 2^nd February 2026 - rating: 8
[User has posted 3409 recommendations about 3407 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

paulof horsham left this review about The Rook Taproom

The Rook has just 2 handpumps, so the 20-odd taps let's you know where the focus is these days. Foolishly, while I was there, no-one else sampled Howling Hops tremendous cask Citra Mosaic which was easily the match of the keg options - all are well chosen from quality breweries, and with several sampled.

There's clearly been a few changes since my last visit, but definitely one for the A-list in Central Brighton.

On 14^th October 2024 - rating: 7
[User has posted 632 recommendations about 587 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Will Larter left this review about The Rook Taproom

Now reopened as the Rook Taproom, but the previous pub is easily discernable as this is one of Camra's heritage interiors and it wouldn't do to change too much. Beer lists are not sacred, though. There are now just two hand pumps on the bar, one of which had Marble Manchester Bitter and the other a strangely bland and cloudy beer from local Hand Brew, whose beer I last tasted in Kirkby Stephen. Small world. I had a keg beer from local Beak brewery, and do you know, it was cold and fizzy and tasted of citrus fruits. I went for the Hand beer, and came back a couple of days later for the Marble, which didn't taste anything like I remembered from three years ago in Sheffield. I'll have to try it again when I get back up north - it's probably the sparkler makes the difference. Despite my beer calamities, I really like this pub. Is there a cure for this affliction?

On 10^th February 2024 - rating: 7
[User has posted 4674 recommendations about 4283 pubs]

View more reviews of The Rook Taproom (15)

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