Rook & Gaskill, York

A narrow terraced pub ran by Nottingham’s Castle Rock Brewery, part in terracotta rustication and part in grey and white painted brick, with etched windows. It is also a music venue. The interior is in an L-shape around the serving bar and on a couple of levels – so watch the step! The décor is red, cream and wood panel, with a yellowy ceiling and patterned floor. There is a brick fireplace with an old stove in it. Interest was supplied by both a collection of beer mats and mirrors on the walls, as well as some sporting pictures. The service was fine and the clientele consisted of a few locals. There was no background music, or a TV that I saw. Beer; usual tap stuff, with around 10 real ales on handpull. I had both the Titanic Chocolate Stout and the Burton Bridge Porter, both of which were in fine form. Castle Rock obviously features significantly I would more than happily re-visit here again. It is a really good real ale pub, which is in the GBG 2010 and deservedly so.

I think this pub was called The Queen in the early 80s and was a Stones house things have improved a lot since those days and this pub has a new name and is now a Castle Rock house with their excellent beers on the bar plus plenty oy other micro beers i had Harvest Pale which tasted just as good here as it does in the Vat and Fiddle in Nottingham.

As it says below Castle Rock's York house with 14 handpumps, one or two with cider the rest Castle Rock and guests, eurobottles and some kegs including Brewdog 77 Lager. Earthier drab colour scheme at the front and cream walls further back in the raised area where the counter is, there is also an outside area for smoking and drinking. Beery pictures and pump clips for decoration. The attraction of course is in the excellently kept beers, the pub is a regular GBG entry and winner of local CAMRA awards the latest being Town Pub of the Season (Spring 2010).