The Keystones, York

A fairly busy pub on a busy junction slightly to the east of York city centre, outside the walls. For a Monday evening, there were a few in, including a large dog in the centre blocking access to much of the pub. It felt a fairly bright and plain pub, but service was friendly and there were a couple of Bradfield beers on - Farmer's Blonde & Belgian Blue. The latter was passable.

Very much a student pub, located just outside the city walls - slightly scruffy, lots of TV screens, pool table etc.- but it does have a reasonable selection of cask ales on: Ossett Silver King, Ainsty Angel and Sharp's Solar Wave.

I visited Keystones on a recent Thursday evening just after the weekly quiz had finished, so it was busy, mainly with students. The clement evening had drawn lots more students to the long concrete beer garden out back that is overlooked by the old city walls at Monk Bar. Inside, wooden floors are found throughout, apart from the two carpeted seating areas either side of the entrance. The bar counter runs up the left-hand wall and in the right rear corner is a pool table. Televisions throughout were airing cricket on Sky Sports. Standard, premium and craft keg were available, and the three hand pumps were drawing Sharp’s Doom Bar, TT Landlord and Ainsty Ales’ Angel. The service was polite, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to revisit.

The Keystones is a Scream branded pub that caters mainly for students but does also get an older local following because of its reasonably priced food and drink. Inside is one square shaped room that has been knocked through over the years with numerous tables and sofas for diners and a pool table at the rear. There is also a large concrete outside area to the back with many large tables and umbrellas. Beer wise there are three hand pulls that are usually all in operation that on my visit were dispensing Sonnet 43 Aurora Pale ale (£3) Elland brewerys Elland Blonde and Hobgoblin. the sonnet 43 pale ale was ok but a bit cold and not on top form but adaquate, this is usually the case with the beers in here. They also sell permium craft beers at very reasonable prices compared with most establishments such as Brew dog Punk IPA at £3.55. I am not the biggest fan of this pub as it always seems a bit drab and dirty to me and looks like a clean up/investment could do it a world of good. passing by the beer choice is reasonable and they do tend to have a good rotation of smaller micro brews on at least one pump at all times so credit there. I would pop in for one again but just the one.

I called into this pub as it was on the current Real Ale Trail in York, and I found it to be a quiet friendly pub. There was a reasonable food menu and we had Jacket Potatoes along with the beer and both were very good. There are TV's for sport, and a pool table, plus quite a big garden at the back.