Announcements

AN AWARD-WINNING brewery is to honour local history and the royal family, with a special Diamond Jubilee beer.

Brass Castle Brewery at Pocklington is producing a red rye ale called Q-Queenie, to coincide with the celebrations in early June marking the Queen’s 60 years on the throne.

Brewery owner Phil Saltonstall said he was keen to produce a special beer, and said: “When we went looking for a name, Q-Queenie was simply the obvious choice.

“Many aircraft that flew from local airfields during the Second World War went under the name ‘Q-Queenie’ – indeed, my grandfather flew Halifax bombers out of East Yorkshire.

“Since we brew at Lord Halifax’s brewhouse near Pocklington, and a Halifax of 102 Squadron flew under the Q-Queenie moniker from RAF Pocklington, the beer has named itself.”

The pump clip which will promote the beer at the bar, shows a Halifax Bomber dropping diamonds instead of bombs.

The beer is likely to go on sale at the Jubilee Festival at Burnby Hall in Pocklington on June 4 and a cask will also be going to the Waggon and Horses in Lawrence Street, York.

Mr Saltonstall said the beer was a dry-hopped rye session ale, with a reddish hue. It has an ABV of 4.0 per cent.

He said: “It’s an opportunity to celebrate the brave individuals of Bomber Command, while also noting that for much of this Jubilee year plenty of people will be queuing for Queenie!”