VIKINGS were great quaffers. Perhaps that's where we get it from. Eric Bloodaxe and his mates would fit right into Saturday night York, downing gallons of European lager before performing Macho Man on the karaoke and getting into a fight.

Today we are fortunate to have a fine range of crafted real ales to toast our forebears with. And what could be better this Viking Festival time than knocking back award-winning beers from Rudgate Brewery?

The 14-year-old business, located on a Viking road at Tockwith near York, produces two tasty stalwarts, Viking Bitter (ABV 3.8 per cent) and Battleaxe (4.2 per cent).

It has even brought out a special, Jolablot, named after the Viking spring jamboree on which the celebrations starting next week are based.

So it strikes Bar Talk as strange that the brewery is not involved in the festival. Apparently the brewery was keen to take part but was knocked back.

Unfortunately, this is par for the course for a concern which struggles against the odds to get its ales sold in York. Your best bets to taste its beers on draught are the Rook and Gaskill pub on Lawrence Street and the Swan, Clementhorpe (the Rook has another Rudgate special, Old Gold, as a guest next week).

As for the bottled version, again you have to search. Our friends at the York Beer and Wine Shop don't have it, and it left Tesco's shelves when the supermarket purged itself of local ales.

You should find Rudgate's output at Beer Ritz, Goodramgate, and in Costcutter shops. And well done to the Jorvik centre in Coppergate, which sells Battleaxe.

So what is the future of Rudgate? "We would expand if the market would open up. That's the problem... access," says brewery chief cook and bottle washer Richard Louden.

TODAY the Ferryboat Inn, Thorganby, was due to receive the Country Pub of the Season award.

The honour, from the York Campaign for Real Ale, is richly deserved.

Reader David Butterworth, of Bishophill, York, sent in this tribute: "This is a traditional family run pub. Olive Rogers has had the licence for over 50 years. Her husband Norman was a great character and integral part of the pub until his death in November.

"Essentially, the running of the pub lies in the hands of Olive's daughter Jackie Williamson and her husband Phil.

"Phil takes immense pride in serving great traditional beer and often has three traditional real ales being served with a great range (Old Mill, Roosters, Barnsley Bitter, Brown Cow and Durham are just a selection of the breweries used).

"This is the friendliest and most welcoming pub you could find. In winter you will often find a roaring fire and in summer there is a fantastic garden to sit out in."

What are we waiting for? All aboard the Ferryboat.

Updated: 09:27 Saturday, February 07, 2004