Red Willow – The Young Pretender

The Young Pretender, Treacle Taps sister bar in Congleton tonight plays host to Red Willow brewer Toby Mckenzie and a selection of local food producers including Pure Origin chocolate.

I’m going to “attempt” to live blog tonight as things happen, however baring in mind I’m doing this by phone & for the first time, it could be disastrous….

To build up to the big event I’m starting the evening with Brodies Brewery’s Hoxton Special IPA. A hop explosion is the only description I can muster.

Ok, first beer up is Fathomless Oyster Stout brewed with of course fresh oysters and what better to serve with it, fresh oysters of course!

Wow, that combination really works well, the smooth metallic finish of the stout, the salty sea freshness of the oyster cutting through the smooth dark malty sweetness. Nice

Next up pies & beer, a really buttery pastried pie. Beef cooked is solely Headless, no stock just Headless & served with Headless and it works fantastically well. Rich beef with a smack of orange citrus, sounds odd. Isn’t, that is all..

Coming up De Koninck served with twice roasted belly pork with honey & ginger

Moving on we’re on Heartless, chocolate stout brewed with masses of the finest chocolate going in my opinion Pure Origin. Lee from Pure Origin us here thankfully with plate after plate if chocolate samples. A chocolate lovers heaven..

Finishing off with Remorseless IPA, Toby’s 200th brew & bitter as a scorned lover but twice as nice, served with bread made using the grain used to brew the beer and a really salty blue cheese. The cheese is savoury, the bread sweet and malty cut with sabrelike bitterness from the massive hop presence. YUM

Events almost reaching its conclusion, almost, it’s someone’s birthday?