"Battle of The Sexes" THE RESULT

Warming Up !

 So, our inaugural beer & food match in the distinguished company of John Keeling & Melissa Cole (to whom we both owe a great big thank you) & under the heading of  "Battle of the sexes" has passed & ended up as a resounding success.

It was one of the more difficult functions we've ever catered for but it was not as if we slid into the beer & food match world gently in any way.

Getting in the flow....

We entered into it with a four course meal, the starter was made up of four separate components alone, the main was two plus each course was matched with two rival beers, which meant that the sixty people booked each had to be delivered sixteen different beers throughout the evening, (needless to say sobriety was not in much evidence come taxi time)



Pass the "Canopys" Mavis...



It also had to be timed such that the beers were at the correct temperature in the correct order at the correct point in the meal, to call it a logistical mind bender would be one description for it, although our poor assistant manager who's task this was had a more flowery version.! The food was not standard fare either there were some quite "challenging" dishes (again not a term our chefs used during service ) including a Fatt Putt , Lahmacun and Salt cod Brandade all made from scratch, Irish rock oysters to open as close to service as possible & not to mention caramel tarts & pear tatins all individually crafted. One of the main focuses from the chefs eye view was to deliver as much fine flavours as possible in the food to compliment & match all the excellent beers chosen by John & Melissa.

The man speaks !

It would have been easier to cook up a few sausages, serve a chocolate cake & bang out a cheese board but this was not what we were aiming for. We have set our own high bar for beer & food tasting here at The Red Lion and enjoyed it immensely, now watch out for the sequel in the Spring, It's going to be huge...trust us !

By the way forgot to mention, Melissa launched her new book "Let Me Tell You About Beer: A Beginner's Guide to All Things Brewed" well worth it. And finally if you wondered, yes, the stronger sex did win....... 

"Battle of the Sexes".. A Beer & Food match with a difference.

Finally the time is here to unveil an event we have been planning for some time.


We are calling it "Battle of the Sexes" it is a beer and food matching event with a difference. It is an evening in the company of two great minds of the beer world and a fantastic chance to glean some valuable knowledge about the flavours of different beers and how they compliment a whole array of foods. It is an evening that will involve a carefully written 4 course menu all matched with different beers.
 The twist in this evening is that the beers will be chosen by two completely different representatives of the universe, yes, you've guessed it, one is a man and the other is..shock horror, (wait for it) ...a real life woman !


Your job is to decide who is right, if at all either.


The experts in question are old foes and sparring partners in the shape of, John Keeling, Fuller’s master brewer with over 40 years experience, and well respected the length and breadth of the country for his expert beer making skills, and Melissa Cole, the leading beer writer and journalist, author of girlsguidetobeer.blogspot.com and her up and coming book “Let Me Tell You About Beer: A Beginner's Guide to All Things Brewed”, Melissa also regularly writes for the Guardian, and is an expert on food and matching the hidden flavours that lurk beneath the surface.


Both John & Melissa will choose a beer to match each course of the dinner, both will have had time to consider flavours they are matching it with, but they will not know what each other has chosen right up until literally the last minute.
As you can, hopefully, tell it is going to be a tongue in cheek, good humoured night, plenty of banter and a few chances available to score a few points against the weaker sex, which one is the weaker ? well that’s for you to decide, but you better be sure, if you know what’s good for you.

The cost is £25 per head, tickets are now on sale and there really are limited spaces. Call in, call up or drop us an email now.

Spring Sprinter

A surprise package hit the bar last weekend in the form of a brand new ale from the brewery called Spring Sprinter it is available during April & May & is a light zesty ale with a real spring in its step. Brewed to 4% ABV with Nelson Sauvin hops harvested in New Zealand, this wonderful beer has subtle gooseberry flavours which are balanced perfectly with the biscuity sweetness from the English malts.

We are recommending it to go with our famous London Pride battered Haddock & Chips as perfect accompaniment. Give it a whirl some time, it really is that good, especially in our garden with the sun on your back, what could be better.