Walking into the Wandering Palate in Monton, I had very little knowledge about the combinations and pairings of wines, beers and cheese… I do now.
On Thursday 17 July, I was welcomed to a “Beer vs Wine with Cheese” night in Monton, my expectations were high, and I was certainly not disappointed.
I have a love for all three components of the night, cheese, beer, and wine – and a further appreciation for being educated in this world and throughout the evening that is exactly what I got.
And I sat down at the table, with the event starting at 6:30pm, being offered a Manchester Union Lager at the door – I was made to feel immediately comfortable.
Hosted by Wandering Palate owner, Will, he was able to walk through our four cheeses on the board whilst enjoying the offerings of selected wines, and a wonderful variety of European beers – until it ended at 8:30pm
We were even lucky enough to try a highly regarded and considered ‘best beer in the world’ St Bernardus Abt 12 – a beer made by Belgian monks.
And as we tucked into our cheeseboard and consumed our beer and wine, it was both pleasant and comforting – very much a different drinking experience to what I am used to in pubs.
I also thoroughly loved the stories of the alcohol, and the cheese too, which included a red, goats, brie, and blue cheese – being entertained about the only Brie that is exported too France – the room was truly enjoying this experience.
We were able to pair these with a selection of beer that included MCR Union Lager, Kriek Boon, La Chouffe, and St Bernardus Abt 12.
And they were up against a selection of wine that was a lovely chardonnay, a Moscato, a Roja wine and a Shiraz.
And that seemed to be the aim of the night, allowing those with experience in pairings to enjoy it, whilst allowing beginners like me to get involved.
And this was echoed by Will at the end of the evening, he said: “The tasting are used to allow people to understand the product, and the effort, and the passion that has gone into the produce.
“So, a night like this allows you to try the beers, wines, and cheeses that we stock – and it allows people to know and gain a love for something.
“We have been doing the tastings for four years, and it is all about passing on our love for wine, and the products. We just want to pass on that passion.”
And that was something that I felt throughout, as it wasn’t a tasting where you were told what to enjoy, but rather an experience where you were able to navigate your own way through the combinations of flavours and share them.
For that reason, I would recommend it to anyone interested in wines, cheeses, and beer – but also to those who are inexperienced, it has it all.
And I certainly will be returning in the near future. More information can be found here.
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