Whilst fine wine and food have always been natural bedfellows, the art of pairing beer with culinary creations is still very much underappreciated. In fact, in many traditional establishments, ordering a pint with dinner is cause enough to earn you a withering look. Those people are missing out however; with the right knowledge, beer can absolutely enhance your meal and bring out the most subtle of flavours. If you aren’t sure where to begin, might I suggest Wild Beer at Jessop House in Cheltenham?
Who are Wild Beer?
In a word, Wild Beer focus on flavour. The Wild Beer group are highly commended brewers, specialising in unorthodox wild yeasts harvested from their neighbouring Somerset cider orchard, barrel aging and alternative fermentation. Take a look at their ever changing beer board, and you’ll find a rotation of some 30 plus beers on tap; ingredients are foraged, old beer styles are transformed with modern twists and collaborations with some of the world’s most innovative brewers are always just around the corner. Pair this with fresh, modern, flavour filled food and you’ve got the perfect recipe for an awesome night out!
Through the Looking Glass
A few weeks ago, LewisLoves were invited along to Jessop House; the three-storey, Georgian townhouse that Wild Beer have chosen to make their Cheltenham home. Celebrating their second birthday with a ‘Through the Looking Glass’ theme, we were thrilled to receive mysterious invitations with cute little “Drink Me” keys inside.
Clutching our keys, we were greeted by Alice, surrounded by hundreds of playing cards and crimson red paper roses. Alice led us downstairs to one of Wild Beer’s private hire rooms where the White Rabbit read us that most whimsical of tales, ‘The Walrus and the Carpenter”. Accompanying the rabbit was a welcoming little bottle of bitter negroni, made with Wild Beer’s latest gin, Shnoodlepip.
Hearing a commotion behind one of their velvet curtains, we quickly found ourselves immersed in the Mad Hatter’s tea party. This was a tea party that started curious and got curiouser though, trying a variety of delicious food paired with specially chosen beers. From sweet rainbow cakes to confit pork balls, it was surprising just how well the beers matched up. Even Sarah, with only a passing interest in beer, was keen to keep exploring different styles and see what worked. After a bout of measuring our heads for hats, the Mad Hatter was running late for a very important date; with Cheshire cat grins, we sadly climbed out of the rabbit hole and into reality.
A quick shout out here for the awesome cosplayers who really made the evening special; they actually work at Superdry but I’d have happily believed they made a living from dressing up and acting mad. On that note, the whole theme really worked actually…whilst theme nights can be a tad underwhelming at times, Wild Beer clearly embraced it and went all out to great effect!
The Beer and Food
The evening was far from over though as despite regularly visiting Jessop House and one of its sister venues in Wapping Wharf, Bristol, there are always more beers to try. My particular favourite at the moment is Fruitbooter, a raspberry and pink peppercorn sour. I’m also enjoying Jambo, an 8.5% imperial stout brewed with locally foraged raspberries and wickedly dark Valrhona cocoa nibs. I normally detest dark beer but I have to make an exception for this decadent beauty; it’s like drinking a superb black forest gateau.
For those of you who dislike beer, Wild Beer is still worth a visit. They have a decent wine selection and a carefully chosen back bar filled with high-end spirits, including their own gins. I’d still encourage you to try a few beers though; tell the passionate staff what flavours you like, and they’ll happily pour tasters until you find something you like.
In terms of food, young head chef Steve Smith brings innovation and a passion for local, well sourced ingredients. The menus include a fab Sunday roast, some great lunch deals and a globally inspired selection of small, tapas style dishes; we’ve previously tried dishes like granny smith apple sorbets, sweetcorn and basil arancini, and katsu chicken. The burger is also worth a mention as they use Tom Kerridge’s butcher, Walter Rose & Son. Having spent a good hour chatting to butcher Jack Cook and sampling sliders, I can safely say the quality of the meat is absolutely top notch.
Where can I find Wild Beer?
Head to the Cambray Place at the top end of Cheltenham’s High Street for a great lunch, afternoon or evening. Jessop House itself is a beautiful building and they’ve worked hard to create an upmarket, relaxed vibe. There are spaces for private meals or functions, as well as a cracking, sunny, courtyard beer garden out the back.