6th March 2006

Hooky beer and great food at Navy Oak

Hook Norton Brewery continued its growing programme of beer and food evenings with a five-course banquet at the Navy Oak, Leafield, Oxfordshire – a pub with a fast growing reputation for its innovative and imaginative food.
At a recent dinner, 20 diners were treated to five dishes specially created by the pub’s free trade licensee Alastair Ward, with each dish paired with a Hook Norton beer chosen by brewer James Clarke.
A small glass of Hooky Bitter was served as an aperitif. 303AD was paired with a tomato and lentil soup; Old Hooky accompanied corned beef with a poached egg; Haymaker partnered cod cooked with beer; Double Stout wonderfully complimented the main course of braised beer with olives and First Light was served with apple crumble and home made ice cream. To end the meal Twelve Days was served as a digestif.
Hooky’s James Clarke who led a tutored tasting said: “There are many hundred of different flavours of beer, and it is a very versatile drink and the perfect accompaniment to many foods.
“Beer has a fantastic range of flavours and styles, far more than wine. And too many people are unaware of the joys of real beer with quality food. Indeed with many foods beer is far more enjoyable to sip than a glass of wine.”