Just Add Beer Podcast provides ‘beer flight of conversation’ with top chefs
The desire for creativity and craft has never been greater as people embrace the opportunities of increased time, learning new skills as they pursue new, and reignited, passions in the current lockdown. With pubs and restaurants closed, and holiday travel to Cornwall postponed, the creative team at Sharp’s Brewery have launched a new podcast: Just Add Beer, a ‘five course beer flight of conversation’, that takes listeners on a gourmet mini break to Cornwall with some of the county’s top chefs.
The first episode, available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and via the Sharp’s website, drops this week, with John Walton, Group Executive Chef for Paul Ainsworth, joining Sharp’s beer sommelier Ed Hughes on his culinary journey, with an accompanying recipe and matching beer list available online.
Sharp Brewery is the brewer of the UK’s number one cask ale Doom Bar and 2018 saw longstanding team members Rachel Williams and Ed Hughes writing and editing a Cornish collaborative cookbook ‘Just Add Beer.’ The book celebrates beer both as an ingredient and as a pairing for a variety of recipes, created alongside top chefs who either live and work in Cornwall or have strong links to the county.
Just Add Beer: the podcast brings the book to life giving listeners a behind-the-scenes insight into some of the chefs, exploring their passions, their inspiration and their personal journeys through successful careers, as well as a deeper-dive on each of their recipes and a few laughs on the way.
In the inaugural 50-minute podcast Ed Hughes engages John Walton, who has recently become Chef Patron, at Mahé, Paul Ainsworth’s new cookery school and chef’s table, in conversation. John reflects on his career whilst ‘flying the flag’ for Padstow, for Cornwall and for the Camel Estuary, home to the Doom Bar sandbank, along which Ed and John both grew up.
John is driven by a life-long passion for cooking local produce. Having met Paul Ainsworth in 2003 when they were both working under Marcus Wareing in London, Paul was keen to have John back by his side when he opened Number 6. Having been the Head Chef there since the early days, Paul holds John in high regard as not only a fantastic leader and mentor, but also as the glue that holds the team together.
Within the ‘feast for the ears’ podcast, John and Ed discuss John’s Just Add Beer recipe: Doom Bar Mussels, made with Porthilly mussels, the beds for which can be overlooked from the Ainsworth’s pub, The Mariners, in Rock. Mussels are one of John’s favourite shellfish, and pairing this dish with beer takes them to a whole new level, forming a great centrepiece to any dinner table.
Sharp’s Brewery’s Beer Sommelier, Ed Hughes, says, “We know food and drink is a passion for many of our drinkers and we have worked hard over the years to champion how beer and food can be the perfect match, transforming perceptions of beer to be more than just a great pint. With our new Just Add Beer podcast we wanted to find a way to share this experience and offer drinkers, fans and foodies a new take on the podcast platform that would not only entertain, but educate and make life a little better during these unusual times.”
Upcoming episodes are set to feature Paul Ainsworth himself, his Head Chef at Number 6, Chris McClurg and many more from the Cook Book including Jude Kereama, Stephane Delourme and James Knappett. The podcast series can be found on the Sharp’s Brewery website at www.sharpsbrewery.co.uk. You can buy all of the award-winning Sharp’s Brewery’s beers from the brewery’s online shop, delivered anywhere in the mainland UK. To shop online, visit: https://www.sharpsbrewery.co.
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For more information, contact Else Welde [else@excess-energy.co.uk]
About Sharp’s Brewery Ltd:
Sharp’s Brewery is a modern brewer, based in Rock, Cornwall, which has grown rapidly since its foundation in 1994, doubling staff number in the last 7 years from 70 to 145. The largest brewer of cask beer in the South West, Sharp’s flagship beer, Doom Bar, is probably the most successful cask beer of its generation and is the UK’s no.1 cask beer brand and winner of The Grocer’s Drinks Brand of the Year 2019.
A testament to the quality of each drop of beer, Sharp’s has a tally of over 100 international brewing awards, which in 2019 included five medals at the Drinks Business Awards, five medals at the International Beer Challenge, two medals at the World Beer Challenge and five titles at the esteemed World Beer Awards 2019, all against some very stiff competition. In addition to these accolades, Sharp’s also won five medals at the 2018 International Beer Challenge, two at the World Beer Awards 2018, five at the 2017 International Beer Challenge, including GOLD for Wolf Rock, five medals at the World Beer Awards 2017, five medals at the 2017 Beer Awards, the ‘People’s Favourite Cask Ale’ at Inapub’s People Choice Awards 2017, and Best Drink for Doom Bar in the food Reader Awards 2017.
Sharp’s Brewery is a proud supporter of grassroots rugby in Cornwall and sponsors a number of local clubs. Passionate about its home and coastal surroundings in Cornwall, the brewery has contributed over £42k to support the work of the Blue Flag initiative in Cornwall since 2015, ensuring that the county has more Blue Flag and Seaside Award beaches than any other part of the UK. In 2019, Sharp’s turned the tables on the music industry through ‘Keynvor’, a partnership with Mercury Music Prize nominee Nick Mulvey to produce the first playable vinyl made from recycled ocean plastic found on the Cornish coast. Proceeds from sales of the exclusive ‘Ocean Vinyl’ including digital streams will go to Surfers Against Sewage to help protect British coastlines from pollution, including plastic waste.
Website: www.sharpsbrewery.co.
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Twitter: @SharpsBrewery
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