Beer meets its match on menu

THE French are immensely proud of their wines, treasuring the distinctive local vintages and celebrating the combination of good food and good wine.

There’s a parallel on this side of the Channel in the shape of Britain’s remarkable range of regional beers, yet the contrast in national attitudes could hardly be greater. Mention “real ale” to most people and chances are it will conjure up the stereotype of bearded men in home-knitted sweaters debating the merits of Old Gutwrencher in a sawdust-strewn taproom.

However, Sally Hastewell and Jon Hemingway don’t see it like that, for not only do they own one of West Yorkshire’s real ale meccas, The Brewer’s Pride, in Ossett, but they’ve also opened a high class restaurant – Millers – on the same premises and are out to persuade people that fine cuisine and cask ale are a perfect partnership.

Sally was the Brewer’s Pride manager when she and regular customer Jon got together in early 2005. He said: “Initially we just changed some minor things I’d been aware of as a customer. Then, two-and-a-half years ago, we got the opportunity to purchase the premises and at that point we decided to build a restaurant at the back of the pub.

“Neither of us are by any means regulars at celebrity chef emporiums,” smiled John. “However, we enjoy good food and we’re confident we offer a fine dining proposition here. At the same time we want to emphasise that it’s not one of those restaurants that can be a daunting, or expensive, experience: what we want to do is simply bring high quality food in high quality surroundings to the local area.”

Millers has been in business since April 2010 and Sally and John are in the process of introducing a new menu which will include recommendations on the best beer to go with each dish.

Unlike a restaurant wine cellar, which will typically stock the same vintages for a long period, one of the attractions of pubs such as the Brewer’s Pride is that the choice of ales changes almost constantly.

However, Jon has a clever solution to that potential dilemma. “We have nine different beers on at any one time on nine different pumps – but, unusually for a real ale pub, every beer on a particular pump will always have a specific style.

“So, for example, on line one, as we call it, there will always be a pale, hoppy beer with a citrus taste and therefore that style of beer will go with a particular dish. Regular drinkers are used to that system and there’s no reason why diners shouldn’t think likewise.”

In opening Millers, Sally and Jon were careful not to dilute the appeal of the venue to existing customers.

“We were mindful when we developed the restaurant that the last thing we wanted to do was put lots of ‘bums on seats’ who wanted to eat but in so doing alienate the regular drinking trade, so we have kept the two parts separate, with a separate entrance for Millers,” said Jon.

“Of course, by doing it that way, it still means someone can have a fine pint and then go upstairs for some equally fine food.”

The couple have faith in head chef Mark Cording and sous chef James Wilby.

“Mark was at the Buck Inn, at Buckden, for many years,” said Jon. “In his time there managed to achieve two AA rosettes and was involved in catering on quite a grand scale. James is 25 years old, which is quite young, but he’s very talented and the two of them are working well together.

“I’m a firm believer that if you employ a chef of Mark’s experience and standing, it would be pretty foolhardy to try and tell him what to do, so we leave them to get on with it and the results have been excellent.

“As well as having them for the restaurant, which is open Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday lunchtime, they now alternate on the weekday evening food in the pub so there’s been a step up in quality there.” It serves traditional pub grub – pies on Monday, tapas on Tuesday, steaks on Wednesday, pizza and pasta on Thursday – but prepared by top-line chefs.

Fine food and fine beer: never mind France, here’s a Great British marriage made in heaven!

Brewer’s Pride and Millers Restaurant; Healey Road, Ossett WF5 8ND.