We headed to The Oaks Hotel in Neutral Bay for their ‘Pirate Life’ Beer dinner. Be sure to keep an eye out for upcoming events at www.oakshotel.com.au, they host an amazing array of events. The dinner was held in the bright open function space, The Garden Pavilion. With an outlook to one of Sydney’s most iconic beer gardens with their famous Oak tree decorated with fairy lights, a truly spectacular setting to be matched by what was ahead.
The Dinner was Hosted by Red Proudfoot, Head Brewer from Pirate Life. Red is a talented brewer and a great host, providing an informative and entertaining insight into the Pirate life product. A company which started in a garage in Adelaide by a group of mates with a passion for brewing beer. Pirate Life primarily targets bottle shops, however some good news for us Pirate Life fans: The Oaks are on to Pirate Life and serve the golden or darker elixirs at the bar. They even have the Pirate Life IPA on tap!
There was no easing into this meal, starting with the beef rib bites. The Succulent beef rib cubes with a crisp crumb served and smoked eggplant were perfectly paired with the Pirate Life NZ Hop Co. This pale complimented by the beef and smoke of the eggplant.
It is hard to get a good risotto, thankfully the guys at the Oaks delivered the goods with the squid ink risotto served with Smoked Mt Cook Salmon and mustard cress. Again the smoke flavour from the salmon working well with the Pirate Life Pale Ale paired with this dish.
The next dish had us all salivating, the slow braised beef cheek served with mash, sauteed spinach and charred dutch carrots. This dish was perfect for this Brisk winters night. The beef so tender, the fork alone was sufficient to devour this beautiful piece of meat. I am a fan of all varieties of pale ale and you guessed it: this meal was paired with the Pirate life IPA. The IPA having a well balanced combination of malt and hops with a slight fruitiness helping cut through the richness of the beef cheek.
A soft gooey centred chocolate fondant, what better way to finish the meal? Well, combine this rich dessert with another level of richness from the Pirate Life stout, and you have yourself the perfect end to the pairing. At 7.1% ABV, the stout is heavy on alcohol. Perfect for sipping and for savouring its chocolate maltiness.
We would like to thank the guys at Pirate Life for doing what they do: producing quality beer. We will be sure to keep an eye out for Pirate Life to stock the fridge.
A big thanks to The Oaks Hotel for their hospitality and for inviting us to enjoy a evening of delicious food and quality beer, with great company who shared a passion for beer. We will be keeping an eye out for the upcoming events including the Feral Brewing Co tap takeover, the Meat Masterclass and Whisky of the Worlds Masterclass.