A group of women in Leeds recently joined the growing number of female beer drinkers when the
Leeds Brewery Tap hosted a pre-Easter beer and chocolate tasting.
The tasting was organised by Dea Latis – named after the Celtic goddess of beer – a nationwide group aiming to encourage more women to enjoy beer. They have staged beer and chocolate tastings in London before, but the event was the first to be held outside the capital.
Guests tasted six different beers, each with a different chocolate designed to bring out the taste in each. Expert guidance was provided by Annabel Smith, Dea Latis founder and one of the country’s few beer sommeliers.
Smith said, “Beer and chocolate are perfect partners. They are both a balance of sweetness and bitterness, so when consumed together, the tastes and textures complement each other.
“Our guests at yesterday’s tasting included experienced beer lovers, occasional beer drinkers and complete novices, but everyone learned something new and, more importantly, had a great evening tasting beer with chocolate.”
The matches sampled by guests were:
- Leeds Yorkshire Blonde and Ye Old Sun Inn Venezuelan Chocolte
- Ossett Treacle Stout with Bon Bon’s Dark Chocolate Caramels
- Brains Boilermaker IPA with Dar Chocolate and Lemon Parfait
- Jacobsen Velvet Ale with Champagne Truffles
- Ilkley Brewery ‘The Mayan’ Chocolate Chipotle Stout with Turkish Delight
- Blue Moon with Terry’s Chocolate Orange
A vote was taken by the group at the end of the evening to choose their favourite beer and chocolate match, and this was won by Ilkley Brewery ‘The Mayan’ matched with Turkish Delight. In a double coup, ‘The Mayan’ was brewed by Harriet Marks, the only beer on the evening to be brewed by a female.
Smith concluded, “This was one of our most successful events and it’s great to move Dea Latis out of London and start involving women in other parts of the country. We chose Leeds because it has such a wonderful, thriving brewing scene and the Brewery Tap was the perfect venue for us.”
Dea Latis 