LORNA MARSH Most of us enjoy a glass of wine with our meal carefully matched to enhance our enjoyment of both food and drink.

LORNA MARSH

Most of us enjoy a glass of wine with our meal carefully matched to enhance our enjoyment of both food and drink.

But now more and more people are recognising beer as the perfect complement to our dinner, and in recognition of this the EDP has launched its own ale-tasting evening.

The extravaganza, featuring only tipples from local micro-breweries, is aimed to encourage 100 participants to appreciate the pairing of beer and food.

Meal Ale takes place on Saturday, November 11, and will showcase nine beers - coupled with a gourmet three- course dinner - including ones from Tipples, Front Street, Why Not, Wolf and the Fat Cat brewery.

Three beers will be matched by our experts to each course of the meal and it is down to drinkers to vote for their favourite ale for each of starter, main and dessert courses using special scorecards.

Participants will also be asked to name their supreme champion tipple, and the overall category winners will be announced at the end of the evening.

Oliver Franzen, EDP events executive, said: “The Meal Ale tasting is a great way of showcasing the growing number of fantastic micro-breweries within our region not always found in mainstream pubs.

“We are aiming to show that real ale has an enormous range and depth of flavour that can be appreciated with food in the same way as wine.

“We won't be getting too geeky about things, though - the emphasis is on having a great time and, with nine ales included in the price, I'm sure everyone will enjoy themselves.”

The event at the Masonic Lodge, Guildhall in Norwich, is for over 18s only and ID may be required. Tickets cost £22.50 to include all food and nine half-pints of ale in the tasting. Doors open at 6.30pm and the tasting starts at 7.30pm. For details and ticket sales, call 01603 772175.

THE MENU

Three half-pints of real ale will be served with each of the following courses and participants will choose their favourite in each category:

t Spiced Norfolk parsnip soup with crispy roll and butter.

t Pan-fried butcher's sausage on a leek and potato mash with onion gravy, garden peas and buttered Savoy cabbage.

t Sticky toffee pudding and custard.

Coffee will then be served while diners choose the supreme champion.

A pay bar serving real ale will be available before and after the tasting from 6.30pm to 11pm.

Beer in the tasting is sponsored and supplied by these microbreweries:

t Tipples

t Bull box

t Blackfriars

t Front Street Brewery

t Iceni

t Why Not

t Wolf

t Woodfordes

t Fat Cat brewery