Real ales and local cheese tasting brings Green Week to a close

An imperial Roman stout, the only traditional farmhouse brie made in the UK, and a golden ale originally brewed in collaboration with classicist Professor Mary Beard were some of the local products available for sampling at the St John's College Bar on Friday evening.

The 'Celebration of Beer and Cheese' rounded off Green Week, a five-day programme of activities to raise environmental awareness around College, with many of the events showcasing locally-sourced, sustainable produce. The tasting event featured three local ales, a unique cheese from Suffolk, and a 'blind' crisp tasting. The event was attended by students and staff of St John's, along with speakers Richard Naisby from Milton Brewery and Bill Brogan, Conference and Catering Manager of St John's.

Glasses of real ale and tasting notes were set out on the large central table alongside plates of cheese and crackers to which guests could help themselves, and the evening commenced with Bill Brogan presenting the unique Baron Bigod cheese. Brogan explained that the cheese, made by Fen Farm Dairy in Suffolk, uses protein-rich milk from Montbeliarde cows and is the only traditional raw milk Brie-de-Meaux style cheese produced in the UK. It is one of only a handful of its type in the world that can be called a true farmhouse brie.

Richard Naisby from Milton Brewery presented three of his ales, Minerva, Saturnalia, and Marcus Aurelius, describing the beer styles, the hops and malts used, and the reason why they were brewed. He said that hoppy Minerva was initially brewed in collaboration with Professor Mary Beard after a Twitter conversation where Beard commented that the classical names of Milton beers are very masculine - Dionysus, Nero, Justinian - and the brewery should think about redressing the balance by brewing a beer named after a classical female, such as the goddess Minerva. Naisby said this was a fair point, and promptly invited Professor Beard to help brew the beer and "bring some feminine wisdom to the brewing day". The challenge was accepted, and in December 2013 Beard and her son visited the brewery in Waterbeach to help brew the ale, which is now one of the brewery's regular beers.

"We organised the beer, cheese and crisps tasting in order to showcase local products, and it went very well." said Bill Brogan. "We have had some good feedback, it was a great set up in the bar, and there was a really good buzz!"

The three Milton beers are available at the College Bar while stocks last during Real Ale Week this week, 17-23 November, with a real ale on offer at just £2.75 a pint.