The correct beer and cheese pairings can be as iconic as the meticulously-curated wine pairing menus accompanying five-star dinners.
Since beer is produced with bitter yet fruity hops, the often piquant flavors can perfectly complement the herbal, nutty and earthy notes of many cheeses. In fact, for certain destinations around the globe, beer and cheese is the celebrated pairing of happy hour, like a perfect pint with a saison with Herve in Bruges, a pale lager with aged gouda in Amsterdam, or a Greek pilsner with feta cheese in Argos.
“It’s all about balance of flavors and intensities… creating a contrast that enhances both the beer and cheese flavors,” says Michael Oxton, co-founder of Night Shift Brewing, who exemplifies the sharpness of aged cheddar against the boldness of an IPA or the creaminess of brie to complement the complexity of ales.
Below, Oxton and industry experts share nine of their favorite beer and cheese pairings.
The strong flavors of blue cheese call for a more subtle pairing, such as the lighter profile of a pale ale. Sarah Real, owner and head brewster of Hot Plate Brewing recommends one of her preferred pairings: The Brewery at Four Star Farm Spring Mending American Pale Ale and Bayley Hazen Blue from Jasper Hill Farm in Vermont. “Spring Mending carries a citrus aroma but hints of the malt come through, setting a soft palette for the significant impact of the buttery blue cheese,” she notes.
As a cheddar ages, its flavors become bolder compared to the milder profile of less aged varieties. Consequently, robust flavors are vital to balance the salty and savory taste of a cheese, such as Tillamook Extra Aged. Michael Oxton, co-founder of Night Shift Brewing, states that a hop-forward beer like their Santilli IPA is the perfect pairing. “The robust, west coast flavors of Santilli complement the rich and sharp taste of the aged cheddar perfectly,” Oxton points out.
Real highlights that a New England IPA, such as Strong Rope Brewery Wolf Sweater, exhibits “fruity notes that harmonize well with the hint of bitterness and nutty flavor of Manchego cheese.”
For those who are convinced they don’t enjoy blue cheese, Christine Clark, a writer and cheese educator, suggests trying Kerrygold Cashel Blue paired with a Guinness. “The frothiness of the Guinness helps offset the buttery richness of the cheese, and the peppery bite from the blue mold is softened by the roasted notes from the malt,” Clark explains.
Originating from the village it was named after, Morbier is a semi-soft cow’s cheese featuring a rich texture with herbal undertones and a pervasive nutty, sometimes bitter, aftertaste. Real suggests pairing this cheese with Great Notion Puffery Lager, a Helles lager featuring Hallertau Mittelfruh hops, which is delivered from High Lawn Farm in Massachusetts. She describes the lager as clean and crisp, making it an ideal match for the sweet, grassy, smoky pepper-infused cheese.
According to Oxton, a Pilsner, which is a lager variety notable for its hop-forward profile, goes well with aged Gouda. The pilsner’s crisp nature cuts through the cheese’s richness while enhancing the sweetness from both elements. He recommends pairing Night Shift’s Garden Party Pilsner with a Beemster Extra Aged.
Cheddar cheese’s creamy consistency is wonderfully complemented by a Belgian beer’s subtle citrus notes and higher alcoholic content. Real suggests a pairing with the Countess of Flanders Belgian-Style Golden Strong from Hot Plate Brewing, which perfectly matches the Isle of Mull cheddar from Neal’s Yard Dairy in Scotland. The cheese is rich and savory, made from cows that graze on grass in the summer and hay in the winter, and consume a fermented grain supplement from a local distillery all year round.
For softer, creamier cheeses like Brie, Oxton recommends a shandy. He notes that the shandy’s light, citrusy flavors break through the cheese’s richness, resulting in a harmonious balance, like Night Shift’s Shandy Beach, for instance.
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<p>Camembert is a unique cheese for its contrasting strong rind and mild interior. Real says a fruit beer like <a href="your-link-here" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Delirium Red</a>, brewed with cherries and elderberries, can offer a balance of sweet and sour; pairing it with Berkshire Bloom, a Camembert-style cheese from <a href="your-link-here" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cricket Creek Farm</a>, helps smooth any sharpness leftover from the Red.</p>
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