A Hoppy Marriage: Gourmet Cheese & Beer Pairing Guide

ere really a season for beer? I certainly enjoy beerEncased in a whitish, edible rind, bloomy cheeses are
year round but find myself opting for a cold brewoften velvety, gooey with a mild flavor. Add Brie,
more often during warmer weather. This time ofCamembert or Pierre-Robert to the cheese board for
year seems to call for lighter and more refreshinga decadent treat.
beverages but did you know beer just may be thePeter’s Picks: Pilsner, with its balanced flavor
better beverage choice to enjoy with gourmetand mildly bitter finish, washes the palate of creamy,
cheese?bloomy cheeses. Try Trumer Pils, Spaten Pils.
Beer, like wine, has something in common withCheese Type: Washed Rind
cheese. All of these products are pastoral andAKA “Stinky Cheeses”. During the
crafted using traditional methods that date backaging process, washed-rind cheeses are usually
centuries. Wine, beer and cheese speak of abathed in a brine or washed with liquor such as wine,
particular culture, a place and a time. The connectionbeer or a spirits. It’s this brining process that
between beer and cheese is particularly strong sincegives the cheese an aromatic quality. Almost all have
the animals milked for cheese ate the grains used fororange or reddish hued rinds. Not mild and not sharp,
brewing beer. It’s possible that your nose andwashed rind cheeses are full-flavored. Give Taleggio
palate may pick up similar flavor profiles. Putting asideor Epoisses a taste.
their natural affinity, perhaps the most importantPeter’s Picks: India Pale Ale (Blind Pig IPA,
reason to pair beer with cheese is that theStone IPA) and Belgian-style Dark Strong ales
carbonation and brisk qualities of beer refresh the(Chimay Grande Reserve, Gouden Carolus Grand Cru
mouth and wash away the tongue-coating richnessof the Emperor) have enough gusto to stand up to
of the cheese. Simply put, they taste good together.the power of these cheeses.
With the wide variety of domestic, imported, andCheese Type: Aged, Hard Cheeses
craft beers now available, selecting the right one canAs cheeses matures, it hardens and concentrates in
be just as overwhelming as choosing an appropriateflavor. Try our 3 Year Old Cheddar, Aged Gouda and
wine. Fortunately, we have teamed up with PeterPiave.
Estaniel, founder of Better Beer Blog ( to give us anPeter’s Picks: A pint of English ale (Samuel
assist. Take a look at our Gourmet Cheese and BeerSmith’s Nut Brown Ale, Newcastle Brown Ale)
Pairing Guide for Peter’s recommendationsis the traditional beverage of choice for Cheddar. The
for your next gourmet cheese and BEER tasting.nutty and caramelized flavors of aged Gouda and
Cheese Type: FreshPiave match well with brown ales, as well.
Fresh cheeses are not aged and usually are whiteCheese Type: Blue
and light in flavor, smooth and sometimes tangy. TryThe bluish-green veins give blue cheese its punch.
chevre (goat cheese), buffalo mozzerella or feta.Listed from strong to strongest in pungency are
Peter’s Picks: The light citrus character ofcreamy Gorgonzola, nutty Stilton and salty Roquefort.
White Beers (Unibroue Blanche de Chambly,Peter’s Picks: Intense cheeses like blues can
Wittekerke) and Wheat Beers (Erdinger Weissbier,be tamed with sweet, fruity beers. For a unique
Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier) marries well withtreat, try a raspberry flavored beer like Belgian
the lactic tang of fresh cheeses.Lambic (Lindemans Framboise) with blue cheese for
Cheese Type: Bloomydessert.