| ere really a season for beer? I certainly enjoy beer | | | | Encased in a whitish, edible rind, bloomy cheeses are |
| year round but find myself opting for a cold brew | | | | often velvety, gooey with a mild flavor. Add Brie, |
| more often during warmer weather. This time of | | | | Camembert or Pierre-Robert to the cheese board for |
| year seems to call for lighter and more refreshing | | | | a decadent treat. |
| beverages but did you know beer just may be the | | | | Peter’s Picks: Pilsner, with its balanced flavor |
| better beverage choice to enjoy with gourmet | | | | and mildly bitter finish, washes the palate of creamy, |
| cheese? | | | | bloomy cheeses. Try Trumer Pils, Spaten Pils. |
| Beer, like wine, has something in common with | | | | Cheese Type: Washed Rind |
| cheese. All of these products are pastoral and | | | | AKA “Stinky Cheeses”. During the |
| crafted using traditional methods that date back | | | | aging process, washed-rind cheeses are usually |
| centuries. Wine, beer and cheese speak of a | | | | bathed in a brine or washed with liquor such as wine, |
| particular culture, a place and a time. The connection | | | | beer or a spirits. It’s this brining process that |
| between beer and cheese is particularly strong since | | | | gives the cheese an aromatic quality. Almost all have |
| the animals milked for cheese ate the grains used for | | | | orange or reddish hued rinds. Not mild and not sharp, |
| brewing beer. It’s possible that your nose and | | | | washed rind cheeses are full-flavored. Give Taleggio |
| palate may pick up similar flavor profiles. Putting aside | | | | or Epoisses a taste. |
| their natural affinity, perhaps the most important | | | | Peter’s Picks: India Pale Ale (Blind Pig IPA, |
| reason to pair beer with cheese is that the | | | | Stone 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 richness | | | | of 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, and | | | | Cheese Type: Aged, Hard Cheeses |
| craft beers now available, selecting the right one can | | | | As cheeses matures, it hardens and concentrates in |
| be just as overwhelming as choosing an appropriate | | | | flavor. Try our 3 Year Old Cheddar, Aged Gouda and |
| wine. Fortunately, we have teamed up with Peter | | | | Piave. |
| Estaniel, founder of Better Beer Blog ( to give us an | | | | Peter’s Picks: A pint of English ale (Samuel |
| assist. Take a look at our Gourmet Cheese and Beer | | | | Smith’s Nut Brown Ale, Newcastle Brown Ale) |
| Pairing Guide for Peter’s recommendations | | | | is 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: Fresh | | | | Piave match well with brown ales, as well. |
| Fresh cheeses are not aged and usually are white | | | | Cheese Type: Blue |
| and light in flavor, smooth and sometimes tangy. Try | | | | The 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 of | | | | creamy 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 with | | | | treat, try a raspberry flavored beer like Belgian |
| the lactic tang of fresh cheeses. | | | | Lambic (Lindemans Framboise) with blue cheese for |
| Cheese Type: Bloomy | | | | dessert. |