A Hoppy Marriage: Gourmet Cheese & Beer Pairing Guide

Is there really a season for beer?  I certainly enjoyCheese Type: Bloomy
beer year round but find myself opting for a coldEncased in a whitish, edible rind, bloomy cheeses are
brew more often during warmer weather.  This timeoften velvety, gooey with a mild flavor. Add Brie,
of year seems to call for lighter and more refreshingCamembert or Pierre-Robert to the cheese board for
beverages but did you know beer just may be thea decadent treat.
better beverage choice to enjoy with gourmetPeter's Picks: Pilsner, with its balanced flavor and
cheese?mildly bitter finish, washes the palate of creamy,
Beer, like wine, has something in common withbloomy cheeses.  Try Trumer Pils, Spaten Pils.
cheese. All of these products are pastoral andCheese Type: Washed Rind
crafted using traditional methods that date backAKA "Stinky Cheeses". During the aging process,
centuries. Wine, beer and cheese speak of awashed-rind cheeses are usually bathed in a brine or
particular culture, a place and a time. The connectionwashed with liquor such as wine, beer or a spirits. It's
between beer and cheese is particularly strong sincethis brining process that gives the cheese an aromatic
the animals milked for cheese ate the grains used forquality. Almost all have orange or reddish hued rinds.
brewing beer. It's possible that your nose and palateNot mild and not sharp, washed rind cheeses are
may pick up similar flavor profiles. Putting aside theirfull-flavored. Give Taleggio or Epoisses a taste.
natural affinity, perhaps the most important reasonPeter's Picks: India Pale Ale (Blind Pig IPA, Stone IPA)
to pair beer with cheese is that the carbonation andand Belgian-style Dark Strong ales (Chimay Grande
brisk qualities of beer refresh the mouth and washReserve, Gouden Carolus Grand Cru of the Emperor)
away the tongue-coating richness of the cheese.have enough gusto to stand up to the power of
Simply put, they taste good together.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 Smith's Nut
assist.  Take a look at our Gourmet Cheese andBrown Ale, Newcastle Brown Ale) is the traditional
Beer Pairing Guide for Peter's recommendations forbeverage of choice for Cheddar. The nutty and
your next gourmet cheese and BEER tasting. caramelized flavors of aged Gouda and Piave match
Cheese Type: Freshwell 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 mozzarella or feta.Listed from strong to strongest in pungency are
Peter's Picks: The light citrus character of Whitecreamy Gorgonzola, nutty Stilton and salty Roquefort.
Beers (Unibroue Blanche de Chambly, Wittekerke)Peter's Picks: Intense cheeses like blues can be
and Wheat Beers (Erdinger Weissbier,tamed with sweet, fruity beers. For a unique treat,
Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier) marries well withtry a raspberry flavored beer like Belgian Lambic
the lactic tang of fresh cheeses.(Lindemans Framboise) with blue cheese for dessert.