Updated below with more Beer Pairings from Mike Brown, Consultant and Festvangelist – Audacious Beer and Cheese CelebrationGreater Milwaukee Area
Rogue Creamery started making handmade cheese in 1928 and since 2002, when Cary Bryant and David Gremmels bought the creamery from Cheese Legend Ig Vella, award-winning cheese wheels have been rolling out of the creamery on a regular basis.
I am honored to be among the first to review two more cheeses from Rogue Creamery: Mount Mazama and Pistol Point.
In addition to receiving these two cheeses, I was also sent a third wedge: Echo Mountain, which The Lady brought home from the creamery last summer and I reviewed at that time.
First on our board was the new Mount Mazama, a mixed milk cheese that blends goat milk with cow milk in a mild, creamy paste with just a hint of goat tang. There is no gaminess to this cheese named after the volcanic mountain that became Crater Lake “back in the day”… The Lady plans to mix this with a cheddar in her next mac n cheese.
I give Mount. Mazama 4 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).
Serving Suggestions: Naked on a cracker; top it with a bit of Litehouse Pear Jam or cook with it. The possibilities are limitless.
Wine Pairing: I’d suggest a lighter, red blend… but what the heck do I know… The Lady won’t let me drink alcohol…
Beer Pairing: An IPA should be a nice pair, per The Man. I consulted Mike Wright, Beer Enthusiast, and he suggested Bud Light… now that’s a surprise…
The second cheese is Pistol Point, a full cream, hand-milled cheese, that packs a punch. This cheddar is marbled with chipolte to bring on a full-flavored finish. It starts out mild and then BAM!!! the spice kicks in and wow, you’ve got yourself a lingering heat. The Lady was quite taken with this cheese… The Man, being a spice wuse… not so much.
But here’s the thing… Rogue has another winner on their cheese board.
I give Pistol Point 3 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).
Serving Suggestions: Let’s face it; you can have a lot of fun with this cheese from quesadillas to nachos to just plain snacking.
Wine Pairing: Rioja
Beer Pairing: A German Pilsener
Both Mt. Mazama and Pistol Point are made with pasteurized and gluten-free. These cheeses will be available this summer.
The last cheese on the board is the Echo Mountain, another 4 Paw Winner made from goat and cow milk. My review can be read here.
Echo Mountain is made from Raw Milk. All three of these cheeses are Vegetarian-Suitable.
I’d like to thank all my friends at Rogue Creamery for including me in the group of early tasters of their new cheeses.
Ahhh, cheese… glorious cheese!!!
From Mike Brown: ” If you like contrasting styles of beer and cheese then an IPA with Mount Mazana would work. However when I hear mild and creamy might I suggest considering a Chatoe Rouge Good Chat Pilsener or Perhaps a New Glarus Laughing Fox German Kristallweizen which has a remarkable effervescence.
The Pistol Point with it’s aggressive SW hot profile would be a good fit for an IPA like Rouges Brutal IPA (Bells Two Hearted Ale is another winner, or Rogues legendary Dead Guy Ale, a Heller Bock. All of these would stand up to the heat and not get lost on the tongue.
I can’t imagine Bud Light under any circumstances, just an artisan thing. If you want a light profile or lawn mower beer grab a Buffalo Water Bison Blonde or a Totally Naked.”
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