An ongoing debate between beer and wine drinkers centers around which goes better with cheese. Here are my suggestions:
The Lady decided to do some extension research into what cheeses and foods, in general, might pair well with beer. Through the research, she learned a lot about beer – much she never knew as she is not a beer drinker. As a result, she and The Man went through the beer section at the local discount warehouse today and decided to buy a Samuel Adams “Sample” pack of their spring and summer beers. If she shares with me, I’ll post my own reviews of the beers they brought home…hic…
| Style/Flavor | Cheese Pairings | Food Pairings Cuisine |
| Abbey | Triple Crème | Braised Beef; Short Ribs; Liver; Venison; Goose; Lamb; Thai |
| Altbier“Old Beer” | Camembert,Fontina | Roast Beef; Burritos; Real Mac n Cheese; Meatloaf; Steak; Burgers; Burritos; Fried Chicken; Steak; Game; Grilled Meat; Smoked Meats; Thai; German |
| American AmberLager | Parmesan;Cheddar;Jack | Jambalaya: Lasagna; Grilled Lamb; Pizza; Steak; Burgers; Fried Calamari; Roasted; BBQ Chicken; Chicken; Fried Chicken; Gumbo; Pizza; Thai; South American; |
| Barley Wine | Blue, Sharp Cheddar, Limburger; Gorgonzola; Blues; Sharp Cheddar; | Chocolate Cake |
| Biere de Garde | Asiago, Colby, Parmesan, Edam, Feta; Brick | Fish,Shellfish; Roasted Chicken; Lamb; Ostrich; Bouillabaisse; Salad; Shellfish; Indian; Middle Eastern |
| Bitter | Red Leicester | Meatloaf; Steak; Roast Beef; Roasted Chicken; |
| Bock | Camembert;Fontina; Gruyere; Emmenthal; | Roasted Chicken; Chocolate; Game; German |
| Brown Ale | Camembert;Fontina; Asiago, Colby, Parmesan, Gloucester; Aged Gouda; Cheshire | Venison; Pork; Grilled Lamb; Meatloaf; Burgers; Burritos; Roasted Chicken; Fried Chicken; BBQ Chicken; Chili; Gumbo; Beef Stew; Baked Ham; Steak; Chocolate; Beef; Pork; Cajun; BBQ |
| Doppelbock | Brie; Gouda; Havarti; Swiss; Camembert; Fontina; Limburger | Venison; Bacon with Savory Dishes; Goose; Prosciutto; Serrano; Bayonne; Salads with Blue Cheese; Chocolate; Game; German |
| Dortmunder Export | Brie; Gouda; Havarti; Swiss; | Ostrich; Fish; Gumbo; Baked Ham; Prosciutto; Serrano; Bayonne; Smoked Salmon; Poultry; Shellfish; Indian; German |
| Dubbel | Brie; Gouda; Havarti; Swiss; Limburger; Gorgonzola;Morbier | Braised Beef; Short Ribs; Liver; Bacon with Savory Dishes; Roasted Chicken; Goose; Steak; Chocolate; Beef; |
| Dunkle/Dunkles | Asiago, Colby, Parmesan, | Venison; Veal; Real Mac n Cheese; Meatloaf; Roasted Chicken; Salmon; Cajun; Chinese; Indian; German |
| ESB – Extra Special Bitter | Brie; Gouda; Havarti; Swiss; Asiago, Colby, Parmesan, Brick; Edam; Feta; | Game; Pork; Cajun-Style Shellfish |
| Gueuze | Brie; Gouda; Havarti; Swiss; Limburger; Gorgonzola; Blues; Sharp Cheddar; | Oysters; Smoked Salmon; |
| Hefeweizen | Brick; Edam; Feta; Chevre; Boursin Spreads | Salad; Fish; Poultry; Shellfish; Eggs Benedict; Cheese Omelets; German |
| Helles | Brie; Gouda; Havarti; Swiss; | Veal; Lobster; Ostrich; Fried Calamari; Chowder; Clams; Crab; Eggs; Baked Ham; Prosciutto; Serrano; Bayonne; Oysters; Salad; Pork; Indian; German |
| Imperial Stout | Aged Gouda; Parmesan; Cheddar | Ice Cream; Apple Pie; Brownies; Cheesecake; Chocolate; Pecan Pie; Beef; Grilled Meat; |
| IPA – India Pale Ale | Asiago, Colby, Parmesan, Monterey; Pepper Jack; Limburger; Gorgonzola; Blues; Sharp Cheddar; Brick; Edam; Feta | Jambalaya; Avocado; Burgers; Chili; Gumbo; Salmon; Salad; Fish; Game; Grilled Meat; Poultry; Shellfish; Indian; Thai; BBQ; |
| Kölsch | Monterey Jack; Brick | Fried Calamari; Bratwurst; Fish; Chowder; Clams; Eggs; Oysters; Salads; Pork; Shellfish; German |
| Lambic | Limburger; Gorgonzola; Blues; Sharp Cheddar; | Salad; |
| Marzenbier/Oktoberfest | Pepper Jack; Swiss; Emmenthal; Gruyere; Pepper Jack | Real Mac n Cheese; Meatloaf; Roasted Chicken; Baked Ham; Pizza; German |
| Old Ale | Brie; Gouda; Havarti; Swiss; | Venison; Roasted Lamb; |
| Oud Bruin – “Old Brown” | Camembert; Fontina | Chocolate; Grilled Meat; |
| Pale Ale | Camembert; Fontina; Monterey; Pepper Jack; Blues; Sharp Cheddar; Brick; Feta; Edam; Parmesan; Romano; | Jambalaya; Lasagna; Real Mac n Cheese; Meatloaf; Avocado; Poultry; Steak; Roast Beef; Fish; Burritos; Burgers; Game; Fried Calamari; Roasted Chicken; Crab; Gumbo; Pizza; Salad; Shellfish; Cajun; Thai; Indian; Middle Eastern |
| Pilsner | Monterey; Pepper Jack; Blues; Sharp Cheddar; American Cheese (which is NOT really cheese); Muenster; Havarti; | Jambalaya; Lobster; Bass (Fish); Fried Calamari; Chowder; Clams; Baked Ham; Fish; Oysters; Salmon; Smoked Salmon; Grilled Meat; Poultry; Indian; Thai; German |
| Porter | Gruyere | Venison; Meatloaf; Brownies; Cheesecake; BBQ Chicken; Chocolate; Goose; Prosciutto; Shellfish; Serrano; Bayonne; Pecan Pie; Steak; Beef; Grilled Meat; Smoked Meats; BBQ; South American |
| Rauchbier “Smoked Beer” | Monterey; Pepper Jack; Blues; Sharp Cheddar; | Venison; Buffalo; Burritos; BBQ Chicken; Game; Chili; Grilled Meat; Smoked Salmon; Beef; Smoked Meats; Chinese; BBQ; German |
| Saison | Camembert; Fontina; Asiago, Colby, Parmesan, Limburger; Gorgonzola; | Veal; Fish; Jambalaya; Fried Calamari; Salmon; Smoked Salmon; Smoked Trout; Salad; Poultry; Shellfish; Indian; Cajun; Thai |
| Schwarzbier – “Black Beer” | Muenster | Jambalaya; Grilled ; Bacon with Savory Dishes; Lamb; Burgers; Prosciutto; Serrano; Bayonne; Cajun; German |
| Scotch Ale | Brie; Gouda; Havarti; Swiss; Myzithra; Idiazabal | Venison; Roasted Lamb; Salmon; Smoked Meats |
| Stout | Dubliner; Cahill’s Original Irish Porter Cheese | Jambalaya; Grilled Lamb; Lobster; Pork; Grilled Meat; Cheesecake; Chili; Chocolate; Baked Ham; Prosciutto; Serrano; Bayonne; Oysters; Pecan Pie; Shellfish; Smoked Meats; BBQ; South American |
| Trappist | Triple Creme | Braised Beef; Short Ribs;Liver; Venison; Goose; Lamb |
| Tripel | Limburger; Gorgonzola; Blues; Sharp Cheddar; | Ostrich; Bouillabaisse; Baked Ham; Pork; Poultry; Mediterranean |
| Vienna Style | Pepper Jack | Pork; Poultry; German, South American |
| Weissel/Weissbier | Blues; Sharp Cheddar; Brick; Edam; Feta; | Lobster; Bacon and Eggs; Bass (Fish); Chowder; Crab; Eggs; Salads; Salmon; Smoked Salmon; Trout; Chinese; Thai |
| Weissbock | Humboldt Fog | Veal; Goose; Gumbo; Prosciutto; Serrano; Bayonne; Trout; Grilled Meat; Chinese; German |
| Witbier | Monterey; Pepper Jack; Brick; Edam; Feta; Chevre; Mascarpone | Lobster; Bacon and Eggs; Bass (Fish); Chowder; Crab; Eggs; Salads; Fish; Salmon; Smoked Salmon; Poultry; Shellfish; |
From BeerAdvocate.com:
Pairing Tips:
- The more hop bitterness the beer has, the heartier or livelier the meal needs to be to hold its own. Don’t overwhelm your palate or meal and ruin what the chef was trying to achieve.
- Another general rule is keep sweet with sweet, and tart with tart. Try to keep your beer sweeter or tarter than the sweet or tart food on the plate. There are exceptions, like pairing drier robust beers with sweet chocolates.
- Throw all of the rules out the window and experiment with contrasting and complimentary pairings. Match foods with complimentary flavors, or try contrasting them and create a slew of unique results.
- For those of you who are bound to the wine pairing school of thought, think of ale as red wine and lager as white wine. Hoppy beers can also be used in place of a pairing that calls for an acidic wine. Though it honestly doesn’t matter, these tips might help you to convert your taste buds over to beer—or those of a friend—over to beer.
- Taste is very subjective and what works for one person might not work for another. If it tastes good to you, then go for it. However, also be open to suggestions, as these tend to come with some knowledge and possible palate enlightenment.
Sources:
Wikipedia.com
The Brewmaster’s Table by Garrett Oliver
BeerAdvocate.com
Barleypopmaker.info
In addition to being a member of the Internationale Guilde des Fromagers (Jura and Garde) and an American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professional, I am a Certified ServSafe Food Production Manager. I am available for cheese events, cheese program development, cheese training, food safety training and 3rd party food safety auditing. See my About Me and Resume pages for more details or call me at 360 921 9908 to discuss availability.
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