The Big Foody’s Tips on matching Cheese & Beer
Characteristics in beer and cheese are surprisingly similar; nutty, floral, earthy, dry, sharp, smooth and creamy are just a few of the words that can describe both.
Matching cheeses and beers can be a challenging task, but not only can they complement each other, they can also have contrasting flavours and textures which work well together too.
Here are The Big Foody Food Tours top tips in matching Beers with Cheese.
Hard Cheeses with poignant, aromatic and milky undertones are generally very beer friendly. We like Gouda and Pilsner matches or if are feeling adventurous try with a malty stout.
Traditional Cheddars with sharp, distinct flavours pair perfectly with fruity, grassy, aromatic pale ales. Our favourite Cheddar pairing is with an IPA or a Double IPA.
Sheep and Goats milk cheeses have a huge breadth of flavours and often match well with malty beers and amber ales.
Washed rind cheeses complement certain beers very well. Their pungent flavours can match equally strong beer.
Blue milky cheese’s with pungent, spicy tones are well-suited to aromatic and floral hop beers. The classic blue cheese and barley wine is hard to beat.
Feta and Pilsner are a great match. The saltiness in the cheese compliments the slightly sweeter pilsners.
Soft-ripened cheeses such as beautiful creamy and delicate Bries and Camemberts go best with light bubbly beers, such as pilsner and fruit beers but can match well with saisons and farmhouse ales.
So beer and cheese is definitely a thing. It is possibly one of the greatest things too!
Join us on one of our Big Foody Beer or Food tours for cheese tasting, beer tasting, local history and knowledgeable guides who will answer any of your questions.
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