Two Great Tastes
An Oregon beer and artisan cheese pairing
By Elliot Martínez
You already know that July is Oregon Craft Beer month, but did you know that July is also American Artisan Cheese Month? Why not employ this ambrosial opportunity and make good on this culinary coincidence by attempting a pairing of your own? Gather a sampling of your favorite Oregon beers, a smattering of cheeses you’d like to become more familiar with and a couple of close friends, and it’s time to get started.
When it comes to pairing beer with cheese, many people are quick to suggest recommendations based simply on the prominent flavors exuded by each without having tasted the end result created by the combination. That’s called flavor profiling and I don’t agree with it. To truly know what flavor-producing reaction will occur in the presence of beer, each cheese must be tasted with a swill of that good old barley soda.
Southern Oregon Brewing Company Gold Ale (Medford) 4.5 percent ABV
Pairs with: Tumalo Farms Classico (Bend), aged farmstead goat’s milk cheese.
Honey practically jumps right out of this lightly hopped beer. Along with the peppery flavor of the Classico, the sweetness of the goat’s milk turns the citrus notes of this golden ale into gala apples. What a great breakfast pairing. In fact, a waffle stuffed with this cheese and fresh, sliced apples — served with this beer, of course — sounds like my kind of Saturday morning. Someone tell the waffle guys!
Also pairs with: Yancey’s Fancy XXX Cheddar (New York), aged cow’s milk cheddar.
This combination reminded us of popcorn seasoned with brewer’s yeast. Serve this at your next movie night.
Silver Moon Brewing Brown Eyes Ale (Bend) 7.5 percent ABV
Pairs with: Satori Bellativano (Plymouth, Wis.), aged pasteurized cow’s milk.
Put simply, this pairing works. The cheese cuts right through this beer, pulling out the molasses, and compliments the maltiness of it all.
Also pairs with: Beecher’s Smoked Flagship (Seattle)
Semi-soft aged cow’s milk
This beer and cheese combination invoked a meaty, ham hock flavor. This smoked cheese would be great in a homemade macaroni and cheese casserole, served with a bottle of this Bend brown.
Full Sail Brewmaster’s Reserve 2009 Keelhauler Scottish Ale (Hood River) 6.8 percent ABV
Pairs with: Petit Jurassic (Not dinosaur cheese. Jura, France), aged 4 months, raw cow’s milk.
One of my new favorite beers, the 2009 Keelhauler offers a rich, malty body and a crisp hoppiness. Put these two together and they become an earthy, peanut flavored composite. The Keelhauler also pairs well with the Satori Bellavitano mentioned earlier. It’s a blissful thing when the maltiness turns to toffee right in your mouth.
Hopworks Urban Brewery Organic Survival “7-Grain” Stout (Portland) 5.3 percent ABV
Pairs with: Yancey’s Fancy XXX Cheddar
This pairing starts out unassuming but the cheddar quickly turns into a Werther’s Original and an Almond Roca in the presence of this Stumptown coffee-infused stout. Delectable!
Hair of the Dog Adam Hearty Old World Ale (Portland) 10 percent ABV
Pairs with: Belgioioso Sharp Provolone (Wisconsin), aged semi-hard Italian-style provolone.
This beer actually changed the texture of this cheese from semi-hard to that of a crumbly Mexican cotija or oaxaca. The flavors, when combined, weren’t spectacular, though these two may pair well with an asparagus or broccoli dish.
All too often, we neglect to give consideration to the pairing of our food and beverages. That’s unfortunate living in a state such as ours, with its fresh, organic produce in abundance, healthy, free-range livestock and unmatched quality beer generously stocked at our local grocery. There can be no reason not to partake in this epicurean delight. This summer, I urge you to step on up to the cheese plate and find what pairings work for you. You may obtain the beers listed here at the Bier Stein, and the cheeses mentioned may be had at Kiva, Capella and Market of Choice.
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Two Great Tastes An Oregon beer and artisan cheese pairing
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