Cheese that pairs well with beer

Editor’s Note: Emiliano Lee is the Artisan Market Manager at Farmshop in Los Angeles, California. He also serves as a judge for the American Cheese Society.

One of, if not the most, frequently asked questions I field on the cheese counter is, “What’s your favorite?” To which I almost always reply, “Well, that depends.”

What’s ripe? What’s tasting particularly good at any given moment? What am I in the mood for? What’s the weather like? What am I drinking? Ah, yes, the age-old pairing question.

In the end, it really does boil down to personal taste, but there are certainly some combinations that work better than others.

Many people want to pair wine and cheese, and while I can dance to that, I’m personally more of the malt and hops persuasion. For me, beer is a more natural choice, and as many others will attest to, it plays tremendously well with cheese.

Looking at my cheese case right now, here are a five wheels that are tasting particularly nice along with some of their best drinking buddies.

1. Extra Mature Bandage Wrapped Cheddar by Fiscalini Farmstead Cheese (Modesto, California)

This traditional, farmhouse-style English cheddar speaks to the passion and skill of its cheesemaker, Mariano Gonzalez. This raw milk beauty has won the top spot twice at the World Cheese Awards in London, beating the British on their home turf.

Its dense texture crumbles and melts creamy on the palate, bringing out various sweet and savory notes. Think butter and toasted nuts with hints of caramel and pineapple. Its complexity lends well across the board to many types of beverages (it pairs just as nicely with reds as whites when it comes to wine), but what could be more fitting to pair with a good farmhouse cheddar than a nice hearty ale? There are few pleasures more satisfying.

For some fun, one of my favorite pairings is Lagunitas Brewing Company’s India Pale Ale. With the beer’s combination of bold hoppiness and deep malty foundation, the complexity of flavor in the cheddar steps up and sings right in tune. Add a hearty rye bread and some pickles and call it a meal.

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