You know what goes great with tasty fucking craft beer? Tasty fucking cheese!
Victoria Beer Week is in full effect right now, with the intimate Beer, Cheese, More Beer event going down last night at the Victoria Public Market.
Having eaten only instant ramen for dinner, I was feeling peckish on arrival. Thankfully, the moment I walked in the door, I had a beer in hand and some tasty cheese, to boot.
Don’t get me wrong; I don’t attack cheese like a rat on crack. And wine can fuck right off as far as I’m concerned. This is serious research for me. I’m doing this so you have the benefit of my scientific approach.
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So: beer and cheese. How does it pair?
Pretty damn well if you ask me.
Normally I save Belgian tripels for end-of-the night tipples, but tonight I started with Nelson brewery Torchlight’s Tripel Abbey Style Ale, paired with some cheddar. Normally, the funk of aged cheddar might bring out the more astringent notes of a strong beer, but the medium cheddar I had went well with this brew, balancing out the higher alcohol content of their take on a Belgian classic.
Lighthouse’s Tasman Pale Ale worked well with a smoked cheddar, while Twa Dogs’ Belgian wit was nice with Natural Pastures brie (both brewers are from here in town). This brie also went well with Gladstone Brewing’s Belgian Single. Gladstone, based in Courtenay, also had a delicious Märzen, which is typically an Oktoberfest beer I’d pair with gruyère, but it went so well with Natural Pastures Farmhouse Aged cheese you’d think they had colluded on pairing beforehand (it turns out they did). The sweetness and texture of the cheese brought out a nuttiness in the Märzen that made for my favourite pairing of the night.
Any of the sours or fruitier beers will match up with bries and soft creamy cheeses. Four Winds’ Pomona, Axe & Barrel’s Fruity Mother Pucker, and Cannery Brewing’s dry-hopped sour also pair well with brie.
Strong cheeses need strong beers. For example, locals Category 12’s Belgian special, brewed with their candy sugar, west coast hops, and Belgian yeast has a strong flavour that needs a sharp cheddar or smoked cheese.
Find more info on Victoria Beer Week here.