Welcome to this edition of Beer & Cheese Pairings. This week, I’ve gotten three equally delicious and diverse cheeses to pair with the layered, and deep Chimay Grande Réserve. Let’s jump right in!
BEER:
Chimay Grande Réserve is a dark ale with a very powerful aroma. Its flavor is very complex and develops over time. It has a nice caramel taste with a solid toasty flavor that comes from solid malt. It should make a nice pairing partner for our three cheeses.
CHEESE:
Purple Haze® from Cypress Grove is a pasteurized goat’s milk cheese that features an unexpected combination of lavender and wild fennel pollen. Those ingredients add an ethereal quality making the cheese floral and delicious. It is one of my favorite cheeses, and it made a fun pairing when combined with the beer.
Rumiano’s Aged Goat Cheddar is a pale, mild and creamy, and made from raw goat milk. It isn’t sharp or tangy, but more straightforward with a very mellow finish. This cheese was fantastic on its own. It paired nicely with the Chimay but failed to achieve any real flavor enhancement with it.
Fulvi® Pecorino Romano is a beautiful cheese produced in the countryside of Rome and has been imported by Murray’s Cheese. It is hearty, full flavored, pasteurized sheep’s milk cheese with a bold, pungent flavor. It was the best pairing with the Ale. The caramel tones of the beer were a perfect companion to the salty flavors of the cheese, making for a delightful salty and sweet combination.
Be sure to check back next week for another new installment of Beer & Cheese Pairings.
