Welcome to this edition of Beer & Cheese Pairings. This week I’ve chosen three rich and flavorful cheeses to pair with the deeply sweet Dark Side Vanilla Porter from Empyrean Brewing Company. Let’s jump right in.
BEER:
Dark Side Vanilla Porter from Empyrean Brewing Company is smooth, dark and roasted with highlights of chocolate, coffee and vanilla. It is very malt heavy with a very slight bitterness and a beautiful deep flavor profile. With a beer this rich, I chose 3 very strong and flavorful cheeses.
CHEESES:
Smokey Blue is a rich and flavorful blue cheese created by Rogue Creamery. It gets its flavor by being cold smoked over the shells of hazelnuts. The earthy tones from the smoke mix with the cream flavors to develop this wonderful cheese. This cheese paired beautifully with the porter, really making a nice and creaming mix.
Extra Reserve Cheddar from Grafton Village is a beautiful cheddar that has been aged for at least 5 years. It is lush and creamy with a rich, sharp flavor that has developed while it aged. This was my favorite cheese with the beer. The sweetness of the vanilla made a perfect balance with this sharp and salty cheese.
Truffle Log is a delicious fresh goat cheese with Italian black summer truffle from Laura Chenel. The earthy perfume of the truffles balances wonderfully with the bright fresh taste of the goat cheese. This was my favorite cheese and pairing of the day. This was my favorite cheese of the day, but it unfortunately could not match the balance of the cheddar.
Be sure the check back next week for an all new installment of Beer & Cheese Pairings.
