SACRAMENTO, CA
Welcome to this week’s Beer & Cheese Pairings. For this installment, I’ve paired three amazing goat’s milk cheeses with a tropical and hopfilled Imperial IPA. Let’s jump right in!
BEER:
Lizard’s Mouth Imperial IPA from Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company is full of fruity fun with powerful aromas of guava, passion fruit, orange zest and pine cascading into tropical hop flavors. I chose it to pair with three diverse goat’s milk cheeses to see how the fruity, hopfull flavor profile balances.
CHEESES:
Le Bleuet is imported by Tony’s Fine Foods from Fromagerie Jacquin et Fils in La Vernelle, France. This unique specialty goat blue is ripened for 8 weeks. Its marbling end makes for a distinctive flavor that becomes stronger with time. Le Bleuet paired well with the IPA, but lost some of its subtle blue flavor.
Humboldt Fog from Cypress Grove Chevre has a subtle, tangy flavor and a distinctive layer of edible vegetable ash. As this cheese ages, the layer of proteolysis under the rind develops a more intense flavor. This cheese paired very well with the IPA. The fruity flavors really enhanced the tanginess of the cheese.
Ash-rinded Buchette from Laura Chenel’s Chèvre is a small log of aged goat cheese. It has an edible, tender rind, smooth crumbly texture and bright citrusy tang. It was a very close call, but this was my favorite pairing of the day. The fruitiness of both the beer and cheese created a full flavored combination that was balanced by the hoppiness of the IPA.
Make sure to tune into the next installment of Beer & Cheese Pairings for more great cheeses and beer.
