SACRAMENTO, CA
Welcome to this week’s Beer and Cheese Pairings. For this installment, I’ve paired Laura Chenel’s three bold and tasty flavored logs with three craft beers that are as distinctive as they are diverse. Let’s get started!
BEERS:
DiGregorio English Style California Barleywine from Ruhstaller is an approachable & restrained English Style Barley Wine, with brown sugar, spice and lingering warmth. The richness and deep flavor of this beer should make it a strong option for pairing with the cheeses.
Molly American Red from New Helvetia is a light, full-bodied beer with a deceptively complex flavor. It is made with raw Delta wheat for a soft mouth-feel and a beautiful copper color and features a hefty amount of crystal malts that contribute a subtle sweetness and a mild, toasted flavor.
Equinox from Lagunitas is a creamy, pale oat ale hopped up with a huge charge of Equinox and Simcoe hops for–as Lagunitas puts it–a piney, eucalyptusy, cedary, sprucey, foresty blast. This beer should have the hop strength to counter the tanginess of the cheeses.
CHEESES:
Truffle Log is a delicious fresh goat cheese with Italian black summer truffle. The earthy perfume of the truffles balances wonderfully with the bright fresh taste of the goat cheese. This cheese actually paired well with all three beers, partially due to its heavy earthy tones. That being said, it was the Equinox that paired the best with it. The hops balanced out the tanginess while also creating an extremely present overall flavor profile.
Crushed Olives Log is made with carefully harvested California green olives and ripe black Kalamatas that are lightly crushed and spiked with a hint of spice. The olives are combined with the company’s creamy fresh chèvre for a bright blend of tangy goat cheese and fruity olives. This was the hardest cheese to pair because the amazing strength of the olive was difficult to balance. The American Red, however, was able to pull it off. Its light and subtle flavors tamed the olive just enough for a delicious combination.
Honey Log is equal parts sweet and flavorful. Laura Chenel blends the right balance of orange blossom honey and fresh chèvre for natural sweetness. It is spreadable like cream cheese and has a beautifully unique flavor profile. This cheese also paired well with all three beers. This time though, the Barleywine came out on top. Its deep spices and rich flavor paired wonderfully with this sweet cheese.
Make sure to check back for the next installment of Beer & Cheese Pairings!
