SACRAMENTO, CA
Welcome to this Tuesday edition of Beer & Cheese Pairings. After the holidays, we will be back to our regular Thursday schedule. For this installment, I picked three unique cheeses to pair with Pauwel Kwak by Brouwerij Bosteels. Let’s get started!
BEER:
Pauwel Kwak by Brouwerij Bosteels is a mellow and fruity Belgian pale ale that has a spicy character with hints of liquorices that passes into a warm finish. The bitterness generally stays in the background until it emerges towards the end. With the depth of flavor that this beer possesses, I chose three diverse cheeses to pair it with to discover the best match.
CHEESES:
Comté is a bold and nutty French cheese made in the Jura plateau region imported by Tony’s Fine Foods. This firm, raw cow’s milk cheese is aged in special ripening caves at the Fort des Rousses. It has a good balance of salty and sweet flavors that lightly linger on the palate. It paired very nicely with the Pauwel Kwak, highlighting the sweetness of the beer.
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. The earthiness in the truffle log balances perfectly with the sweetness of the beer, making for a nice flavor experience.
Bermuda Triangle from Cypress Grove is known for its distinctive triangular shape and layer of edible black ash. This goat cheese is tart and tangy with intense pepper notes. This cheese is delicious is great on its own or on lightly salted cracker. Unfortunately, the tartness of the cheese didn’t create a harmonious balance with the beer.
Make sure to check back for the next installment of Beer & Cheese Pairings!
