Food pairing
Beer with gouda
A firm Dutch cheese that develops butterscotch and caramel sweetness with age.
Firm and mild when young, developing genuine butterscotch and caramel sweetness with age. The aged version is a different pairing problem from the young one.
Aged gouda and a malty dark beer share the same caramelised character almost exactly. It is a bridge pairing rather than a contrast.
Gouda narrows the field sharply, and one answer stands clear of the rest. Most beer falls down on at least one thing this dish demands. The attribute doing most of the work is sweetness.
What to drink
Doppelbock — excellent pairing
Aged gouda develops butterscotch and caramel that a doppelbock echoes almost exactly. A bridge pairing rather than a contrast.
Caution: Delicate food needs a beer that stays out of its way.
Munich Dunkel — outstanding
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from it.
American porter — outstanding
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from it.
Dubbel — outstanding
Enough residual sweetness to stand up to the dish rather than being flattened by it.
Bière de Garde — outstanding
Enough residual sweetness to stand up to the dish rather than being flattened by it.
Czech dark lager — outstanding
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from it.
Sweet stout — outstanding
Enough residual sweetness to stand up to the dish rather than being flattened by it.
Caution: A richer dish than this beer can clear from the palate.
American brown ale — strong
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from it.
What not to drink
- Lichtenhainer — Sweet food makes a drier drink taste harsher than it is.
- Belgian single — Sweet food makes a drier drink taste harsher than it is.
- Gueuze — Sweet food makes a drier drink taste harsher than it is.