Food pairing
Beer with smoked cheese
Cheese cold-smoked over wood, where the smoke is usually the loudest thing on the plate.
Smoke dominates almost everything it is put next to, and cheese has little to push back with, so a smoked cheese is a smoked thing first and a cheese second. The pairing question is therefore about the smoke.
There are two honest answers and they are opposites. Meet it with a Rauchbier, which is bold and can tip into too much of one idea; or clear it with something dry and firmly carbonated and let the cheese underneath come through. Both are legitimate and they produce very different plates.
Smoked cheese rules a lot of beer out, but several beers do the job it needs equally well. Pick between them on preference — the reasons matter more than the order. The attribute doing most of the work is smoke.
What to drink
American porter — outstanding
Roasted malt echoes the charred, caramelised edge of the food, so the two reinforce each other.
American stout — outstanding
Roasted malt echoes the charred, caramelised edge of the food, so the two reinforce each other.
Czech dark lager — outstanding
Roasted malt echoes the charred, caramelised edge of the food, so the two reinforce each other.
Caution: Expect the beer to refresh rather than to stand up to the food.
Munich Dunkel — strong
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from it.
Caution: Expect the beer to refresh rather than to stand up to the food.
Bière de Garde — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Caution: Expect the beer to refresh rather than to stand up to the food.
Oud Bruin — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Caution: Expect the beer to refresh rather than to stand up to the food.
Old ale — strong
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from it.
Caution: Expect the beer to refresh rather than to stand up to the food.
American brown ale — strong
Roasted malt echoes the charred, caramelised edge of the food, so the two reinforce each other.
Caution: Expect the beer to refresh rather than to stand up to the food.
What not to drink
- Sahti — Delicate food needs a beer that stays out of its way.
- Grisette — Expect the beer to refresh rather than to stand up to the food.
- Alcohol-free pale lager — Expect the beer to refresh rather than to stand up to the food.