A Tasting Of Cheese And Beer Pairings

We were sent beer and cheese from Allagash and Jasper Hill Farm to create a fun beer and cheese paring, however all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Have you ever had a tasting of Cheese and Beer pairings before? I recently hosted my first and it was so fun! Here are some tips for preparing for your beer and cheese pairing.

1. Pick 1 Brand Of Cheese

We had 4 cheese from Jasper Hill Farm.

2. Pick 1 Craft Beer Brand

We drank Allagash, they are a craft beer brand from Maine, that creates Belgian-inspried beers.

3. Invite 4-8 friends

You want a smaller amount of friends so you can all chat and compare the flavors and favorites. I invited some people very near and dear to me. They have been to the Allagash brewery in Maine and although they have favorites, they loved every beer they tried. Naturally I thought of them first when pulling my small pairing party together.

4. Taste The Beer & Taste The Cheese

When tasting a beer you should pour, look, swirl, smell, drink, taste and reflect. When tasting cheese you should choose at least 4 types of cheese. Serve cheese on a platter at room temperature for the fullest flavor. We also had out some different crackers to pair with the cheeses especially of course for the Jasper Hill Harbison cheese.

When choosing cheese think about their firmness, color, rind and age. We tasted Jasper Hill Harbison, Jasper Hill Alpha Tolman Black Label, Cabot Clothbound Cheddar and Jasper Hill Bayley Hazen Blue cheese.

Allagash sent us some pairings to try out. I listed them all below!

The Jasper Hill Harbison is a soft-ripened cheese. This cheese has a spoonable texture and tastes woody. Allagash paired this cheese with the White due to the citrus and spice notes derived from the coriander and Curacao orange peel.

The Cabot Clothbound Cheddar has a more complex cheddar flavor with a crumby texture. The aroma for this cheese is a bit nutty. Allagash paired this cheese with their Hobby Table Beer. This beer has hop-derived notes of citrus, stone fruit and melon.

The Jasper Hill Bayley Hazen Blue cheese has a dense fudge-like texture. A toasted-nut sweetened and anise spice character is what you will taste. Allagash paired this cheese with the Curieux beer which has vibrant flavors of vanilla, coconut, and bourbon. This beer is their bourbon barrel-aged tripel.

As it matures the Jasper Hill Alpha Tolman Black Label develops a bold, buttery, caramelized onion flavor. Allagash paired this cheese with their Saison. This beer has a rustic and peppery spice. If you didn’t know Saison-style beers are renowned for their ability to pair with just about any dish.

Although Allagash had their pairings we found that we loved some beers with different cheeses. Old faithful White has always been one of my favorite Allagash beers and I really loved the flavor of it with the Cheddar. My mom loved the white and cheddar as well. She also loved pairing the Curieux with the Black Label cheese. My husband LOVED the Saison with the Black Label pairing.

My step dad has traveled a lot and tried many pairings and tastings, however he never had a beer and cheese paring before. Being an England born and raised man he has a big appreciation for beer and cheese. His favorite parings were the White with the Harbison cheese and the Curieux with the Blue.

Have fun creating your intimate beer and cheese tasting!

XO Eryka