Brewskis & brie ...or cheddar ...or gouda ...or swiss

PAIRINGS: Why beer and cheese make an ideal match
April 23, 2008

BY ALLECIA VERMILLION





Venture into the cheese section of any Whole Foods and you will find offerings helpfully labeled with the cheese's name, type of milk, country of origin and a recommended wine pairing.
But sidle up to the cheese aficionado working behind the counter and he or she might quietly point you toward the beer aisle instead.

Greg Hall, brewmaster for Goose Island Beer Company, says pairing beer and cheese is part of the Chicago brewery's marketing strategy. His rule of thumb when pairing: match the intensity of the cheese to the beer. (Rich Hein/Sun-Times)

While wine and cheese might populate the cocktail party circuit, many Chicagoans who make their living in beer or cheese prefer their curds with a hoppy IPA rather than a crisp Sauvignon Blanc. As craft beers and artisan cheeses edge into mainstream markets, this fervent and informed local community is taking its hobby public.

It's a preference borne of passion, but there is a strong scientific basis for arguing beer's companionship with cheese rather than wine, says Matt Parker, who ran the Lincoln Square cheese shop the Cheese Stands Alone for five years. "They're both grass at some point, although it has to go through a cow to give you cheese," Parker says.

In Parker's opinion, cheese can mask the shortcomings of mediocre wine, and it dulls the best attributes of finer vintages. "White wine's not terrible, but the tannins in the reds just clash with the cheese," he says. Because beer shares a certain commonality of origin with cheese, it's difficult to make a truly terrible beer and cheese match. Ales and lagers partner willingly with most cheeses while wine's inherent acidity makes a good cheese pairing more of a challenge.
Beer's carbonation also helps literally clear one's palate, cutting through the fat that cheese can deposit on the tongue.

"Wine and cheese are like neighbors, but beer and cheese are like family," Parker says.
Take Cheddar. "It goes with English stout so seamlessly you don't even think about it," Parker said. "But if you had that same piece of Cheddar cheese with a sip of Cabernet, you would be amazed how much the Cabernet has to fight with the cheese."

At his shop, Parker noticed a certain type of customer stopping in to buy cheese -- males in their 20s or 30s who were into beer and brewing. "Because of the general thought that wine and cheese go so well together, cheese people just give in," he said. "But all the people who make beer are the ones who are just freaky about cheese."

Indeed, Goose Island brewmaster Greg Hall is so freaky about cheese that the North Side brewery has made the pairing part of its marketing strategy.
Goose Island's salespeople receive training on how cheeses can complement their beers and are tasked with doing at least two beer and cheese tastings a month in area supermarkets, bars or restaurants.

Like Parker, Hall began exploring beer and cheese pairings in the company of friends who also worked in the industry, in his case a few cheese buyers for local specialty grocers.
Gone are the days when bars simply dispensed the local canned brew and American grocery stores sold most of their cheese wrapped in single-serve cellophane.

Beer and cheese "have undergone the same renaissance" in the past two decades, and Hall believes the public is ready to embrace their union. The pairings themselves are an imprecise science. Multiple beers flatter multiple cheeses and vice versa. There are few hard rules.
Hall pairs beers according to the seven categories of cheese: fresh, bloomy, semi-soft, washed rind, firm, hard and blue. His rule of thumb is to "match the intensity then play around with contrasts and complements." In other words, earthy, malty beers would pair up well with earthy, malty cheeses, but sweet or hoppy ale might provide a nice contrast.

Local beer guru Brian Van Zandbergen, the Midwest regional manager for specialty beer importer Merchant du Vin, advocates pairing beers and cheeses from the same region, particularly in Europe. For those looking to pair beer and cheese at home, shoot for six different pairings to avoid overwhelming the palate and sample from the lightest beer to the darkest.
And don't serve the beers ice cold. Hall believes most beers show their flavors best around 50 degrees.

Like wine, cheese should be allowed to sit at room temperature before serving to open up the flavors. But unlike wine, stocking up on premium beers won't deal your wallet a blow.
With beer and cheese, "you have all the tools to have a better party; it's a cheaper party as well," Hall says. Van Zandbergen conducts "Beer and Cheese 101" events at area stores and trains his counterparts in other regions on the magic of beer and cheese.

For Chicagoland residents interested in learning more, he acknowledged it can be tough to locate events since many of them fly under the radar and sell out quickly. He suggests monitoring specialty beverage stores like Sam's or Binny's, or even Whole Foods. The Hopleaf in Andersonville holds occasional tastings; Delilahs in Lincoln Park and nearby Sheffield's also host events.

Delaware-based craft brewer Dogfish Head has an ongoing schedule of beer and cheese events around Chicago. Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione devotes considerable text to beer and cheese pairings in He Said Beer, She Said Wine (DK Publishing, $25), a new book he co-authored with sommelier Marnie Old. Each makes the case for their beverage of choice.

Touring the country on his book tour and for beer and cheese events, Calagione sees "an even mix between the true believers and the neophytes." "I think beer has the momentum and the novelty that's making it really fresh for chefs and foodies alike to start exploring the world of beer and cheese," he says.

Like Goose Island, Dogfish Head has created a list of cheeses that pair well with their beers to aid restaurants and stores carrying its products. Although he wasn't ready to offer details, Goose Island brewmaster Hall said the brewery has plans in the works to introduce the public to beer and cheese on a much broader scale. "We're going to make a full assault," Hall says. "We're going to try to take cheese away from wine."

Allecia Vermillion is a Chicago free-lance writer.