Belgian Pale Ale Project – Cheese Pairing

From the very beginning of this quarter’s project, I tried to consider what foods would pair well with a Belgian Pale Ale.  Well, one of the best foods to match up with beer is cheese, and I think I’ve found a nice set of potential candidates. 

Among the more predominant characteristics of the style of beer is the apple/cider flavor that is derived from the unique combination of the malts and the yeast.  I isolated this distinctive personality trait, and used it as my inspiration for this pairing.  When I thought apples, I thought apple pie, and when I thought apple pie, I thought cheddar.  The idea of serving cheddar cheese with apple pie was not all that popular in the area I grew up in, but apparently in the Midwest and Northeast it is very common practice.  So I lined up four different cheddars, and two different Belgian Pale Ales, and tested the theory.

Antigoon by Brouwerij de Musketiers with Raw Milk and Port Cheddar

Antigoon, with its toffee and pressed apple flavors, made an obvious choice for this first round.  The raw milk cheddar was earthy and mild, and matched beautifully with the beer.  Conversely, the port cheddar was sharp, winey, and acidic.  Antigoon cut right through that, and the pepperiness of the Saaz was complimented by the rich saltiness of the cheese.  This tray was completed with freshly sliced apples, which provided a freshness and sweetness that rounded out this pairing perfectly.  This was an ideal treat for an autumn day.

De Koninck by Brouwerij De Koninck with Purple Moon and Black Wax Cheddar

Purple Moon is an interesting cheese.  It is aged for ten months, and soaked in California North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon, which gives it a dry, rich, woody flavor that highlights the wine perfectly.  On the contrary, De Koninck is sweet and cidery and has almost a white wine character to it.  This makes for a very interesting contrast between the beer and the cheese. 

Black wax is often used to indicate a cheese that has been aged for an extended period of time.  Boar’s Head’s Black Wax is round and smooth, and definitely the most traditional cheddar mentioned here.  This is probably the most likely to be served with apple pie, which is why it made perfect sense here.  These cheeses were also plated with a sliced apple, which I would highly recommend.

-Matt