Tag: beer cheese
Beer Cheese: Everything You Need to Know
What is Beer Cheese?
Beer Cheese is one of our Wisconsin Cheeses along with Muenster, Brick, Limburger, and our American Cheeses. It is full flavored, salty and tangy; you won’t be missing out on flavor if you try this cheese.
Beer Cheese is a semi-soft combination of Limburger Cheese and Brick Cheese. Not to be mistaken for the Beer Cheese dips that are popular in Kentucky, it has a very strong smell and taste.
How is it made?
Beer Cheese starts production in a very similar way to Brick Cheese, which is cultured at a slightly higher temperature than Cheddar, giving it a marginally higher fat content and slightly altering the protein structure. To make it into Beer Cheese, it is aged in very humid conditions for around seven months.
How should I eat it?
Traditionally, Germans like to put it on rye or pumpernickel bread along with some sliced onion and have it with beer. It is also a good pairing with salami and mustard. Try it with a honey mustard for extra sweetness. It can be stirred into soups and dips, but we would recommend tasting as you cook so that you don’t overpower the flavors of any dish you are making. It is also good grated over spätzle, a German type of pasta.
What should I drink with it?
Beer, of course! We recommend trying it with a German beer as you’ll get the full experience, but you can try it with your favorite drink as well. Some people even dip the cheese directly into their beer!
One final word of warning: make sure that you store this cheese, alone, in an airtight container. Its smell is so strong that otherwise, you run the risk of it permeating the other foods in your fridge.
We hope that you’ve enjoyed our exploration of this strong cheese. If you are a beer lover, why not try our Beer Collection? It contains four different kinds of cheese chosen to pair with the strong flavors of beer and will serve around 20 guests, making it perfect for a tasting party!
Have you tried our Beer Cheese? Let us know how you like to enjoy it in the comments below!
Our Beer Collection – Try a More Unusual Cheese Pairing Today!
We know that lots of you love drinking wine with our cheeses. We’ve already shared some great pairing ideas for our Red Wine Collection and White Wine Collection. Today we’re going to share something a little more unusual; beers to pair with our Beer Collection!
When pairing beers with cheeses, follow the same principles as a wine pairing. You’re looking for beers that will complement the flavor of the cheese without overpowering it. This collection should serve around 20 guests. Read on to find out which cheeses are included and how you can pair them with beer for a really fun evening.
Brick
Our Brick cheese is an American original from Wisconsin. It’s a medium-soft cheese with an easy crumble. Whilst this cheese had a sweet, mild flavor when it is young, it matures into a strong, ripe cheese.
To complement these mature flavors, look for a bold, fruity pale ale. This will stand up to the ripe cheese in the same way that a Sauvignon Blanc might. For a younger cheese, consider a Weiss Beer.
Gouda
Gouda is a yellow cow’s milk cheese with a wax coating. It undergoes a process known as “washing the curd” which creates a sweet cheese with a slightly crunchy saltiness.
All of this makes it a very versatile cheese for drinks pairings. You’ll also find it in our White Wine Collection for this reason. One great choice would be Helles. This is a German, pale, lager-style beer with a smooth flavor. Alternatively, a beer with caramel notes such as a malty IPA would work well.
Gruyere
Gruyere is a sweet and nutty cheese, which develops a salty earthiness as it is aged from five months to up to a year. This gives it its slightly grainy texture.
Gruyere will pair well with a number of beers but one of the more unusual choices would be a porter. This a dark style of hoppy beer with brown malt. It’s full-bodied, with a roasted flavor that will complement the nuttiness of this cheese. Add a fruity relish for even more flavor.
Ohio Premium Swiss Cheese
Our Ohio Premium Swiss is made in Pearl Valley through a time-honoured process that gives this cheese its distinctive holes and a nutty, bittersweet taste.
A Weiss beer is a great choice for Ohio Swiss as it adds creaminess and complements through the sweetness. This is a beer made with malted wheat in place of some of the usual barley. It produces a beer with low bitterness and some fruity qualities. You could also try Swiss Cheese with a pale ale or craft lager.
Other great cheeses to pair with beers are Limburger or Beer Cheese. We stock both of these cheeses but have chosen not to include them in the collection as they both have a strong smell that might be imparted to the other cheeses in the box. Why not pick them up separately for the ultimate cheese and beer tasting?
Try our Beer Collection today, bring together some friends and have some fun with a cheese and beer evening!
