People often ask me when I’m going to run out of cheeses to write about. Not gonna happen. Every time I’m at a well-run counter, I find a cheese I’ve never seen. And that’s the one I want. I know it’s tempting to stick with what you like, but if you take the occasional risk on a cheese you don’t know, you’ll become a better taster. That’s how I discovered this crazy-good washed-rind cheese, which is now a must for my upcoming “Cheese Meets Beer” class. I’ve experienced a lot of memorable matchups in my life, but this meaty cheese with Saison Dupont was Hall of Fame great.
Read moreWhen it’s too hot to drink wine in wine country (and last week it was), I reach for Kölsch. This brisk German beer style is crisp, thirst-quenching and low in alcohol—usually under 5 percent ABV—so you don’t need to head for the nearest couch after your meal. I love Kölsch with marinated cheeses, feta, mozzarella, burrata—fresh or lightly aged cheeses that won’t overwhelm it.
Read moreAntwerp wasn’t on my bucket list until I tasted this gorgeous Belgian Gouda. Now I must go. The cheese is made at a creamery about an hour away, then sent to Antwerp for aging. The family that matures the Gouda (and many other fine European cheeses) also runs a cheese shop in Antwerp that some say is the best in Europe. The shop stocks hundreds of cheeses and supplies Belgium’s finest restaurants. The famous De Koninck brewery is practically next door and provides the cheese-aging space. Field trip, anyone?
Read moreIf you want to get your Ph.D. in cheese and beer pairing, join me at Thirsty Bear, the San Francisco brewpub, for the ninth annual Cask & Queso on February 16. This is a marathon: Seventeen craft beers paired with seventeen cheeses. Good thing I’ve been in training. Even if you can’t go, you might be intrigued by some of the matches [link to post] from previous years. The Thirsty Bear team really gets it. No wonder this event, part of San Francisco Beer Week, always sells out.
Read moreSix Cheese & Beer Pairings Not to Miss
I don’t have many regrets in life, but one would be that I didn’t discover beer sooner. I mean the good stuff, of course—the world’s great craft brews, which have so many flavor affinities with artisan cheese. I’m making up for lost time now and, like many converts, I want to share my epiphanies. Looking back through tasting notes, I selected a half-dozen peak experiences that, truly, you don’t want to miss.
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