If you read my last post you know that I wasn't happy with the pairing of L'Amuse Gouda and 10 Barrel Apocalypse IPA. Last night I decided to try a couple of different beer pairings with this lovely, delicious cheese.Going along with the cicerone's suggestion of a saison I picked up Boulevard Tank 7 which was conveniently available in a petite 12 oz bottle. Searching my beer stash for a stout or imperial stout I came up with Founders Breakfast Stout.
Tank 7 poured with a huge head, tropical in aroma and even more tropical in flavor. My concern with the overall lightness of the beer paired with this assertive cheese was unfounded. The beer stood up well to the cheese, possibly due to the 8.5% ABV (although it drinks more like a 6%) and offered a wonderful sweet and salty pairing.
The Breakfast Stout offered up a great chocolate aroma, drank more boozy than the saison (although it's only 8.3% ABV) and greatly dampened the flavor of the cheese. While not as successful as the saison, it was still less discordant than the cheese than the IPA had been.
We also happened to have an open bottle of double IPA in the fridge, Lucid Camo, which we decided last minute to try with the cheese. As with the Breakfast Stout the Camo overpowered much of the flavor of the cheese yet not quite as much, putting it second out of the three beers in our home pairing.
With this pairing dilemna solved I can now enjoy the rest of this wedge of cheese. And I may be picking up some additional Tank 7.
Greg and I picked up some gouda over the weekend from the co-op and while we had wine, I think beer would've hit the spot much better. I enjoy Tank 7 as a decent farmhouse ale. Saisons speak to me and I always look forward to them in the warm seasons.
ReplyDelete