Pairing Strong Beers with Cheese

Sharp Cheddar and Double IPA

As the weather cools, many drinkers will reach for full-flavored and higher ABV beers, in place of the more refreshing and effervescent beers that they were sipping during the summer. But when it comes to pairing cheeses with stronger beers, which factors should you consider?

“One of my favorite principles of cheese pairing is matching intensities,” says Isabelle Brosen, Assistant Manager of Events & Education at Murray’s Cheese. The cheese and beer should elevate one another, Brosen adds, and one should not dominate the other. Read about Murray’s. But pairing bold flavors successfully isn’t always easy. “The challenge is to select couplings that are bold and audacious, not aggressive and unpleasant,” says Jill Tardiff, Cheesemonger, Manager and Buyer at Saxelby Cheesemongers, based in New York. Read about Saxelby Cheesemongers. 

With the right pairing, cheese and beer lovers can find beautiful balance, even as they reach for some of the most full-flavored and boozy beers. Here are some cheese pairing ideas for stronger beer styles that you can try.

Double IPA with Aged Sharp Cheddar

Lake Front IPA and Murray’s Cave Aged Stockinghall Cheddar

Double IPAs are rich and resinous beers. They might have citrusy and woodsy notes from the hop bouquet used in the brewing process, with a sturdy malt profile as a backbone, for a full mouthfeel. These beers typically clock in at 7% ABV or above. Brosen recommends a punchier Cheddar, such as Murray’s Cave Aged Stockinghall Cheddar, with a heavily hopped beer such as this. “These cheeses are chock full of flavor, acidity, and spice which can balance super well with bitterness and intensity of a DIPA,” she says. Try it with Lake Front Double IPA. Read more about Double and Triple IPAs.

New England Double IPA with Goats Cheese

Harpoon Hoppy Adventure and Firefly Farms Fresh Goat Cheese

New England double IPAs are often brewed with flaked oats or wheat, to give them their trademark haze. These beers call for a cheese pairing that can complement the smooth mouthfeel and the tropical and stone fruit notes from the hops. The Saxelby team recommends fresh goat cheeses that are processed within 24 hours, such as fresh goat cheese from FireFly Farms, for a bright yet smooth cheese with a hint of citrus. Try it with Harpoon Hoppy Adventure. 

Double Dry Hopped IPA with Spruce-Wrapped Cheese

Double the Reason DDH IPA and Greensward spruce-wrapped cheese

A double dry hopped IPA will typically feature twice the dry-hop addition by weight of a comparable IPA. Since ‘dry-hopping’ means adding hops during or after fermentation—as opposed to in the kettle—a DDH IPA will be bursting with even more of the piney and fruity notes as one might expect in a typical IPA. And though ABVs vary, many DDH IPAs will fall in a similar range to double IPAs. For a unique pairing, Brosen suggests a spruce-wrapped cheese such as Greensward. “The woodsy flavor imparted in the cheese by the spruce bark wrapping can marry well with the organic flavors provided by the hops,” she says. Try it with Double the Reason from Druther’s Brewing Company.

Russian Imperial Stout with Camembert

Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout and Nancy's Hudson Valley Camembert

For a big beer like imperial stout, which has notes of coffee and cocoa thanks to the specialty malts such as chocolate malt and roasted barley, selecting a decadent cheese to complement it is the way to go. The Saxelby team suggests a triple-crème bloomy rind, like Nancy's Hudson Valley Camembert. “Buttery and mushroomy and silky,” is how Tardiff describes it, proving an ideal pairing for this ultra-rich beer style. Try it with Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout from North Coast Brewing. 

Belgian Tripel with Double Cream Brie

Grand Cru Belgian Style Tripel aged in Bourbon Barrels and Brillat Savarin

Often coming in at around 8% ABV, Belgian style tripels are often complex and satisfying beers, with spicy and fruity aromas and flavors from the high levels of phenols and esters that are produced by Belgian yeast. Here, Brosen suggests considering pairing the type of cheese that might be enjoyed alongside jams and candied nuts, such as a bloomy rind cheese. “Belgian tripels could actually pair quite nicely with a buttery double cream bloomy rind [such as] think Brillat Savarin, or Cremeux de Bourgogne,” she says. “The creamy mildness of cheeses like this can be the perfect sounding board for bringing out some of the more nuanced flavors in a strong Belgian ale.” Try it with Grand Cru Belgian Style Tripel aged in Bourbon Barrels.

American Barleywine with Aged Gouda

Sierra Nevada Big Foot and Marieke Gouda Overjarige

Barleywine is a strong ale that packs a punch. With high ABVs in the 8% to 12% range, these beers showcase intense and complex malt profiles, with a full mouthfeel. This beer style originates in England, and American takes will typically have a greater emphasis on hop bitterness. For this, the Saxelby team recommends an aged gouda, such as Marieke Gouda Plain Overjarige, which has sweet, grassy, crunchy characteristics. Try it with Sierra Nevada Big Foot. Read more about Barleywine.