Cheese and Fall Beer Pairings

Fall seasonal beers consist of Pumpkin Beers, Fresh Hop Ales, and Oktoberfest beers. Each have their own fragrance and flavor that is similar to cheese, but the carbonation in beer contrasts well with the creamy texture of cheese causing an instant pleasurable sensation. Following are a few Cheese and Fall Beer pairing ideas for you to try at your next gathering.

Pumpkin Beer

According to the Beeradvocate, Pumpkin Ales are quite varied. Some brewers opt to add hand-cut pumpkins and drop them in the mash, while others use puree or pumpkin flavoring. These beers also tend to be spiced with pumpkin pie spices, like: ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and allspice. Pumpkin Ales are typically mild, with little to no bitterness, a malty backbone, with some spice often taking the lead.

• Pair Pumpkin Ale with a blue cheese like Roquefort. It’s perfect for those that love sweet and salty combinations with the sweet notes of the pumpkin ale and the saltiness of the blue cheese.

Fresh Hop Ales

Beers made with fresh hops are stronger in flavor and color than regular ales. The hops are in their most natural state and are not allowed to dry before being placed in the brew kettle. Fresh hop ales are earthly with an intense flavor.

• Pair Fresh Hop Ales with creamy cheeses such as Brie, Camembert, or Crave Brothers Petit Frere. Mediterranean Fontina’s earthy flavor also blends well with the earthy tones of fresh hop ales.

Oktoberfest Beers

I have always been told Oktoberfest Beers contain beer from the bottom of the barrel making is a thick, dark, strong brew. Beeradvocate on the other hand offers a much more eloquent and accurate description, “Before refrigeration, it was nearly impossible to brew beer in the summer due to the hot weather and bacterial infections. Brewing ended with the coming of spring, and began again in the fall. Most were brewed in March (Märzen). These brews were kept in cold storage over the spring and summer months, or brewed at a higher gravity, so they’d keep. Märzenbier is full-bodied, rich, toasty, typically dark copper in color with a medium to high alcohol content. The common Munich Oktoberfest beer served at Wies’n (the location at which Munich celebrates its Oktoberfest) contains roughly 5.0-6.0% alcohol by volume, is dark/copper in color, has a mild hop profile and is typically labeled as a Bavarian Märzenbier in style.”

• Pair with slightly stronger cheeses such as creamy Morbier, Gruyere, Emmental and Swiss.

For all your cheese needs, stop by one of West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe‘s three locations or visit us online. Our staff will help you select the perfect cheese to pair with any beverage or other food item.

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