Cheese platters are synonymous with special occasions. Rich, tangy, decedent cheeses paired with seeded crackers, antipasti and commonly…wine. With such a diverse variety of wines, from Chardonnays to Merlots, it's clear to see why cheese and wine is the go to pairing for any occasion. However, what about the less known combination of beer and cheese? After all, there are just as many beer varieties as there are wine! From Barrel aged ales, to fruit infused, the craft of beer making is often just as complex to that of wine. Beer also offers similar flavour combinations to that of wine that contrast perfectly with the multitude of cheeses on the market.
After all, cheeses work well with bready crackers and are complemented by fruits; which are all common flavour profiles of beer, so why not pair them both?
Below we have compiled a list of the best cheese pairings to go with our range of alcohol free beers. Our recommendations include a diverse list of different cheeses to help you design your cheese platter for your next event or Friday night!
Bavarian Helles Lager
Our flagship best seller; Brewed in the traditional german way, our lager is a crisp, light beer with biscuity honey nectar notes.
German lagers pair well with soft cheeses; light cheese pairs well with the fresh carbonation, with bready biscuity notes of our lager complimenting the fresh creaminess of a soft cheese perfectly (After all, cheese and crackers have always been the classic combination in any platter)
Try cheeses such as: soft Chevre, Feta cheese or St Jude.
Stout
Strong, blue cheeses work well with our Stout. These cheeses denote complex, sharp flavours that are earthy, nutty and caramel sweet.
This is why they pair perfectly with our Dark and Rich stout; heavy enough to be an indulgent drink, with a slight sweetness and chocolate notes that contrasts perfectly with the sharpness of these cheeses. A great blend between sweet and savoury.
Try cheeses such as: Bleu, Stilton and Gorgonzola.
Pale Ales
Cheddars and sharp cheeses such as gruyere work well with our Pale Ales. These cheeses are salty, nutty and earthy. They complement a drink that is malt forward with earthy undertones.
Traditional Pale Ale: Amber ale that is malt forward, similar to a cask ale style taste, with slight caramel notes. This pairs well with cheeses that have similar taste profiles, such as gouda and Lincolnshire Poacher.
Sharp British cheddars work well with similarly strong beers. Our Hoppy Pale ale and IPA are a good pairing as their similarly sharp citrus notes work well with the strength of a cheddar.
Try: Lincolnshire Poacher, Cornish kern, Appleby’s Cheshire, Gruyere.
IPA
IPA pairs best with nutty earthy cheeses, as well as salty cheeses. The IPA is strong enough to not be overpowered and the complex, citrus and earthy hoppy notes complement these cheeses well.
For those that may not be a fan of a dark beer such as a stout, but don’t want to miss out on the blue cheeses; our IPA pairs well with a creamy blue cheese. The hoppy bitterness of the IPA cuts through the pungency of the cheese; that along with the contrast of the tropical citrus notes of the IPA with the sharpness of the cheese leaves taste buds tingling!
Another option is the beloved Manchego cheese from Spain. This cheese works best with a beer that is fruity as well as earthy; the light citrus notes of our American Style IPA does just that.
Try: Comte/Gruyere, Golden Cross, blue Stilton, Parmesan and Manchego.
If you've clicked a few of the links you'll have noticed we sourced most of them from The Mousetrap Cheese shop. We don't have any affiliation, but they've been in business 30 years now and come very highly recommended.
🍻Cheers!🍻
ABOUT NIRVANA BREWERY:
WE ARE THE UK’S ONLY NO/LOW ALCOHOL DEDICATED BREWERY, ONE OF ONLY 16 SOIL ASSOCIATION CERTIFIED ORGANIC BREWERIES AND THE ONLY ONE IN LONDON.
WE BELIEVE THAT OUTSTANDING BEER DOESN’T NEED ALCOHOL, THAT AWARD WINNING FLAVOUR IS NOT TIED TO ABV, AND THAT DRINKING WITH FRIENDS DOESN’T HAVE TO MEAN A SLOW START THE NEXT DAY.
BREWING SINCE 2016, OUR BEERS CONTAIN NO ANIMAL PRODUCTS, LESS ALCOHOL THAN ORANGE JUICE AND ARE BETWEEN 33 AND 66 CALORIES PER BOTTLE.
