Is there a better time of year for foodies than the onset of Fall? Apples, Brussel sprouts, pumpkins and squash are coming into season.
The first batches of the Holy Grail of cheese, Vacherin Mont d’Or, has been produced and will be arriving on our shores shortly. The haunting, alluring aroma of truffles is wafting over the Atlantic.
And what better way to celebrate every gastronome’s favorite season than with beer and cheese? Oktoberfest Beer and Cheese, to be specific! Check out this year’s lineup of Oktoberfest pairings, and let the Bacchanalian revelry begin:
Challerhocker and Flying Fish Exit 4:
Similar in style to Appenzeller, this acclaimed Swiss stunner is washed in wine, rubbed with herbs and aged for ten months. The result is a big, beefy, nutty and sweet flavor profile that inspires newfound awe with each and every bite. The Exit 4, and Emican Trippel, is loaded with bananas and cloves on the nose, with a charming balance of sweet malts and subtle bitterness on the tongue. It is high in alcohol, 9.5%, but the strength of the beer and the sharpness of the cheese knock each other down to size and harmonize beautifully.
Need even more flavor? Go for some Unbound Bacon Pickles
Chiriboga Blue with Schneider Aventinus Weizenbock:
A bright and buttery blue made by an Ecuadorian expat in Bavaria. We like to say that this cheese feels like fudge and tastes like ice cream, and it has proven to be loved by blue fanatics and skeptics alike. The Schneider Weizenbock offers dark fruit sweetness, which serves as a brilliant counterpoint to the feint saltiness in the cheese.
Need even more flavor? Throw in some Amarena Cherries
Anton’s Red Love with Kristall Weissbier (or other Wheat Beer):
An organic, Bavarian double cream temptress, Red Love oozes at room temperature, imploring you to scoop it up with spoons and smear on bread. Sweet and mushroomy, this is the gateway from Brie to the funkier washed rinds. The Weissbier has a soft, citrus sweetness, which contrasts the bready, yeasty flavors of the cheese. Gentle carbonation cleanses your palate.
Need even more flavor? Spread on some Tait Farm Strawberry Preserves
Seiler Aged Raclette with Stoudt’s Fat Dog (or other Oatmeal Stout):
This cheese, which dates back to at the 13th century, is a washed rind cheese aged for six months. The careful washing and turning at Kaserei Seiler matures the cheese until it is semi firm with a subtle taste and smelling softly of roasting peanuts. Nothing like a soul-warming, roasty, malty Oatmeal Stout to pair with this beacon of fall. This pairings works well on its own, but is sublime if the Raclette is melted, perhaps over caramelized onions and pumpernickel bread.
Need even more flavor? Layer in some Tishbi Onion Cabernet Jam
Ascutney Mountain (Comte, a fair substitute, pictured here) with Dogfish Head Punkin Ale:
A Gruyere style made in Vermont, this farmstead cheese from Cobb Hill Farm is sweeter and fruitier than the cheese that inspired it. Light and grassy up front with a snap pea finish. One of our favorite pairings is the Dogfish Head Punkin Ale with Comte Marcel Petit. However, this pairing, substituting Ascutney, might outdo the original. It’s creamy texture and snappy flavor work as the perfect foil to the warming spices of the beer.
Need even more flavor? Top it off with some Rigoni Apricot Jam
