Murray's Beverage Pairing Guide
Wine and cheese. Beer and cheese. Bourbon and cheese. Tequila and cheese. Whiskey and cheese. Cocktails and cheese. Whatever you're drinking, we've got a cheese that pairs beautifully with it. Here are some general rules to creating delicious combinations.
Cider
Brie and apples, cheddar and apples – both delicious! Why not extend that deliciousness to apples in liquid form? Enjoy cider and cheese for a pairing to remember.
English style
Drier, more like a beer, with nice acidity.
Pair with
Just about anything, especially a firm natural rind cheese like Murray's Cave Aged Original Stockinghall Cheddar, Quickes Cheddar, or Jasper Hill Alpha Tolman.
Basque and Normandy Cider
Barnyardy, funky, and still, with a hint of sweetness.
Pair with
A beefy washed rind cheese like Grayson to contrast the sugar and bring out the funk.
American Cider
Often but not always on the sweeter side.
Pair with
Sweet and earthy Flory's Truckle or malty Bleu d’Auvergne.
Farmhouse Ales & Sours
Farmhouse ales, instead of being driven by malt or hops, depend on yeast for their distinctive spicy, floral, and tart flavors. Commonly made by brewers in France and Belgium, these ales are usually light in color and body and quite effervescent. From time to time, brewers allow wild yeasts to ferment the beer, resulting in a brew that falls somewhere between pleasantly bright to bracingly sour.
Pair with
Mushroomy Brie Fermier or funky, bacony Epoisses.
Lagers & Kolsch
Lagers run the gamut from crisp, pale pilsners to dark-malted dunkels and märzens. Flavors are typically approachable and mellow, a delicate balance of toasted bread, gentle sweetness, and mild hop bitterness for structure.
Pair with
Almost any firm, mild cheese like Tomme de Savoie or Weinkase Lagrein.
Pale Ales & IPAs
Think of hops as the seasoning for beer—they lend the bitter yin to balance malt’s sugary yang. In IPAs and other hoppy beers, this humble flower takes center stage. Flavors range from grassy to grapefruit, earthy and dry to resinous pine, depending on which hop varietals are used.
Pair with
Cheeses with enough body to stand up to the bitterness, like clothbound cheddar or aged gouda.
Porters & Stouts
Welcome to the dark side of beer. Porters and stouts are born of heavily roasted malted barley, which colors the beer and develops toasty flavors recalling chocolate, coffee, and chicory. Looks can be deceiving, though, as dark doesn’t always mean strong. Porters and stouts can be incredibly light in body or big boozy affairs that pour like syrup.
Pair with
A mild, creamy blue like Cambozola Black or any cheese with a touch of sweetness.
Strong Beers
Big and intense, with an alcohol punch to match, strong beers are not to be underestimated. Flavors are malty, with dark fruit, leather, and tobacco notes.
Pair with
A cheese that can stand up to intense flavors, like Roelli Red Rock, which has subtle bluing, or Montgomery's Cheddar.
Wheat Beers
Wheat beer is a top-fermented brew that's made with a higher proportion of wheat to malted barley. Flavors of honey, banana, and clove shine through.
Pair with
Bright, tangy goat’s milk cheeses like Bucheron or Merry Goat Round and buttery bloomy rind cheeses like Nettle Meadow Kunik.
