Owen Ogletree gathered local craft beer lovers Ian Meents, Dean Graves, Gail Graves, Ashton Smith, Jeff Rapp, Kim Swantek, Mark Hall, Thel Melton, Melissa Melton, Pete Dasher and Georgia's Beer Wench to sample six cheeses - each paired with two outstanding Georgia beers (with a couple of guest beers from other states thrown in for fun).
In this blind tasting, participants were told the style of each beer but not the specific brand name. Everyone made a few notes and then voted on which beer in each pair made the best accompaniment to each cheese. The results are listed here...
TERRAPIN GOOD TO GOSE
Gose with coriander and grapefruit peel
OUR FAVORITE WITH THIS CHEESE!
The mild, tart flavors worked well with the cheese. Coriander and salt complemented the cheese. Mild citrus, salt and spice.
| CHEVRE GOAT CHEESE WITH HONEY | SOUTHERN BREWING TALLULAH Golden Sour Ale Blend aged in wine bbls, Amarillo dry-hops
A marvelous beer with complex, pleasant flavors. Needs a heavier cheese. The beer is a bit too acidic for the chevre, and the oak tannins seem to wipe out the chevre flavors.
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WILD HEAVEN ALTAIR
American-style IPA
Great citrus aroma and flavor with a pleasant bitter finish. The salty, sharp cheese seems to cover the elegant hop notes of the beer. Mineral notes in beer go well with mineral quality of the cheese.
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PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO
| CHERRY STREET STEPPIN' RAZOR American-style Double IPA
OUR FAVORITE WITH THIS CHEESE!
Rich malt and hops are a good match for the cheese. Biscuity notes go well. Floral, spicy hops are beautiful with the dry, spicy cheese.
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| AKADEMIA ESB British-style Strong Bitter OUR FAVORITE WITH THIS CHEESE!
Gorgeous example of the classic style with delicious malt. Caramel and biscuit notes go well with the nutty cheese.
| ASIAGO |
MONDAY NIGHT DRAFTY KILT
Scottish-style Wee Heavy
The rich malt and smoky notes conflict with the nuttiness of the cheese. This tasty beer needs a cheese with somewhat stronger, malt-like flavors.
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NEW BELGIUM TRIPPEL
Trappist-style Tripel with coriander
OUR FAVORITE WITH THIS CHEESE!
A fine beer with strong coriander spice in the finish. Great malt and Belgian fermentation character. Works quite well with the nutty, buttery, thick cheese.
| 1,000 DAY GOUDA | CREATURE COMFORTS RECLAIMED RYE Rye Amber Ale aged on French oak
The somewhat mild malt and rye flavors of this beer don't stand up as well to the rich cheese. Complexity of the cheese overpowers the beer a bit.
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TERRAPIN LUAU KRUNKLES
American-style IPA with passion-fruit, orange, guava
This beer's fruity quality is quite pleasant but might be too much for the cheese. The complexity seems to cover the funkiness and creaminess of the cheese.
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HUMBOLDT FOG CYPRESS GROVE GOAT CHEESE
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CREATURE COMFORTS GOLDEN DOOR
Farmhouse saison - mixed fermentation, oak bbl-aged
OUR FAVORITE WITH THIS CHEESE!
Tropical fruit, beautiful acidity, quite lambic-like. A light, slightly sweet malt note balances the subtle, yet complex, acidity. It's a nice contrast to the cheese.
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| SOUTHERN BREWING MIDNIGHT TRAIN Porter
A delicious porter with lovely dark malt complexity. This well-made ale goes down really well. The roasted malt notes cut the complexity of the blue cheese, but the beer's flavors are a bit light to stand up to the bold stilton.
| ENGLISH STILTON |
NEW HOLLAND DRAGON'S MILK
Imperial Stout - bourbon bbl-aged
OUR FAVORITE WITH THIS CHEESE!
The richness of this malty brew pairs well with the funky cheese. Nice vanilla barrel flavors complement the cheese. Most people thought the strength of the beer matched the cheese.
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