Picolo Birrificio Seson with Kirkham’s Lancashire (a mild cheddar)
Piccolo Seson is a “classic” Italian saison. It is spiced with chinottto (a Slow Food Movement citrus fruit), juniper, and coriander. It is also matured in wooden Chardonnay barrels. This saison is sprightly, light and refreshing. A wonderful cheese to match is Lancashire which has a crumbly texture with flavors of butter and a distinct yogurty tang. The tanginess in the cheese complements the mid level bitterness and dryness of the saison.
Professor Fritz Briem 13th Century Grut Beer with Bayley Hazen Blue (a Stilton)
A grutbier is a beer that does not contain hops, it is preserved by spices and herbs. This beer is particular is spiced with rosemary, gentian, ginger, bay leaves, caraway and anise. The aroma of this beer is like a bouquet-gami. A beer this flavorful needs a big cheese to stand up to it – a blue style like Bayley Hazen is called for. Bayley Hazen is a raw cow’s milk blue cheese with spiciness, flavors of stone-fruit, licorice and a nice lingering buttermilk finish. It softens the herbal component and spice of the beer while creating a pleasing aftertaste.
Cheese Pairings by Laura Downey ACS CCP Fairfield Cheese Company