Pairing beer and goat cheese is a delicious way to entertain guests. Possibilities are exquisitely endless, but we’ve narrowed down our top five combinations.
There’s nothing like the thrill of hosting. A seasoned hostess or host savors each gathering: the unique combination of friends and family, the warm conversation, and the carefully cultivated menu.
Food and beverages are crucial components of a fun get-together; serving your guests an inspired spread makes the whole experience satisfying and even more memorable. Fortunately, it’s always easy to keep things exciting when you serve our incredibly fresh-tasting goat cheese.
What pairs well with goat cheese?
Now pairing it is where the real creativity comes in. Goat cheese and wine pairings have historically garnered the most focus. However, as craft breweries continue to flourish, the art of enjoying beer has come to resemble the detailed sophistication of wine, so we’ve brewed up a list of our five favorite beer and goat cheese pairings.
Bringing beer and cheese together is a simple way to please guests, whether for snacking at a casual hang-out, appetizers at a more upscale affair, or for treating guests to a full-on tasting event in your home. With our award-winning goat cheeses, you’ll notch countless hosting wins—no matter the occasion.
Why Pair Goat Cheese with Beer?
This question may arise from guests who are less than familiar with the glory of goat cheese.
Beyond the unrivaled taste of our products—made from fresh goat milk sourced mostly from farms less than 10 miles from the creamery—goat milk products have a number of nutritional advantages over cow milk products, such as protein, carbohydrates, Vitamin A, calcium, and cholesterol. Goat milk also has a lower percentage of lactose content compared to cow milk, which, along with naturally containing A2 casein protein, can make it easier to digest. Goats also consume less resources to produce milk than cows do.
Refresh yourself on all these differences, as well as similarities, in our blog comparing goat cheese and cow cheese.
We already mentioned that goat cheese is a great wine pairing, but here's why goat cheese goes so well with beer. The magic of goat cheese and beer pairings lies in their contrasting and complementary flavors. The bright flavor of fresh goat cheese finds balance in beer's malt sweetness or citrus notes, while earthy goat cheeses match nicely with bold stouts. From light saisons to rich imperial stouts, the vast styles let you explore endless combinations, so experiment and find your perfect match! Here are five of our favorite beer and goat cheese pairings to get started:
Truffle Goat Cheese Paired with a Nitro Stout
The goat cheese: Our creamy, tangy chèvre blended with bits of earthy black summer truffles.
The beer: Smooth and dark bodied, with high malt and hoppy, bitter, roasted flavor. The nitrogen creates a thick foam, with minimal carbonation.
The pairing: The goat cheese and the beer are each complex and flavorful on their own. Together, they create a palate-pleasing blend of taste and texture.
Our rich, savory Truffle Goat Cheese has a tanginess that cuts through the bitterness and slightly roasted flavor of the nitro stout. The creamy texture of the cheese also helps to balance out the beer’s smoothness.
Fig & Honey Goat Cheese Paired with a Porter
The goat cheese: The clean taste of our original chèvre meets honey and chopped figs for creamy, fruity sweetness.
The beer: Full-bodied with a deep, dark color and a slightly sweet, caramel-like flavor of roasted malt.
The pairing: The key to this goat cheese and beer pairing is neither overpowers the other. Serving the cheese at room temperature allows its flavor to fully develop.
This delicious combination features the nutty, near-coffee taste of porter complementing the tangy sweetness of our Fig & Honey Goat Cheese.
Cheddar Goat Cheese Paired with a Cider
The goat cheese: This hard cheese has a fresh, mild flavor—creamy with a touch of fruitiness.
The beer: Serve your preference by selecting a dry, crisp cider with a subtle apple flavor, or choose a sweeter cider with fruitier notes and a more pronounced apple taste.
The pairing: Take a sip of the cider and let its fruity flavors dance on your tongue, and then take a bite of the Cheddar Goat Cheese and savor its tangy, nutty richness.
The contrast of this beer and goat cheese pairing is a savory and refreshing delight equally suited for a summer snack or a grand dinner party.
Garlic & Herb Goat Cheese Paired with a Pilsner
The goat cheese: A flavorful, garlicky, creamy chèvre blended with choice savory herbs.
The beer: A light, crisp, golden beer with a mild hop flavor, malty sweetness, and brilliant clarity.
The pairing: The satisfying contrast of this beer and goat cheese pairing comes from the mildness of the former and the intensity of the latter; intentionally, the pilsner supports rather than competes with this Garlic & Herb Goat Cheese.
Pour the pilsner into a glass to enhance the sensory experience: the golden color, the pleasurable aroma, and even the satisfying sound of the pour. Encourage guests to take a bite of the cheese and let the flavors linger a moment, then sip the beer and note how its clean refreshment mingles with the pungent taste of the chèvre.
Cave Aged Chandoka Paired with a Double IPA
The goat cheese: Made from a blend of 70% cow milk of 30% goat milk, then aged in caves to achieve an earthy, rich, dense texture, this proprietary cheese recently earned first place at the World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest.
The beer: Strong, with hoppy bitterness and notes of various fruits and floral spice.
The pairing: Start with a sip of the double IPA to introduce the palate to its powerful flavor. Then, a small bite of the Cave Aged Chandoka, letting it rest on the tongue a moment before chewing, and taking another sip of the beer while chewing.
Pairing this beer with this cheese makes for an incredible intermingling of the senses, with each bringing out the best of the other for a truly delightful experience.
Finding the Right Goat Cheese to Pair with Beer
These goat cheese and beer pairings are your ticket to instant satisfaction, whether you’re enjoying solo, throwing a last-minute get-together, or planning an elegant evening in with friends.
We fully recommend trying your own unique combinations; have fun experimenting with different brands of beer as well as methods of delivering the cheese, like crackers, crostini, nuts, bread, fruit, or fresh vegetables. You might just find your next favorite pairing for sharing that’s sure to impress your friends and family.
Ultimately you can’t go wrong when you serve LaClare. Find our cheese, pour a beer, and savor an unrivaled culinary experience.