Characteristics

Wine and cheese combinations are often outstanding, of course, but they can also be disappointing or worse. That’s because the best marriages typically rely on contrasting flavors, which can be difficult to match successfully. Pairing beer and cheese is usually much easier, because their flavors tend to complement each other. This is particularly true of malty beers, such as ale, porter, and stout, which include many of the same nutty caramel flavors found in aged cheeses. And the highly flavored washed-rind cheeses, which are especially challenging to pair with wine without overpowering the wine, meet their match with beer, often one made in the same area.