Searching for the yin to your favorite cheese’s yang? Read on to learn what drinks pair well with five of our Hoard’s Dairyman Farm Creamery cheeses.
Have you ever wondered what drink would serve as the perfect pair to your after-dinner serving of Hoard’s Dairyman Farm Creamery Three-Month Cheddar? Or what to serve alongside your Gouda-Belaire cheeseboard? What about with your sweet baked St. Saviour? Then again, are any of us going to realistically splurge on trial and error experiments to figure it out?
Luckily, our team at Hoard’s Dairyman has done the research and defined optimal wine, beer, and spirit pairings for five of our main cheeses, so all you have to do is sip, sit back, and reap the palatal rewards.
St. Saviour — our buttery, soft-ripened cheese — pairs well with any acidic wine. Think: Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Noir, dry rosés, and champagnes. It also goes nicely with ciders, fruity sours, and Saison, a dry and spicy pale ale. For spirits, consider an apple brandy, such as the French Calvados.
Gouda’s complex flavor profile means its highest caliber pairings include Riesling, Chardonnay, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sangiovese wines; amber ale, brown ale, Pilsner, and stout beers; and vodka, brandy, and cognac.
Wines that accentuate our Three-Month Cheddar include Tempranillo, Syrah, Malbec, Merlot, and Rioja. Beers include Hefeweizen-style wheat beers, Kolsch, malts, and pale ales. For spirits, try any bourbon, brandy, whiskey, or vermouth.
The creamy, subtle profile of our Belaire cheese requests the compliments of a rosé, Pinot Gris, or Moscato wine; a blonde ale, lager, or pilsner beer; or a splash of vodka, brandy, or cordials. (A cordial — also a liqueur — is a neutral spirit that has been redistilled with additional ingredients, such as Baileys Irish Cream liqueur.)
Lastly, Sark — a cheese that, according to my mother, “tastes like nostalgia” — may be accompanied by Chardonnay, Riesling, or a favorite lager.
It’s hard to go wrong with any of the Hoard’s Dairyman Farm Creamery cheeses no matter your drink of choice, but for a top-tier flavor experience, consider following this guide next time you reach for the cutting board.
