M
ost cheese specialists have never met a cheese they couldn't match with a craft beer, but now the pairing is
getting even easier. Increasingly, American cheesemakers and affineurs view beer as an ingredient—and
they're pushing the boundaries of where it can go.
Beer in the curd, on the rind, and even on the wheel's leaf wrap
is adding a signature scent and flavor to several new cheeses.
BY JANET FLETCHER
How American Cheesemakers
Are Using Craft Beer
PHOTO: SARAH MARCUS
Fast-Moving Originals
For retailers, these novelties offer access to one-off creations that
competitors don't have. At Di Bruno Bros. in Philadelphia, cheese-
mongers wash young cheeses with local brews in house, or collabo-
rate with Crown Finish Caves, the Brooklyn affineur, for higher-vol-
ume projects. "It's about having something specific to the store, and
it's a treat for the customer," says Rich Morillo, assistant store-team
leader. The retailer posts the beer-washed cheeses on Instagram
when they're ready, and they're typically sold within 48 hours.
The phenomenon isn't new: Belgium's Trappist monks likely
have been washing cheese with their own ales for centuries, although
the country's beer-washed Chimay is only 30 years old. Oregon's
Rogue Creamery introduced its Chocolate Stout Cheddar a dozen
years ago, in a collaboration with Rogue Ales that continues today.
But the practice has definitely accelerated, with creameries and affi-
neurs experimenting with a range of beer styles, from IPA to sour
ale to barleywine, and exploring applications for dry hops and wort
(unfermented beer).
Briar Rose Creamery's Lorelei
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