Cheese & Beer

Book excerpt: Gourmand Awards winner---Beer category, USA. "Like a lot of cheese experts, I'm convinced that the ultimate companion to cheese is, and always will be, great craft beer. Don't believe me? Try it for yourself. This beautiful, well-researched and tastefully written tome is the perfect accompaniment to your journey. Cheers!"---Greg Koch, CEO & Co-Founder, Stone Brewing Co. / Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens "The rise in cheese connoisseurship has coincided with a delicious growth in quality beer appreciation. Janet draws on her keen palate to describe nuances in the many different beer styles and then recommends great cheese partners for each category. Cheese & Beer is an excellent guide that explains how different beers are crafted and what gives these different types their synergies with superior cheeses."---Max McCalman, author, Mastering Cheese Cheese & Beer capitalizes on the rapidly growing audience for craft beer in the U.S. and the enthusiasm these passionate beer fans have for good cheese. Enhanced by the author's reputation as a journalist and cheese authority, the book fills a wide-open niche for consumer guidance in pairing craft beer and cheese. The beer enthusiast who wants to know which cheeses to pair with an IPA, porter or Trappist ale can easily find a recommendation. Each style entry includes: Style Notes: a description of that beer style---what defines it from the brewer's perspective, and what to expect from the beverage in the glass. Beers to Try: Several recommended craft beers in that style, both domestic and imported. Some of the breweries included from across the country are: Boulevard Brewing (Kansas City, MO), Allagash Brewing (Portland, ME), Brooklyn Brewery (Brooklyn, NY), Firestone Walker (Paso Robles CA), Great Divide (Denver, CO), and Rogue Ales (Newport OR). Cheese Affinities: In general terms, what types of cheeses pair well with that style and why. Cheeses to Try: Brief profiles of three well-distributed cheeses (domestic and imported) specifically recommended for that style and why More Cheeses to Try: A list of other cheeses to pair with that beer style—so that every reader should be able to find at least a couple of the recommended cheeses The introductory chapter includes general advice on pairing cheese and beer; and on selecting, storing and presenting cheese. Six themed platters give readers ideas for entertaining with beer and cheese.