Oktoberfest's Best: Cheese & Beer To Feiern At Home
The official Oktoberfest in Munich might be canceled (with no word from its sister festival here in New York), but that doesn’t mean that the spirit and flavor of Oktoberfest is off the table! We asked our cheese and beer buyers for five of their favorite Oktoberfest pairings of beer and cheese, and they did not let us down. Check out their picks below!
Oxbow Blue Noir: This one is a Farmhouse ale with blueberries and pinot noir grape juice. It's light, sweet, and super super crisp.
Paired With
Robiola Bosina: Bright, sweet, and just tangy enough, this mixed milk cheese is a playful pairing with the beer's fruity notes.
Oxbow Luppolo: This one is an Oxbow classic. Really fantastic Maine hopped pilsner. Malty, very light, with a nice subtle hoppy bitterness. I think both these Oxbow beers are great lighter fall beers.
Paired With
Ubriaco al Prosecco: An Italian-style pilsner deserves a truly Italian sidekick! The malty notes of the beer mingle with the fruity effervescence of the cheese for a pairing straight out of "la bella vita."
Grimm Seconds: I think with fall weather, you can either drink something to match the dry crispness, or go with something darker and heavier. This beer bridges that gap. It's a 3% ABV dark mild ale, super uncommon style. Very malty and chocolatey up front, with a nice sweet finish.
Paired With
Caveman Blue: This creamy, fudgy, cow's milk blue from Oregon is an excellent pairing with anything chocolatey. Caveman Blue's sweetness is balanced by slight earthy/mushroom notes, so it's never overwhelming, but be careful—once you start snacking on this cheese, it will be hard to stop!
Timber Lumberjack Style: This one is a super heavy imperial stout with coffee and maple syrup. Classic desert stout, super rich and sweet, with a pretty boozy finish.
Paired With
Tulip Tree Hops: This double cream cow's milk cheese is infused with tiramisu stout during the cheesemaking process. Decadent but not cloying, this pairing is definitely not for the faint of heart (or stomach).
Abandoned Barrel Aged: This one is a great oak barrel aged cider. It's a little heavier and funkier than a typical cider, but still sweet and fairly dry.
Paired With
Cabra La Mancha: Funk recognizes funk, but the tanginess of this washed-rind goat's milk cheese keeps it bright enough so as not to be overpowered by the cider!