Beer, cheese and chocolate. Need I say more? Perhaps the phrase "stick a fork in me, 'cause I'm done!" A huge thanks to Ralph, Bar Volo, Julia from Cheese Culture, Michael from Chocosol, and HMH Negotiants for putting off a wonderful event. Presentation, education, good company, and a cozy atmosphere on a drizzly Sunday afternoon. It was indeed a great way to spend the day, indulging in new (to Ontario) beers and cheeses from Quebec and fine chocolates from Toronto to really fulfill the idea of richness on the palate.
Put the wine down and pick up a beer because that is going to go better with cheese, any cheese, but these pairings were out of this world. Even if the suggested pairing didn't fit your palate you were able to mix and match to find something you liked.
Julia Rogers provided great commentary, insight on the cheeses and why she believed each beer suited the cheese. A great wealth of knowledge, and even if every palate is different, I will forevermore take her suggestions and accept that she is correct.
The afternoon started with Dominus Vobiscum Blance from Microbrasserie Charlevoix paired with a Peppercorn Raclette from Fromagerie Station. This was a great mild introduction to warm the palate of things to come. A huge floral camomile, citrus, rose hips, wheat, fruit, cloves, yeast and a nice crisp, dry finishing beer to go with a soft but assertive snappy peppercorn cheese.
Second was Rosée d'Hibisus from Dieu du Ciel! with Chèvre Noir from Fromagerie Tornevent. A spicy floral beer with sweetness that bites in similar ways as a fine red wine softened by a goat cheese to subdue the flavours of the beer but enhance the flavours of the cheese.
Dominus Vobiscum Triple from Microbrasserie Charlevoix was a fine match for a 5-year old cheddar from Fromagerie St. Albert. I may have been left with the yeasty bottoms, but it's always nice to know how a yeast strain tastes (and I like this one). A very warming beer, big tropical fruit esters in the nose, pineapple, bananas, a warm dry finish with little residual sugars to take away from the spicy hops that were elevated by the cheese. This cheese would go well with absolutely anything.
The ever popular Aphrodisiaque from Dieu Du Ciel! and it's cocoa, vanilla, smoked notes that cross from nose to tongue blended straight into Le 1608, a raw Canadienne cow milk cheese from Laiterie Charlevoix. A simple pair. Neither flavour dominated the other. Two great things in harmony.
Does anyone remember Fizz candy? Well, I was quickly reminded after sticking my nose in the Impériale Weizen Grande Cuvée from Les Trois Mousquestaires. This beer is bold, complex, borderline complicated: buckwheat honey, citrus that tangos with the tropics, a herbal smokey body that's chewy (yes, chewy) and alcoholic. I could write an essay on all the senses this beer rolls over. Then add a Cabriole goat cheese from Fromagerie Fritz Kaiser. Let's just say, two complicated things work well sometimes. This cheese was described as something "born in a cabbage patch," stinky, earthy, creamy, bold... very bold. The effect of this pairing was similar to adding wasabi to sushi. It opened my sinuses and brought a tear to my eye. That is beauty, my friends.
To top everything off, introduce a beer that recently has won my heart after a recent trip to Quebec: the Imperial Baltic Porter from Les Trois Mousquetaires. This is a "Wow!" beer. One to say it's a porter will raise a few eye brows, then tell them it's a lager, then tell them it's a 10%abv beer. Huge cocoa nose, sweet molasses raisins, plums, dark red cherries, smoked beachwood, with a very rich body, full on the palate, some salty lingerings, prunes, cherries, sweet but not too sweet, dry but not too dry... just beautiful... (and I think another tear came to my eye). Why would you want to put any other flavour on your tongue after a sip of this? ... Unless you were to pair it with Ciel de Charlevoix, a raw blue cheese from Affinage Maurice Dufour. Anyone tell you about that new flavour sensation "umami?" This cheese is just as complex and beautiful as the beer. This cheese is aggressive and so is the beer. Fight fire with fire and you have a fine finish that ended surprisingly soft.
Maybe that wasn't the end, because there were many fine chocolates with vanilla, chilli's, pure cocoa nibs, and one awesome cocoa salt, and I may stand corrected that it had similar qualities to beets and hibiscus (cool). Pass the salt, and could I have fries (or frites) with that? Michael was a fantastic speaker, a wealth of knowledge and knew more about vanilla, cocoa, and innuendoes related to the topics at hand.
Again, a great event for those wanting a pleasant treat, education, cozy atmosphere, and great company on a Sunday afternoon.
It's awesome to see more events like this pop up around the city. The craft beer movement is really working. The smaller local scene really does have the upper hand by pairing with friends in the food and beverage industry to market, pair, and educate the population on what can really set senses off. Fine beer, cheese and food doesn't have to be scary, big or daunting. It really can be simple, or it can be complex and complicated (if you so desire). A topic also brought up by Garrett Oliver at the Rhino's beer dinner, mentioned in The Great Canadian Pubs and Beer blog.
Enjoy.
Cheers,
-b
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