Porters and Blues - A Love Story

We interrupt our regularly scheduled program to bring you an Editor’s Choice beer and cheese pairing – Blue Cheese Paired with Porter Beer. You may have asked yourself: what cheese pairs with a porter? Or… what beer pairs with blue cheese? Look no further, because you have your answer here!

Blue Cheese + Porter Beer = Love at First Bite

I’m not a particular fan of blue cheese, especially by its lonesome. Its signature blue veins of mold make blue cheese funky tasting and smelly. But if you can get beyond the salty and sharp flavors, you will find a complex cheese coating your entire mouth with flavor.

So, what kind of beer pairs with blue cheese? A porter, of course! Beer meets cheese tested this with the Wasatch Brewing Company’s Polygamy Porter (tag line – Why Have Just One? – they brew in Utah). The Polygamy Porter is not widely distributed, so I was happy to find it in Arizona. Due to Utah’s brewing regulations, this beer has a lower alcohol content, only 4% ABV.

Paring this porter with blue cheese enhanced the beer’s chocolate and malty flavors. The smooth and dry finish helped to cleanse the palette from the blue cheese’s salty flavor. I was pleasantly surprised and very happy by this combination.

If you are concerned about serving your guests blue cheese, or wish to not eat it by its lonesome, I recommend this easy and wonderful recipe, perfect for the cold months of winter:

Gorgonzola & Olive Oil Pasta
Ingredients:

• ½ of pasta (spaghetti or linguini works best)
• ½ cup Gorgonzola cheese
• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic, minced (2 if you really love the stuff!)

1. Boil the pasta as per the instructions on the package and drain when it’s tender to your liking.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil into a skillet and add minced garlic
3. After about 1 minute (don’t let the garlic burn!), add the boiled pasta, the rest of the olive oil, and the Gorgonzola cheese
4. Stir for about 5 minutes, or until the Gorgonzola melts and the olive oil coats the pasta
5. Remove from pan and enjoy with your favorite Porter. (I usually add crushed black pepper and another drizzle of olive oil on the top for good measure)

{ prost! }