Friday, 11 July 2008

• Humboldt Fog and Saison

  By the time that I got home last night, after sitting in more traffic than I'd like to even remember, I didn't quite feel like making up something great for dinner.  I just wanted something quick.  Thank God for the frozen party pizza.  By no means am I trying to encourage this kind of behavior, but it's warm, it's satisfying, and for some nostalgic reason, it usually tastes pretty good.  Because there's not a whole lot else to say on that meal, I thought I would talk about one of my favorite beer and cheese pairings.  Yes, I said beer, not wine.

  For those who haven't had the pleasure of Humboldt Fog, it is a goat's milk cheese that is made by Cypress Grove Chevre, of Arcata, California.  I adore this cheese.  Humboldt Fog is all about contrast.  It's texture is soft and runny near the rind, while the center remains creamy and crumbly.  As the cheese ages, the soft ripened edges start to invade the creamy center, getting ever closer to the layer of ash running through the middle.  If you get to it at the right stage, biting into the cheese is very similar to taking a bite out of a Milky Way.  The rind acts like the chocolate coating, the runny part near the rind is much like the caramel, and the creamy center acts as the nougat.  In the flavor department, the milk's natural sweetness lingers in the background while the natural acidity and barnyard funk take the lead roles.  Those flavors pair up perfectly with the classic Belgian farmhouse ale, saison.

  Saison is a style that was originally brewed on Belgian farms during the winter, to be consumed in the summer.  Necessity dictated this.  The farmers needed beer throughout the summer (obviously), but in the days before refrigeration, it simply got too hot to brew.  Because alcohol is a natural preservative, they brewed the beers a little bit stronger than most, usually coming in at around 7% abv, in order to last through the upcoming summer.  These beers also needed to be light and refreshing enough to quench a man's thirst after a long day in the sun.  They developed a style that fit the bill perfectly.  Saisons pair up so beautifully with Humboldt Fog (most goat cheeses for that matter) because of the way that they play off of each other.  Starting with the mouthfeel, saison's high levels of carbonation act like scrubbing bubbles, lifting off any residual tongue-coating fats from the cheese.  The flavors sing in perfect harmony, both having sweet and acidic notes.  The barnyard flavors that I mentioned while describing the cheese are also present in the beer.  Another way that many people describe this flavor is that of a horse blanket.  I'll be the first to admit that I've never tasted, or even smelled one of those, but I can imagine wet hay, dirt, maybe a little poop thrown in there for good measure.  It's an acquired taste for some, but it's one that I really enjoy.

  Most will tell you to reach for a grassy sauvignon blanc when having goat cheese.  I'm telling you to take a little step out of the box and try this pairing.  Enjoy.

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