The Boozy Beverage You Should Really Be Pairing With Goat Cheese

What's not to love about goat cheese? This creamy, tangy cheese that finds its way onto salads, pizzas, and savory tarts is actually far more varied than the soft, plastic-wrapped logs many of us are used to picking up at the grocery store. As noted by Food & Wine, goat milk can be made into any number of styles of cheese, from aged gouda to cheddar to Swiss to Jack — all of which is good news for cheese-lovers who don't digest cow's milk too well, as goat milk is more easily assimilated by many.

Perhaps you already love goat cheese and have no trouble incorporating it into pastas, sandwiches, and cheese plates. But have you ever encountered issues pairing it with a drink? As pointed out by Food & Wine, dishes featuring goat cheese are very commonly matched with wine, but that might not be the best complement to the cheese's bold character.

If you've ever attended a party featuring a loaded cheese plate or cheese board, it's probable you were also offered a glass of wine, the boozy beverage that's typically paired with goat cheeses, according to Food & Wine. Wine Folly, for example, suggests pouring a Sauvignon Blanc or Cabernet Franc alongside a goat cheese snack, with Wine Enthusiast chiming in with additional options such as a white Bordeaux or an Argentinian Malbec.

But if you've tried any of these pairings in the past, you may have found them... Intense. According to Food & Wine, that's because both goat cheese and wine are highly acidic, and matching an acidic food with an acidic drink can pack too strong of a punch. Instead, the outlet counsels reaching for beer the next time you enjoy goat cheese: Think a German pilsner or an American pale ale, as suggested by Craftbeer.com. "You can also try a maltier German-style doppelbock or the bananas and clove from a German-style hefeweizen with a semi-firm goat cheese," the outlet added.

So why does this duo work so well together? "What I love most about it is that goat cheese tends to coat your palate, with all of that really luscious fat in it," Haley Nessler of the Cypress Grove creamery told Food & Wine. "What the bubbles in beer do is cut through that fat and allow you to taste more of the cheese and the beer."