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January’s Curdbox is themed Savory Winter, a tribute to the meat and cheese gift boxes best enjoyed on a quiet night around the fireplace. Add in some jam or honey, and you could call it European Breakfast, a theme fit for pairing with a diverse European beer trio.
Harbison from Jasper Hills is a creamy pot of gold, a true treasure for any cheese lover. Petits toasts from 3 Little Pigs is a perfect sidekick, a crunchy dipper that neither falls apart nor punishes your teeth. My favorite pairing for this cheese was Val-Dieu Grand Cru, a 10.5% abv Belgian Quad rich in notes of fig, toffee, raisin, and a subtle yeasty spice.
Austrian Chorherrenkäse is a semi-hard cheese made with cow’s milk and buttermilk, with a salty tang fit for any occasion (including melting over yesterday’s leftovers or enjoying solo in large quantities). Trugole is a similarly smooth cheese with a soft, fruity sweetness, from the Asiago region of Italy. Both were equally enjoyable with a French Walnut Dijon mustard and Italian dry salami. Dipping either cheese into the Fallot mustard and wrapping it all in Beretta salami creates a satisfyingly savory bite. Perry Miloslawki (not beer, but essentially a pear cider from Poland) is quite dry for a cider, but its delicious fruity flavor pairs perfectly with the distinct walnut notes in the mustard. Meanwhile, St. Bernardus Tripel is a traditional abbey ale with a classically balanced flavor and drinkable body that cuts through the richest, fattiest bites in any charcuterie.
