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July’s Curdbox features three aged cheddars and a variety of backyard barbeque-inspired treats. I paired this food with three summery wild and sour beers for maximum enjoyment.
Face Rock Creamery’s Extra Aged Cheddar is a 2015 winner for the American Cheese Society’s Best Aged Cheddar, and its sweet and sharp flavor profile makes it easy to see how it reached such acclaim. I heaped The Good Jar’s Habanero Piccalilli on a hearty chunk of cheese, and it was less spicy but still more flavorful than I’d imagined, drawing from a robust array of veggies, seeds and spices. I paired this combo with Westbrook Brewing’s Lemon Cucumber Gose, a sour wheat ale with a surprising cucumber-forward nose, and refreshing lemon flavor with a sea salt salinity built for hot summer days. The Habenero Piccalilli immediately had me pining for a gourmet dog fresh off the grill, but paired with the cheese and beer to make a lighter snack that was still big on zesty flavor.
Roelli Haus Select is the youngest cheese in this selection, a three month 
aged cheddar from Wisconsin rich with deep, buttery flavor. Olli’s Calabrese salami is the old world meat pairing that this bold cheese deserves. Wrapping a square of the cheddar in a single slice of Calabrese makes for a perfectly satisfying bite. Saison Dupont is the definitive name in Belgian farmhouse ales, and an ideal companion to this pairing with its light peppery flavor that’s perfect for any spiced meat, and a dry, effervescent finish to cleanse your palate. This pairing is as much European Summer Vacation as it is Backyard Barbeque.
Our final pairing starts with Appletree Smoked Cheddar from Cow’s Creamery in Prince Edward Island, Canada. This two year aged cheddar is creamy and smoky, and would be perfectly at home on a big, juicy burger. Love Corn’s Smoked BBQ corn snacks are satisfyingly crunchy, and have a sweet and spicy flavor that’s delicious with this cheddar. Back in May’s pairings, I explored how well a strawberry wild ale paired with smoky food, and this month I’m pushing that idea even further with an ultra-modern, experimental fruited sour from Burley Oak Brewing Co. Double Strawberry Daiquiri JREAM is a small batch sour ale loaded with strawberry, lime, vanilla, and lactose. This beautiful, delicious beer will instantly transport you to poolside sippin’, wherever you are. With a taste and texture reminiscent of a classic blended summer cocktail, this beer’s fruit flavors build a refreshing bridge across smoky and sweet barbeque flavors that effortlessly take you between the 4th of July grill, and the pool deck chair for daiquiri time.
