Editor's Note: our friend Joe Burgers a.k.a. @bakerandthebeerd brings us his take on this month's curdbox and his beer-ish thoughts each month. If you're a fan of beer and cheese, this is the blog for you! And if you want to join our merry band of cheese lovers, head on over to our subscription page to sign up for your monthly box!
June's Curdbox embraces summer and sunshine, and I have three refreshing craft beer pairings to inspire your cheese tastings.
Beemster Classic is an award winning Dutch Gouda
known for a slightly sweet, nutty flavor, and a firm texture thanks in part to 18 months of aging. I paired the Classic with Hot Cobb Jelly from Friend in Cheeses Jam Co (CA). Corn jelly was a complete enigma to me, but I believed a spicy-sweet flavor would bring together the Gouda and a classic summer beer style, the Saison. Farmhouse Ales, commonly referred to as Saisons for the French word for "season", follow a tradition of beers made to be drank during a summer harvest work day, and are typically light in body with fresh floral hop flavor and a peppery yeast finish. The mysterious Hot Cobb Jam had a pronounced sweetness and tiny red/black pepper spice, while the Beemster Classic was deliciously reminiscent of browned butter. The two combined for a honey-butter fusion, making the corn jelly my unexpected hero of the June box. The Farmhouse Saison from Zebulon Artisan Ales (NC) has a fresh green apple tartness softened through secondary fermentation in red wine oak barrels. The beer was a crisp palate cleanser for the sweet and creamy foods, letting all their flavors shine, and complementing them with its zesty blend of Brettanomyces and Zebulon house yeast.
The Beemster Premium Goat Gouda has a milder, 
gentler flavor than the Classic, ideal for pairing with acidic fruits. This cheese is noted to be an ideal starter for anyone who doesn’t think they like goat cheese; let me tell you it’s also amazing for anyone who knows they do love goat cheese! I paired this with pineapple rings from Dadiman’s Fruit Crisps (CA) and Blind Pirate, an IPA from Monday Night Brewing (GA). Blind Pirate uses real blood oranges to accentuate the juiciest notes in this beer’s hops, and a subtle sweetness balancing it out at 55 IBU. The pineapple rings and Blood Orange IPA combine to create a tropical wonderland in your mouth, perfectly compatible with a goat cheese that’s firm in texture, but so creamy smooth in flavor.
Finally, we have Flory’s Truckle, a raw clothbound Cheddar from Milton Creamery (IA). I paired this with a nostalgic 
sun-popped popcorn from BjornQorn (NY). Flory’s Truckle is aged to a beautiful texture that crumbles perfectly, combining to make the best, most indulgent bite of cheddar popcorn I’ve ever had. My beer for this tasting was the Brut IPA from Brewery Ommegang (NY). This beer has an effervescent body and thin veneer of soft dry-hop flavor that quickly drops off to a dramatically dry finish, absolutely succeeding as a beer that can be enjoyed out in the summer heat, or as part of an extravagant night in with the finest cheese.
