Many of us think of wine and cheese as two great tastes that go great together (like pizza and beer, milk and cookies). At Saturday night’s Taste Workshop celebrating American Raw Milk Cheese, we were treated to a different kind of pairing—cheese and beer. Two cheese experts, Jeff Roberts (also a Slow Food USA Board Member and beer aficionado) and Laura Werlin, led us through the tasting of seven cheeses and six craft ales.

The cheeses and their makers hailed from Alabama, Indiana, Oregon, Wisconsin, Vermont, and California; several of the cheese makers were in the room with us and shared their processes, working with their sheep, Guernsey cows, Nubian dwarf goats, etc, to craft and shepherd (as it were) that milk into beautiful artisanal cheeses. Ever seen a cheese that’s been rubbed with paprika? Hillis Peak Cheese from Pholia Farm Creamery was a first for me and I fell in love with its spicy, rich, creamy flavor. (It goes really well with Dogfish’s Midas Touch Golde Elixir.

Most surprising were the ways in which the cheeses changed in combination with the beer, and vice versa. Six pieces of fantastic farmstead cheese + seven diverse and delicious craft ales meant several interesting and surprising flavor combinations.

If you are interested in reading more about American Raw Milk cheeses, check out Jeff’s Book The Atlas of American Artisan Cheese, and Laura’s book Cheese Essentials.