When cheese meets beer
Brewer’s Gold is a slow-set lactic soft cheese made by Prom Country Cheese in Moyarra, South Gippsland. It is the result of a collaboration between cheesemaker, Burke Brandon, and brewer, Craig Johnson, from Loch Brewery & Distillery.
Burke uses local cow’s milk from Wattlebank Park Farm and vegetarian rennet to form a delicate unstirred curd. Afterwards, he ladles the curd by hand and places them in small barrel-shaped moulds to drain over 48 hours. This slow-set process allows the formation of a shallow well on top of the cheese.
Washed in dark beer
The young cheese develops a wrinkly Geotrichum candidum rind that is regularly washed in Dark Ale from Loch Brewery. This washing process produces a striking golden-brown rind and imparts complex yeast flavours and aromas to the cheese.
Brewer’s Gold draws instant comparisons to the famous French cheese, Langres, due to its external appearance and fudgy texture. However, the similarities end there as the aroma and flavour are entirely different.
Whilst Langres demonstrates notes of beef broth and bacon, this ale-washed cheese is, unsurprisingly, more malty and yeasty.
How to pair Brewer’s Gold
We can’t look past the obvious here. Pour yourself a cold Dark Ale or Stout and enjoy this match made in heaven!
