This cheese can be paired with most styles of beer! Of a great complexity, it knows how to put forth the right characteristic of the beer or of itself to make the union a success. It knows how to underline the personalities of beers principally by relying on its own tender heart. On occasion, it knows how to be discreet in order to amplify the beer’s personality. Rare are the negative relationships with this cheese. From time to time, mostly when it is older, it becomes more salty and creates pairings that are somewhat sweeter. The finales are most often signed with a streak of salt that burst forth from its rind.
OKA knows how to make hops burst forth, marrying its cream with the malt or caramel found in the beers. Whether with a blond lager, a Pilsner or a pale ale, the majority of caresses start by a thirst-quenching explosion of hops. The relationship then unfolds with the take over of the grain flavour (blonds) or the caramel flavour (reds). Marriages with the cream are thus more or less intense. In the finale, the salty rind is usually highlighted and invites us to ... take another sip. For example, the pairing with Ambroise Pale Ale begins with the intense enchantment of the mushroom flavour that dances and plays with the cream and salt of the cheese, then lazily extends into the after-taste, creating a salty finale. This cheese develops a creamy and finessed complexity when paired with wheat beers. In this case, explosions of creamy, earthy, fruity and grainy flavours fill the mouth. With sweeter beers or those containing more alcohol, a sugary cream develops and usually dominates the relationship, transforming the pairing into a veritable dessert. When courting black beers, this cheese underlines the beers’ roasted- and sometimes burnt-flavour personality.
Only beers of the Lambics style, such as Gueuze Lambics and the Brune des Flandres, are less compatible with this cheese. The sourness of these beers is an obstacle that the bitterness of the rind has difficulty surmounting.
With the exception of sour beers, you can rely on this cheese to provide good pairings because it is compatible with a great number of beers of varied styles.