This cheese marries well with many styles of beers, notably smooth, white and black. It relies on its tender heart to underline the personalities of these beers. The discreet mushroom flavour of its crust sometimes manifests itself, like a breath of fresh air. However, when accompanied by complex beers, it tends to fade into the background.
In the company of blond lagers, Champfleury has a tendency to bring out the country hops that amplify the thirst-quenching quality of these beers. In the company of casual beers, such as Labatt 50, the effusion of hops quenches our thirst first, then the cheese opens its creamy arms, letting its mushroom flavour finish with finesse. This is its relationship with Stella Artois and Heineken. When it flirts with red lagers, like Rickard’s Red or Belle Gueule Rousse, a burst of honeyed caramel is combined with the cream, making for a pleasantly sweet sensation. This brie knows how to underline the fruity character of wheat beers. In the company of Blanche de Chambly or Hoegaarden, it highlights the presence of bitterness with a creamy trait. It beautifully envelops the banana flavour of Weizens’, just as it does delicately with Paulaner Hefe Weizen. It adores lounging in the arms of black beers like porters or stouts. It thus develops a personality of café moka often embellished with hints of chocolate. In the company of London Porter, the pairing develops the flavour of brown coffee, diminishing the roasted quality of the beer. In the arms of Guinness Pub Draught, it displays flavours of creamy café moka, offering a fresh whiff of hops in the end. In the company of Chambly Noire, a great tenderness evoking fudge lathered in whipped cream concludes with a soft creaminess. A real dessert. Note finally that the cheese has an affinity for the spices in certain beers, developing a spicy and creamy sauce.
Champfleury becomes quite discreet, even faded, when paired with beers containing more than 8% alc./vol, or those of great complexity like the triples, quadruples, brown ales and pale ales. Some exceptions are notable, however, like the pairing with La Vache Folle ESB in which the hops shamelessly dance with the cream, cheered on by the mushroom flavour. On the creamy bed laid by the cheese, the hops give off an enticing bouquet.
This cheese is very comfortable courting smooth beers that contain less than 8% alc./vol. But we must not limit its pairings to these because it can surprise us on occasion by mating with stronger and more complex beers.