Notes from the Beer and Cheese Benefit

A huge thank you to everyone who came out on Monday to support Gabe Jordan and Kelly Funk. We raised a significant amount of money for the two charities, which is very exciting. Through the donations of our beer and cheese vendors and the employees of Goose the Market, we were able to donate 100% of the money we collected to charity! In case you missed this beer and cheese pairing, we'll definitely be having more events with Goose the Market in the future. Keep checking back for these events, and many more coming soon!

If you'd like to play along at home, here are the beer and cheese pairings we had. All of the beers and cheeses are available at Goose the Market.

Schneider Wiesen Edel-Weisse (organic Hefeweizen) with Vermont Shepherd's Cheese from Vermont Shepherd (raw sheep milk, aged 4-8 months) - The yeast in this beer, while typically subdued by fruit flavors, becomes very creamy with this cheese.

Sun King Osiris Pale Ale with Mayberry from Swiss Connection (pasteurized cheddar from Indiana) - This sharp cheddar stands up to the crisp hop bitterness; two Indiana producers!

Hop Ruiter (Belgian pale) with La Mancha Moo from Evergreen Lane Farm (Camembert-style cow's milk from Michigan) - The earthiness of the cheese creates a pleasing match for the sweet and spicy Belgian yeast.

Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous (black IPA) with Fog Lights from Cypress Grove (multi-layered/textured goat cheese from California) - Despite the hoppy nature of this beer, the pairing left behind nothing but pure milk chocolate. My favorite of the night!

Kulmbacher Brauerei EKU 28 (Doppelbock) with Bûche from Juniper Grove (raw goat's milk cheese from Oregon with a piece of straw in the middle of each log) - the tanginess of the goat cheese was interesting with the strong sweetness of this beer. I'll admit I almost ate the straw...

Sinebrychoff Porter (Baltic porter) with Velours Bleu from Life in France (mold ripened with thin lines of blue, cow's milk) - I wasn't a huge fan of this beer on its own, but when paired I picked up strong notes of cola. Very interesting.

Thanks again to everyone who participated and helped donate to Gabe and Kelly. If you aren't already experimenting with pairing cheese and beer, you should be! The interactions are an adventure on their own.

Beer and Cheese Benefit

Some of you may remember that last year we treated ourselves to a private beer and cheese pairing at Goose the Market and shared our experience with you. Or maybe we were bragging, it probably depends on your perspective. Our first thought after this event was "how do we share the same experience with our readers" and we slowly began working on a timeline for a similar event that would be open to the public. Then tragedy struck Gabe Jordan and his family. We weren't sure what the future of this event would be as Gabe began his long road to recovery. After we heard about another tragic event that befell Kelly Funk of Seldom Seen Farms, we decided that our next event with Goose the Market needed to be a benefit. And here we are.

Beer & Cheese - a benefit for Gabe Jordan and Kelly Funk

On September 20, Goose the Market will host a beer and cheese pairing for the first 25 people to RSVP to knights@hoosierbeergeek.com (the Enoteca can't hold any more!). The event will feature 6 beer and cheese pairings (similar to our last beer and cheese pairing with Goose the Market) for a fixed price of $30. Additional donations towards Gabe Jordan and Kelly Funk will also be accepted.

An email RSVP will be required to attend this event, and we will respond to your email to let you know if you are one of the first 25 and let you know what time to show up that evening. In your email, please specify the number of people you would like to RSVP for and their names. We'll do our best to make sure you're seated together.

KOTBR #81 - The All-Request Line

Editor's Note: Hoosier Beer Geek wishes to apologize in advance for the gimmicky nature of the following review. But let's face it--sometimes, we just can't help ourselves. You may love the following review (in fact, we hope you do). But we also realize that you may hate it (a good possibility as well; perhaps that's why we never win any "best blog" awards). So there--you've been forewarned.

It all started with this video. Yes, that's right--it's the Black Eyed Peas throwing Hebrew phrases into their latest song. Then there was the confession by Jason that, well, he really likes this song. Add to that a visit to the Rathskeller (401 E. Michigan St., Indianapolis, 317.636.0396) for a roundtable and we ended up with an opportunity to make light of Jason's musical tastes. This wasn't unusual for us, though, as this has all happened before. But as you'll see, I really don't have much room to make fun of Jason's musical tastes (see below--you'll figure it out).

This all quickly morphed into an idea (maybe a really poor idea)--Hoosier Beer Geek radio. So close your eyes. Pretend you're cruising in your car on a road trip, looking for that one great radio station to keep you company. Static crackles as you crank the dial, and then there it is--WHBG FM, Indianapolis. Leading us off, the man who is the unparalleled master of those stacks of wax, who pumps the wattage into your cottage, our very own Jason, better known behind the turntables as "DJ Johnny Unitas"--

For tonight’s review, I considered paying homage to the Jewish hip-hop/pop group Black Eyed Peas and their new hit song “I Got a Feeling," a song that will become a regular favorite around Chanukah, I’m sure. Kinda like a “Celebrate Me Home” for the Chosen People!

But it’s July; way to early to riff on holiday songs. Instead, I elected to take a page from my handy dandy pocket-sized “Songs You Know By Heart” songbook and do my version of Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritaville."

Just call me Jason Smorgasbord.

Nibblin’ on schnitzel,
Gettin’ all shitzeled.
All those Germans in lederhosen.
Polka is playing.
The drunks are all swaying.
What is that beer that they have chosen?

Wastin’ away again in Weihenstephan.
Drinking Kristallweiss from a large stein.
This much is clear,
This is not a dark beer.
And I know it treats me just fine.

This version of wheat,
Is really a treat.
A weiss that’s filtered is better for me.
A crisper mouthfeel,
Lack of banana peel,
But just enough flavors to be citrusy.

Wastin’ away again in Weihenstephan.
Drinking Kristallweiss from a large stein.
Is your mouth dry?
Then you should give this a try.
And I know that it treats me just fine.

Don’t have to go far,
Just to the Kellerbar.
Not like you have to cruise down the Rhine.
There it is on tap.
Stop in for a night cap.
And then maybe some wurst on which you can dine.

Wastin’ away again in Weihenstephan.
Drinking Kristallweiss from a large stein.
The hops they are slight.
It does not have a big bite.
And I know that it treats me just fine.

There is no debate
Jimmy Buffett is great!
And I know that it treats me just fine.

And next up, the Queen of Pop, the lady you just can't stop, Gina, better known as "Extra Special Bitter"--

"Weihenstephaner (Kristallweissbier)"
(To the tune of "Womanizer" by Britney Spears)

Kristallweiss
From the tap, how's it flowing?
I hope that
To my table, is where you're going.
You can fit right in with all the German beers out here
And I know that you are, that you are, filtered

Look at you
Crystal clear in just a small cup
Baby, you
Got all the Knights with all their mugs up
Fakin' like a weizen, but I call 'em like I see 'em
I know that you are, that you are, filtered

Weinhenstephaner, Weihen-Weinhenstephaner, you’re a Weinhenstephaner
Oh, Weinhenstephaner, oh you’re a Weinhenstephaner beer
You-you-you are … You-you-you are
Weinhenstephaner, Weinhenstephaner, Weinhenstephaner

Spicy on the front
I-I know just-just what you are, ah, ah
Clarity's brilliant
I-I know just-just what you are, ah, ah
You got it goin’
Just keep it flowin’
I'll have another … Weinhenstephaner
Spicy on the front
I-I know just-just what you are, ah, ah
Clarity's brilliant
I-I know just-just what you are, ah, ah
The citrus I'm tasting
gets a high mug rating
You’re a great beer from Weinhenstephaner

Rathskeller
You got the selection of a champion
With the food
pair a beer with the right companion
Bockwurst, sausage, bratwurst, sauerkraut,
Hot Wurst Plate,
Spicy Mustard on a Pretzel,
That's just from the bar, baby

Weihenstephan
The Brewery -- you're the oldest
The quality
of the beer, one of the finest
In Friesing, Germany, it was a
monastery for the monks, and it's been around
about a thousand years, baby

Weinhenstephaner, Weihen-Weinhenstephaner, you’re a Weinhenstephaner
Oh, Weinhenstephaner, oh you’re a Weinhenstephaner, baby
You-you-you are … You-you-you are
Weinhenstephaner, Weinhenstephaner, Weinhenstephaner

You’re oh so charmin’
I'll have another Weinhenstephaner

Welcome back after the station break. With our next tune, we have the one, the only, Matt E., known around the station as the "Zombie Master"--

To the tune of "The Way" by Fastball

There’re so many kinds
Of beer to be quaffing
They met after the hard work on that day
Biergarten for eternal summer sampling
But where were they going without ever knowing the way?
They drank up the Weiss
And they got to talking
They now had more important notes to share
And when the Doors came on they started talking
What were they tasting without ever knowing the way?

Anyone could see the beer that was draughted was colored gold
Have some this summer, you’ll never get cold
You’ll probably get hungry
Definitely get old and gray
You can smell the mandarin oranges waft your way
There is lotsa foam
But I really don’t care
I wanted the big mug
I’d happily share today, today

The meniscus dropped
And I couldn’t stop it
The beer just went down way too easily
The Kristallweiss
Is such a cru-el mistress
The cloves and bananas are part of the Weihenstephan way.

Anyone could see the beer that was draughted was colored gold
Have some this summer, you’ll never get cold
You’ll probably get hungry
Definitely get old and gray
I would drink this tasty wheat beer any day
I’d drink it at home
But you probably don’t care
It’s so light and airy
Just sample this beer today, today

Weihenstephaner Kristallweissbier (5.4% ABV)
Gina 3.5 Mugs | Jess 3.7 Mugs | Rod 3.9 Mugs | Jason 3.5 Mugs | Matt E. 4.1 Mugs | Jim 3.925 Mugs
KOTBR Score: 3.77 Mugs



Our fourth DJ is here, and he has a drastic change of pace for you. Hear me now and believe me later when I say that he's heavy . . . reaaaal heavy. Throwin' some thunder and lightning at you, bashin' your skull with a sonic Thor's hammer, it's Rod, a/k/a "Platinum Death"--

Slayer is widely known for their fascination with . . . well, the more infamous and regrettable side of German history. So I'll take this opportunity to turn Slayer's awesome musicianship into an appreciation for Germany's greatest contribution to humanity, beer. I give you, "Weizen of Dunkel," formerly "Angel of Death."

Weihenstephan, the meaning of bier
The way that I want you to drink
Slow sips, immense delight
Showers of refreshment in the sun

Cloves in, like winter, you thought
Stripped of translucent worth
Anise seed, for the Weizen of Dunkel
For the presence of banana does not lie

Weizen of Dunkel
Darker version of the liquid bread
Delicious, cousin of wheat
Presence of the noblest yeast
Top fermenting, without mercy
To benefit the German taste

Dried herbs, but no hop notes
Feel the malt rush you intensely
Creamier, than any other you'll find
Caramel dominates the mind
Weizen of Dunkel
Darker version of the liquid bread
Wheaty and richer
Weizen of Dunkel

A bunch of awesome guitar solos and even a rocking drum solo happens here and then I stop coming up with lyrics because this is way harder than it looks.



And to introduce our last but certainly not our least song, it's the Scribe of the Sonic Tribe, the old man with the lyrical plan, the disc jockey known as "DJ Methuselah"--

Simply put, nothing says beer-drinking like Lady Gaga. Here's her latest song, "Dunkel Weiss," in which she comes across as a bit protective of her brew.

[To the tune of "Poker Face"]

Y-y-y-yum
(4x)

I wanna drink it like they do in Deutschland please
Weihenstephaner brews it baby, made some just for me (I love it)
Smells like a banana and it tastes just like one too
and though you want some of it I ain’t gonna share with you

Oh o-oh oh oh, o-o-o-o-o-oh
I got a pour, I want me some more
(2x)

Can't drink my, can't drink my
No, you can't drink my dunkel weiss
(Go get your own beer baby)
(2x)

D-d-d-dunkel weiss, d-d-dunkel weiss
(y-y-y-yum)
(2x)

I wanna another ‘cause it’s nice and cloudy brown
A glass of wheat beer, yes, I like to drink it down (I love it)
They got it perfect when it comes to dunkel weiss
Now go get me another so I don’t have to ask twice (twice)

Oh o-oh oh oh, o-o-o-o-o-oh
I got a pour, I want me some more
(2x)

Can't drink my, can't drink my
No, you can't drink my dunkel weiss
(Go get your own beer baby)
(2x)

D-d-d-dunkel weiss, d-d-dunkel weiss
(y-y-y-yum)
(2x)
(y-y-y-yum)
(2x)

So I think I want another, right there brother
'Cause I'm cravin’ what you’re savin’
I'm not lying, I'm just buyin’ for the sake of tryin’ (yum)
Just like a beer geek at the table, want to drink more than I am able
I promise this, promise this
Check this beer 'cause it’s marvelous

Can't drink my, can't drink my
No, you can't drink my dunkel weiss
(Go get your own beer baby)
(4x)

D-d-d-dunkel weiss, d-d-dunkel weiss
(y-y-y-yum)
(4x)

Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel (5.3% ABV)
Gina 3.8 Mugs | Jess 3.8 Mugs | Rod 4.1 Mugs | Jason 3.2 Mugs | Matt E. 3.6 Mugs | Jim 4.2 Mugs
KOTBR Score: 3.78 Mugs

A lesson on beer and cheese

In case you're new around here, we aren't really experts at this. We just really like beer. We also really like trying to pair food with beer. Something we're all novices at is cheese, so instead of stabbing blindly in the dark at pairing cheese with beer we decided to enlist the help of some professionals. Enter Chris Eley and Gabe Jordan from Goose the Market. If you haven't been out there, they are in no short supply of craft beer or artisan cheeses. We asked if they would like to help us out and then dumped all of the responsibility in their laps. We're awesome like that.


Chris and Gabe came up with 6 beer and cheese pairings across a variety of styles:

Tomme de Savoie ($13/lb) paired with Coopers Sparkling Ale ($12.50/6pk)
- a lighter pairing of a creamy, slightly tangy cheese with a light sparkling ale

Marieke Gouda ($15/lb) paired with Hitachino Nest White Ale ($5)
- a sweeter gouda with a citrusy white ale

Carr Valley Menage ($17/lb) paired with Mad Anthony IPA ($11.50/6pk)
- a semi-hard sharp cheese with big hop flavor

Capriole Julianna ($25/lb) paired with Brasserie DuPont Avec les Bons Voeux ($12)
- an herb crusted cheese with a complex, spicy Belgian Holiday ale

Belletoie by Hutin ($10.50/lb) paired with Dark Horse Tres Blueberry Stout ($8.75/6pk)
- a decadent triple cream brie with a heavy, roasted stout

Valdeon Spanish Blue ($17/lb) paired with He'Brew Jewbelation Twelve ($6)
- a creamy and tangy blue with a bounty of hops and malts

Chris did an excellent job educating us to the nuances of cheese including how it is produced and the differences that rinds, washes and aging techniques impart on the cheese. Gabe presented the beers with a good background on each of them and why they chose the particular pairings. While we definitely can't claim to have picked everything up from this presentation, we learned a lot. Here's a few of our favorites.


My favorite pairing was the Gouda with Hitachino Nest White Ale. What stood out to me about this pairing was the fact that the cheese and the beer had contrasting yet complementary flavors. The cheese had wonderful nutty and caramel flavors (which were enhanced, if I remember correctly, by the addition of fenugreek in the cheese). The beer, which is brewed in the Belgian Wit style, was heavier on the spices than a typical Wit, resulting in an explosion of coriander, orange peel, and nutmeg notes. The spiciness of the beer melded perfectly with the sweet caramel character of the cheese to produce a combination that wouldn't be out of place as the dessert course of a fine meal. If I were able to give a mug rating to this pairing, it would be 5 mugs easily.

My 2 favorite pairings were:

Marieke Gouda with Hitachino White Ale. Both were delicious on their own, but together, the beer really brought out the caramel and orange flavors in the cheese.

Belletoile Brie with Dark Horse Tres Blueberry Stout. This cheese really surprised me. It had an aroma of cheesecake, but the smoky flavor in the beer brought out a salty, almost fishy taste in the cheese. Not in a bad way, but quite the contrary.

What I learned from the tasting is that I need to eat more cheese. This was a really great experience and I'd love to try more beer and cheese pairings.


MATT E. Ah yes. The beer and cheese pairing. Having never been to Goose, I enjoyed the opportunity to look around a bit by getting there early. As a long-time fan of both beer and cheese I had virtually zero experience with pairing the two, so this was a learning experience. However, as with most HBG tastings I failed to learn that I should take better notes. Maybe I'll do better next time. Anyway, on to the review! According to the star next to it, the pairing I enjoyed the most was the "Menage" and the Mad Anthony IPA. This cheese from Carr Valley is composed of milk from ewes, cows, and nannies (I confess that I didn't know what a lady goat was called, so thank you Jimmy Wales!). The cheese offered a transition in flavor and texture as it melted in my mouth that brought out the different characteristics of cheese varieties from each ruminant that contributed to the mix. Tangy, sharp and creamy. All in one. The chimera cheese. Of course, the bitterness of the hops in the Mad Anthony IPA counteracted all three flavors and the overwhelming dryness of it made each alternation a new treat.

My favorite pairing was a semi-hard goat/cow/sheep's milk cheese called Menage (Carr Valley) with Mad Anthony IPA. This cheese had a tangy sharpness to it, very similar to a white cheddar, that locked up perfectly with the strong citrus hoppiness of this American IPA. A wonderful blending of very bold flavors.

Previous to this night, I had never tried a beer from Brasserie DuPont besides their famous Saison. This holiday ale was amazing and incredibly drinkable. The high alcohol content (9.5%) is masked almost too well. An abundance of spices are present, such as black pepper, cloves and orange zest. Perhaps this is why it worked well with a cheese encrusted in herbs. The rosemary, oregano and basil flavors from the cheese blended well into the already spicy beer while maintaining its dried apricot, banana and light malt flavors. A slight hint of candi sugar is present but it subdues to the intensity of the spices. I wouldn't expect a cheese with such a big herb flavor to be able to pair with a beer but this was very enlightening.


I'm always a fan of blue cheese, the moldier the better to me (is moldier even a word?), so when Chris presented us with the Valdeon Spanish Blue as the final pairing I was ecstatic. This blend of cow and goats milk wrapped in sycamore leaves and aged for two to three months is delicious. The hard and sticky rind balances out the salty, rich, creamy blue inside.

When you pair this with the He'Brew Jewbelation Twelve (12 malts, 12 hops, 12%) the pairing is simply twelve kinds of amazing. The balance of big malts and big hops hides the high ABV while catering to the pungent blue flavors. Instead of getting an overwhelming experience with a big beer and a big cheese the two meld together making a delicious combination. I think I could buy a few of these bombers to pair with a big wheel of the Valdeon and be satisfied for a very long time.


Huge thanks to Chris and Gabe for the time they invested in this, we had a great time. We all agreed that this would be a good event to repeat and open to the public if there was enough interest. Keep in mind that everything at Goose the Market rotates regularly based on season and availability, so the exact pairings we tried may not be available when you stop by. Never fear, the employees, especially Chris and Gabe, will gladly help you out with creating your own adventurous pairings.