Pastoral is having a blast with the myriad of events around the city for Chicago Craft Beer Week. We even revamped our beer selection for the occasion! We have brought in several new beers with the intention of further showcasing the broad spectrum of beer styles as they relate to pairing with our broad spectrum of cheese, chocolate, and charcuterie offerings.

Pairing #7

Racer 5 and Montgomery Farmhouse Cheddar

Brewery: Bear Republic Brewery
Style: IPA
Region: Healdsburg, California
ABV: 7.0%

Well here we go, the most popular style of beer these days amongst “hop heads” leaves much to be desired for the cheese monger. The aggressive hop profiles and high alcohol of many IPA’s is delicious, but not too food friendly. Look for a firm, salty, and expressive cheese like Farmhouse cheddar to stand up to the big dry floral and citrus flavors of this remarkable IPA from Bear Republic.