St Tola’s Cheese and Beer Tasting Notes   When it comes to pairing food and beer, you can either compliment the flavours or contrast them. Taste buds are as individual as a fingerprint, so two people taste the same. There is no right or wrong pairing. They are a few classical pairings but again, everyone is different. Sweet and salty pairings, effervescent and creamy textures and matching intensity should all be considered when pairing beers and cheese.   St Tola’s Goat’s Cheese & Western Herd Blue Jumper IPA This is a pairing that on paper should not work; pairing a delicate cheese with a powerful IPA. But it is so good. The bitterness of the IPA cuts through the soft creamy texture of the goat’s cheese without overpowering the elegant cheese. The bitterness of the beer is the perfect counterbalance for the rich cheese. The carbonation of the beer melts into the creamy goat cheese to cleanse the palate while the acidity refreshes the palate.   St. Tola’s Hard Cheese & Western Herd Atlantic Red Ale The sweet honey and malty, breadiness of the beer is so good with the nutty flavours of the cheese. It’s like chocolate and peanut butter, classic and timeless. The toasty malts combined with the cheese create an almost praline effect. Beer and cheese work in harmony and it is oh so good!!!   St. Tola’s Greek Style Irish Goat’s Cheese & Western Herd Back Beat Witbier The salty, briney cheese is not going to be dominated and works well with lighter dishes. While the beer is light and full of character, the understated witbier allows the cheese to star. The sweetness of the orange peel in the Belgian style beer pairs perfectly with the salty feta.