The Principles of Pairing

• The basic principles of pairing beer with food apply equally well to cheese: The stronger the flavor of the cheese, the more hop bitterness it can tolerate. Delicate in flavor compared to many other cheeses, brie calls for a beer that complements its flavor and cuts its buttery character without overpowering it. This can be one of a number of different types of beer.

Fruit and Cheese

• Brie goes together well with fruit such as cranberries and cherries, which provide a contrasting tartness. Pairing brie with a fruity beer such as a Belgian kriek (cherry) lambic has a similar effect: The fruity taste of the beer, with its sour-cherry tartness, complements the creamy texture and gently woody flavor of the brie.

Keeping It Light

• As with other delicately flavored cheeses, brie pairs well with lighter beers, especially highly carbonated ones that can help to refresh the palate between bites. Pilseners and blond ales won't be overpowered by the brie, but won't overpower it either. Experts at the Ile de France Cheese company even go so far as to recommend an India pale ale, although an IPA with too much hop bitterness might not leave the palate clear enough to enjoy the brie.

Go Big

• Brie and light, delicate beers seem like an ideal combination, but there are times when a more robust beer can be the right choice. Specialty food magazine "The Nibble" suggests that when brie is ripe enough, it can pair well with a strong but relatively sweet beer like a stout. "Beer Advocate" magazine recommends a range of beers to pair with buttery cheese, including not only stouts but porters.