If you’re a lover of beer and Manchego cheese, don’t miss this article where we suggest interesting and innovative pairings.

Just as with wine and Manchego cheese pairings, the same applies to beer—”together by affinity or by contrast.”

To start, it’s worth remembering that there’s no better pairing than the one that makes you enjoy it— as the saying goes, “to each their own.” So, while we offer some advice on pairing beer and Manchego cheese, the best pairing will always be the one you choose. Here we go, beer lovers!

Wine or beer to pair with Manchego cheese?

We usually pair cheeses with wine, and it truly is a classic winning combination, as the acidity of the wine pairs perfectly with Manchego cheese—especially wines with aging.

But beer, one of the most widespread beverages worldwide, can also be a perfect pairing, and thanks to its wide range of options, we can find the perfect matches for Manchego cheese.

Therefore, we can’t overlook a gastronomic experience like pairing your favorite glass or pint of beer with our finest Manchego cheeses.

Beer for a Manchego cheese

Manchego cheeses, with their characteristic strong flavor and high fat content, pair perfectly with hops and toasted malt.

The hops in the beer, or even the carbonation itself, help cleanse the palate between bites of flavorful Manchego cheeses.

So, when talking about strong or intense cheeses like Manchegos, we can look for intense beers that pair well.

Beers like English IPA, Brown Ale, or Saison pair perfectly with this type of cheese, helping to cleanse the palate between bites and enhancing the enjoyment of each mouthful.

It is true that, depending on the type of Manchego cheese, as we move from semi-cured to aged varieties gaining intensity, we can choose stronger beers for the pairings.

3 beers for 3 Manchego cheeses

Although, as we’ve said, there’s no better pairing than the one that makes you enjoy it, here’s a small guide of beers for each type of Manchego cheese:

• A semi-cured Manchego cheese pairs very well with American-style Brown Ale or Porter beers—medium to light-bodied beers that complement our semi-cured cheeses, which, although flavorful, are the least intense of the Manchego cheeses.
• Cured Manchego cheese also pairs well with Oktoberfest or Vienna-style beers—lager types ideal for a cheese with more intensity that, by affinity, offer a very interesting pairing.
• Aged Manchego cheese can be paired with Old Ale or Bock beers. Being the most intense cheese due to its longer aging, we reserve the richest and most complex beers for it.

Is any commercial beer good for pairing with cheese?

The answer is yes—if the experience it offers you is good, don’t hesitate, you’re getting it right.

There are hundreds and thousands of types of beers, brands, and classifications on the market, with varying levels of intensity, but generally, all have nuances that will pair well with the different types of Manchego cheeses.

Beer and Manchego cheese make a great combination, but let’s not forget that artisan sheep cheeses are what pair perfectly with your different favorite types of beer.

In short, grab your usual beer—whether blonde, amber, dark, industrial, or craft—and try pairing it with our range of Manchego and artisan sheep cheeses to experience a gastronomic journey that won’t leave you indifferent.

Remember, you can buy all our Manchego and artisan sheep cheeses at our Cheese Shop.