Seneca, SC — Keowee Brewing Company, a local brewery renowned for its craft beers, is hosting a special beer and cheese pairing event on Tuesday night. This unique event will feature four of the brewery’s best brews, carefully paired with cheeses selected by certified cheese grader Allison Butterbaugh, who has over a decade of experience in cheese evaluation.
Allison Butterbaugh, with a background in Food Science and Human Nutrition from Clemson University, is no stranger to the art of cheese grading. She has earned numerous accolades, including first place in the nation for cheddar cheese evaluation at the U.S. Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest. Alongside her husband Alex, who is the head brewer and cellar master at Keowee Brewing Company, the pair is combining their expertise in beer and cheese to create a memorable experience for attendees.
Butterbaugh has carefully selected cheeses that complement the flavor profiles of Keowee Brewing Company’s beers. She explains the science behind pairing, noting that darker beers are best matched with sweeter cheeses like aged Parmesan or aged Goudas, which enhance the sweetness and roastiness of the chocolate malt used in the beer. For lighter beers, such as pale ales and pilsners, she prefers creamy and salty cheeses that are approachable and not overpowering.
One of Butterbaugh’s favorite pairings is Asiago cheese with an IPA, highlighting the way the strong, pungent flavor of the cheese interacts with the hop flavors in the beer, creating a unique tasting experience.
The event will take place on Tuesday from 4 to 8:30 p.m. and is a drop-in event. However, reservations are required due to limited space. Attendees can expect to try new and exciting combinations of beer and cheese, hand-selected for this event.
Butterbaugh and her husband are excited to share their combined passions with the community in this special event, which has been a long-time dream of theirs.
