Skip to content

Beer And Cheese Pairing In Milwaukee

This post contains affiliate links to trusted partners. If you purchase through these links, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!

beer and cheese

Beer and cheese pairing at the Wisconsin Cheese Mart

During a trip to Milwaukee, I sign up for an “Old World Third Street/RiverWalk Tour” with Milwaukee Food Tours.  Sandy is my guide for the day, and her infectious enthusiasm for the city and apparent love of food has me excited. We head to Old World Third Street, a three-block historic landmark zone just north of downtown. Milwaukee was founded in 1846, and German immigrants began settling in the city right away. This neighborhood is where much of this history has been retained, through traditional shops, restaurants and the detailed facades of the 19th-century European-style buildings lining this cobblestoned street that have remained over time. Today, I’ll have the chance to explore Milwaukee’s German heritage through the tongue. Our first stop on our exploration of German influence on Milwaukee culture is the Wisconsin Cheese Mart, whose expansive cheese menu is 95% from Wisconsin. The shop is not only filled with cheeses of all shapes, sizes, colors, styles and tastes, but also free samples. My favorite is undoubtedly the fresh white cheddar cheese curds, a young, mild cheese with a firm, springy texture that causes it to squeak when you eat it. The Chocolate Walnut Fudge Cheese, which is essentially a milky chocolate fudge made with cream cheese, is also delicious, with a creamy texture and rich, sweet taste that’s undeniably satiating. The Wisconsin Cheese Mart shares a space with Uber Tap Room, which is located through a door in the back of the shop, and we’ll be sampling an abbreviated beer and cheese tasting. We’re sipping a Wisconsinite beer from Lakefront Brewery, the only beer made with all Wisconsin ingredients, including a never-before-seen or fermented indigenous Wisconsin yeast strain. The straw-colored beer is light and refreshing and features aromas of citrus, clove and banana and a malty sweet taste. It’s paired with a Marieke Gouda from Holland’s Family Cheese, a consistent, younger cheese which gives it a satisfying creaminess. We’re also given a Bellavitano Merlot Cheese from Sartori Cheese. The queso is a cheddar Parmesan blend with a purple rind soaked in Merlot. It has a creamy mouthfeel, a crumbly texture, and well-balanced flavor. The experience reminds me that wine isn’t the only thing that can enhance a cheese tasting.

About Jessie Festa

Jessie Festa is a New York-based travel content creator who is passionate about empowering her audience to experience new places and live a life of adventure. She is the founder of the solo female travel blog, Jessie on a Journey, and is editor-in-chief of Epicure & Culture, an online conscious tourism magazine. Along with writing, Jessie is a professional photographer and is the owner of NYC Photo Journeys, which offers New York photo tours, photo shoots, and wedding photography. Her work has appeared in publications like USA Today, CNN, Business Insider, Thrillist, and WestJet Magazine.

Jessie Festa standing in front of grafitti wall

Hi, I’m Jessie on a journey!

I'm a conscious solo traveler on a mission to take you beyond the guidebook to inspire you to live your best life through travel. Come join me!

Blogging Courses

Want to live your best life through travel?

Subscribe for FREE access to my library of fun blogging worksheets and learn how to get paid to travel more!

.

1 Comment

  1. Lance on at 4:29 pm

    I love Milwaukee. Spent a couple days there two years ago and enjoyed sampling many beers and cheese curds.

Leave a Comment