Cider and Cheese Pairing: Which Cider for Which Cheese

Move to sweeter or stronger ciders as the cheese gets saltier or more pungent.

Cider has an extra advantage, which is that it grows alongside cheese. Several of the best-known cheese regions in Europe are also cider regions, so many classic matches are local habits rather than clever theory.

Cider and cheese pairing at a glance

This cider and cheese pairing table gives a cider type for each kind of cheese, as guidance.

Dry and sweet are set by fermentation: a cider that ferments completely has no noticeable residual sugar, while a partly fermented or back-sweetened one tastes sweeter, as Wikipedia's cider entry explains.

Dry cider and cheese: the all-purpose match

Dry cider and cheese is the pairing to start with when you are not sure. Dry French ciders labeled brut are typically 4.5% alcohol or more and sparkling, and a brut next to a soft, creamy cheese acts like a palate cleanser.

Good partners are Camembert, Brie, a firm cheddar, Gruyère and Comté. Chill the cider but let the cheese warm up on the counter, as you would for any cheese board.

Normandy cider and cheese

Normandy cider and cheese is the best-known regional match. Normandy and Brittany are the center of French cider making, and Normandy is home to Camembert de Normandie, Livarot and Pont-l'Évêque, three cheeses with AOC or AOP status. Cider from the Pays d'Auge, in Normandy, has its own appellation.

That makes Pays d'Auge cider a natural pour beside Livarot or Pont-l'Évêque. The washed rind on both is pungent, so a brut with some body copes better than a very light one. Where you cannot find Normandy bottles, a US dry cider made from bittersweet apples is a reasonable stand-in.

West Country cider and cheddar

West Country cider and cheddar is the English version of the idea. West Country Farmhouse Cheddar has been a protected designation of origin since 1996, according to GOV.UK, limited to farms in Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall. West Country ciders use a higher share of true cider apples, which gives them a richer, more tannic and sharper profile, as the cider reference describes.

No source says the two are required to go together, so treat it as a reasonable local pairing rather than a rule. A tannic cider and an aged, savory cheddar are a good match because both have enough structure to stand up to each other. A good farmhouse cheddar should taste savory and sharp rather than sweet, and the cider supplies the fruit.

Sweet cider, ice cider and blue cheese

Sweet cider and ice cider with blue cheese works like a sweet wine with salty cheese: sugar offsets salt, and the apple acidity keeps the pairing from tasting heavy. Pour a small glass, since ice cider is concentrated and sweet, and serve it with a creamy blue rather than a dry, crumbly one. Ice cider is a Quebec specialty, made from frozen apples pressed to concentrate their sugar, and runs about 9 to 13% alcohol, so pour it in small glasses.

In Asturias in northern Spain, which produces over 80% of Spain's cider, traditional sidra is still rather than sparkling and is poured from height into the glass. The region's blue, Cabrales, is a PDO cheese aged in natural caves in the Picos de Europa. A crisp, acidic cider is a natural match for a strong blue like Cabrales, since the acidity cuts through the richness. For other blues, see the blue cheese pairing guide.

Cider and cheese pairing mistakes to avoid

Cider and cheese pairing mistakes are few, and most involve sweetness. Each of them is easy to correct once you know what to look for.

• Using a sweet cider on a mild cheese. The cheese tastes flat. Keep dry cider for delicate cheeses.
• Choosing a pale, thin cider for a pungent cheese. The cider vanishes. Pick a fuller, more tannic bottle.
• Serving the cider ice cold. Chill it, but let it warm for a few minutes in the glass so apple flavor shows.
• Forgetting the label. "Cider" in the US often means fresh apple juice. Look for an alcoholic cider, or the non-alcoholic options on the non-alcoholic pairings page, such as sparkling apple juice, if you are not serving alcohol.

For a comparison with the other main option, read the wine and cheese pairing guide.

Questions about cider and cheese pairing

These cider and cheese pairing questions cover what readers ask most.

What cheese goes with dry cider?

Cheese for dry cider is Camembert, Brie, cheddar, Gruyère or Comté: creamy and nutty cheeses that welcome acidity.

What cider goes with blue cheese?

Cider for blue cheese should be sweet or an ice cider, because the sugar offsets the salt and pungency.

Does cider go with cheddar?

Cider with cheddar is a good match, particularly a dry or tannic cider with an aged cheddar. West Country cheddar with West Country cider is the regional version.

What is the French cider and cheese tradition?

The French cider and cheese tradition centers on Normandy, where dry cider is served with Camembert, Livarot and Pont-l'Évêque, all produced in the region.

Is cider or wine better with cheese?

Cider or wine with cheese is a matter of the cheese. Cider is often the better match for Normandy rinds and cheddar, and wine for many others.

Your next cider and cheese pairing

For your next cider and cheese pairing, buy a dry sparkling cider and a ripe Camembert, taste them together, then add a sweeter cider and a blue cheese to see how sugar changes salt. Two ciders and three cheeses is a complete tasting.