Old Foghorn & Vella Dry Jack

I've been asked to sample a few barleywines this week for a piece I'm working on, and I can't even begin to tell you how much that doesn't suck. Tonight I'm drinking the Old Foghorn by Anchor Brewing, in San Francisco, a classic barleywine for certain. Knowing I'd be enjoying the beer tonight, I stopped in and asked my local cheese monger if he had anything new for me to sample. I told him what I was drinking, described the general profile of the Old Foghorn, and he walked me over to a good looking wheel of cheese, Vella Dry Jack.

I am not, nor would I pretend to be, a cheese expert, but I will tell you this beer and cheese just works! The Vella website has this to say about this cheese:

Made like fresh Monterey Jack and further aged for another 7 to 10 months. Firm, pale yellow with a sweet nutty flavor. This cheese is great for grating, shredding, slicing, cooking or just plain eating. Marvelous in toasted cheese sandwiches, omelets and souffles. Delicious shredded on pasta, soups or tacos --for a taste that is unique and special. Can also be added to casseroles and enchiladas. Dry Monterey Jack will become one of your favorites!

It did become one of my favorites, and a much larger quantity will be procured for the PBN 2008 Barleywine Festival I've started piecing together.

Before tonight, I'd never heard of Vella Cheese, so you can imagine my surprise to learn they're regional! Yes, these guys made their cheese in Sonoma - which makes a great detour when you're out sampling the better reds of the region. For more info on them, check out their site.

How was the Old Foghorn? As good as you'd think it was.