> Note - We have sold out of this cheese but wanted to keep this post up for posterity!

Say hello to a big, bold beauty of a cheese!

Black Butte Porter Cheddar was borne out of our love of beer and a longtime friendship with Deschutes Brewery. Aged for at least two years, this specialty cheddar packs an amazing flavor punch that cannot be denied.

Before we go too far into our praise-fest of this cheese, we encourage you to get yours before we sell out! This cheddar is available on an extremely limited basis.

How did this come about?

A few years ago we invited chefs from the Deschutes pubs in Portland and Bend to join us in Bandon for an immersive cheese making sesh with head cheesemaker Brad Sinko. After deciding what they wanted in the end cheese, they boiled down the brewery’s signature Black Butte Porter over the course of 10 continuous hours to create a super-concentrated molasses-like beer syrup. The syrup was poured into a vat of our fresh cheddar curds, mixed, and then pressed into blocks. These were then tucked away into the aging room for a minimum of 2 years. 

What does it taste like?

Fast forward a few years, and the resulting cheese was all we dreamed it would be! This cheddar is a match made in fromage heaven for the cheese connoisseur that appreciates a quality sharp cheddar along with their micro-brew.

Our Deschutes Black Butte Porter cheddar is sharp, dry, and accented with beer marbling that imparts serious beer flavor. As an added bonus, due to the extended aging, this cheddar sports flavor crystals that add a unique snap to each bite and which are the hallmark of a quality aged cheese. You might even see these crystals on the exterior of the cheese inside the package. Nope, that’s not mold, it’s CHEESE DIAMONDS. Simply brush it off or (and we hesitate to even say this) cut it off. There is a TON of flavor in that rind so proceed with caution!

How do I use this unique cheese?

As a dry aged cheese, Black Butte Porter definitely works best in a sliced, crumbled or grated format. This isn’t going to melt in the same way as our other cheddars. So think chunky bits on a cobb salad, or served on a big cheese tray with all the nibbles, or finely grated or microplaned like a parmesan to add a drift of beer cheddar to pastas, chili, risotto, and soups.

Serve with other strong flavors and this cheese will have no issues holding its own. It perfectly pairs with "game day" foods such as wings, ribs, nuts, chips and sausage. Try it with meatballs and gravy for an interesting European-type flavor profile. Top an Irish brown beer bread with wedges of this beer cheese for a delicious bite. Surprisingly, jams or crackers with a bit of sweetness in them compliment the sweetness in the porter and take this cheddar to a whole new level worth exploring.

Here are some of our favorite pairings. We’re adding new recipes and usage ideas to the website and on our social media as we enjoy our way through our precious taste testing blocks.

Summer sausages & Bratwursts, Jerky, Sweet BBQ dishes, Sweet Pepper Relish, Apples, Honey, Fig Spread, Nuts, Pretzels & Cured Meats

Beers: No surprise here! Porters & dark beers bring out the bold beer flavor

I need this! Where do I get it?

Black Butte Porter cheddar is only available on our website and in our Bandon and Coos Bay Village stores. We have a very limited quantity, and when it's gone, it's gone. So get yours now!