The Perfect Pairing
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
- From:
- Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
- Delaware, United States
- Style:
- American Pale Ale
Ranked #745 - ABV:
- 5.5%
- Score:
- 86
Ranked #25,402 - Avg:
- 3.82 | pDev: 7.85%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 10
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Sep 23, 2025
- Added:
- Aug 07, 2022
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 0
SCORE
86
Very Good
86
Very Good
The world’s cheesiest beer collaboration (quite literally), Dogfish Head Craft Brewery and Cabot Creamery unveil The Perfect Pairing, a hazy pale ale scientifically-engineered to be ‘the perfect pairing’ for sharp cheddar cheese, specifically Cabot Creamery’s Seriously Sharp Cheddar cheese. Clocking in at 5.5% ABV, The Perfect Pairing is unfiltered and hop-forward with juicy, citrusy notes of grapefruit and pineapple. Beautiful hazy-golden in color, it features whey from Cabot Creamery, which contributes both a compelling body and subtle sweetness to the beer. Hitting shelves from coast-to-coast this month, The Perfect Pairing will be available exclusively in Dogfish Head’s NEW Variety 12pk/12oz cans, The Off-Centered Party Pack.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by zeff80 from Missouri
3.89/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.89/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz can. Poured out a cloudy, golden orange color with a small, off-white head of foam. It left sudsy trails of lace on the glass. It smelled of orange, wheat, caramel and light pine notes. Sweet orange, cream and toasted caramel with a piney bitterness.
Mar 14, 2024
Reviewed by AccipiterofBeer from New York
3.46/5 rDev -9.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.46/5 rDev -9.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Purchased as part of a mixed 12 pack.
The appearance is a hazy gold with a lingering head and moderate carbonation. The nose has Pale malt up front with a light hint of hop aromas. The taste is okay. Mostly get the sweet, crackery malt with a hint of fruitiness. No dankness to speak of. The mouthfeel is medium.
This is a middle of the pack pale ale. Not really worth seeking out, but as an inclusion in a mixed pack it doesn't feel like a wasted spot in the lineup. Decent.
Dec 26, 2023The appearance is a hazy gold with a lingering head and moderate carbonation. The nose has Pale malt up front with a light hint of hop aromas. The taste is okay. Mostly get the sweet, crackery malt with a hint of fruitiness. No dankness to speak of. The mouthfeel is medium.
This is a middle of the pack pale ale. Not really worth seeking out, but as an inclusion in a mixed pack it doesn't feel like a wasted spot in the lineup. Decent.
Reviewed by Darkmagus82 from Texas
3.75/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a can into a pint glass
Appearance- The beer pours a lightly hazy golden color with a puffy head of white foam. The head has a great level of retention, fading slowly over time and leaving tons of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma is heavy of a tangerine and orange smell mixed with aromas of grain and a bit of toast. With these is a bit of lemon and grapefruit and a touch of herb.
Taste – The taste starts out with a clean bready malt flavor mixed with citrus of tangerine, orange, and grapefruit. Along with these flavors is a touch of lemon and some light herbal hop. As the taste advances the sweet fades a bit as the grapefruit get stronger. A touch of hay and grain come on at the end, leaving one with a moderately crisp and citrusy taste to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel -The body is medium in thickness and creaminess with a moderate carbonation level as well. Overall, the feel makes for an easy sipper and makes for a more refreshing drinker.
Overall – A rather easy drinking and tasty brew. A nice balance of flavor and drinkability.
Dec 26, 2023Appearance- The beer pours a lightly hazy golden color with a puffy head of white foam. The head has a great level of retention, fading slowly over time and leaving tons of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma is heavy of a tangerine and orange smell mixed with aromas of grain and a bit of toast. With these is a bit of lemon and grapefruit and a touch of herb.
Taste – The taste starts out with a clean bready malt flavor mixed with citrus of tangerine, orange, and grapefruit. Along with these flavors is a touch of lemon and some light herbal hop. As the taste advances the sweet fades a bit as the grapefruit get stronger. A touch of hay and grain come on at the end, leaving one with a moderately crisp and citrusy taste to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel -The body is medium in thickness and creaminess with a moderate carbonation level as well. Overall, the feel makes for an easy sipper and makes for a more refreshing drinker.
Overall – A rather easy drinking and tasty brew. A nice balance of flavor and drinkability.
Reviewed by Bitterbill from Wyoming
3.3/5 rDev -13.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.3/5 rDev -13.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Best by January 2023.
It pours a clear pale gold with an inch of foam, does well with the lacing.
Smell is some grassy hops, caramel malt, toasted malt.
The taste is grassy and citrus hops, sweet malt, toasted malt. Definitely not vibrant but it's okay at this stage of its life.
Good mouthfeel.
Dec 23, 2022It pours a clear pale gold with an inch of foam, does well with the lacing.
Smell is some grassy hops, caramel malt, toasted malt.
The taste is grassy and citrus hops, sweet malt, toasted malt. Definitely not vibrant but it's okay at this stage of its life.
Good mouthfeel.
Reviewed by brewme from Massachusetts
4/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Had three cans as part of a mixed twelve-pack Picked-up at Bradford's in Plymouth for about eighteen dollars. My seventh brew reviewed from these guys. Solid LAB.
Dec 10, 2022
Reviewed by MrOH from Virginia
4.37/5 rDev +14.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.37/5 rDev +14.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Gold with some chill haze, dense white head, excellent retention, rings of lace
Lots of grapefruit and a bit of pineapple in the nose
Pineapple and a bit of grapefruit, a little bit of caramel and cracker malt flavors
Medium-light bodied and appropriately carbonated
I like it
Oct 26, 2022Lots of grapefruit and a bit of pineapple in the nose
Pineapple and a bit of grapefruit, a little bit of caramel and cracker malt flavors
Medium-light bodied and appropriately carbonated
I like it
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