Cheese Meets A New Pairing At Nick & Toni's

When it comes to cheese tastings, beer is apparently the new wine.

Last Thursday evening, threatening rain clouds didn’t stop an intimate group from gathering under a covered patio at Nick & Toni’s in East Hampton to sample a selection of cheeses and local artisan beers—a trend that has piqued the interest of Hamptonites and vendors alike, including Lucy Kazickas.

Ms. Kazickas, founder of the cheese shop Lucy’s Whey in East Hampton, said she attended her first cheese-and-beer tasting a year and a half ago.

“I’ve been totally turned on to beer since then,” she said. “I was totally sold. I immediately went out and stocked up on all of these different craft beers. I happen to think that cheese goes better with beer than wine. The acidity in some wine can fight the cheese. Here, they really complement each other.”

These weren’t just any cheeses and beers at the restaurant’s second annual event, the vendors explained. Ms. Kazickas brought some of her finest selections, she said, including Smoked Marieke Young Gouda and Dunbarton Blue.

“Blues can sometimes have a chocolatey hint, as does dark ale, like over there,” she said, pointing to the Greenport Harbor Brewing Company’s table.

Ms. Kazickas was referring to the Black Duck Porter, which is known for its chocolatey notes, said account manager Justin Wesnofske.

“A lot of people get fooled by the color and say, ‘We don’t do dark beers,’ but it pairs well with everything,” Mr. Wesnofske said. “It’s just a phenomenal beer. It’s my personal favorite.”

Also on the table was the brewery’s Harbor Ale, Summer Ale and English IPA, which was just distributed last week, Mr. Wesnofske said.

Native Englishman Michael Pateman said it was refreshing to see an English-flavored beer as part of the selection.

“Beer is the blood of England,” Mr. Pateman said as he munched on a piece of cheese. “Being from England, I grew up drinking a lot of beer. I’d go with my family for what they called vacation, but they’d be gathering hops.”

Now, the Southampton resident said beer isn’t as large a part of his diet as it once was.

“They’re very proud of their beers. There’s more beer there than you could ever want to see, and I think that’s growing here,” he said. “I love the idea of these micro-breweries. Locally, they’re just popping up.”

Fire Island Beer Company’s table featured Red Wagon IPA—a dark beer with a flavorful, fruity taste—and Lighthouse Ale, which has a caramel finish, according to Gretchen Fernandez, whose husband, Bert, runs the brewery with his family.

“They used to run a concession stand on the beach on Fire Island. They were home brewing and had their dreams of starting their own company,” Ms. Fernandez explained, pouring a glass of Lighthouse Ale, the brewery’s signature beer. “Eventually, it just happened.”

The goal of the event was to showcase local cheese and beer businesses, explained Brian Halwell, editor of “Edible East End” magazine, which organized the tasting with Nick & Toni’s.

“Some people argue that beer goes better with food than wine does—not your winemaker friends—because beer has a big range of flavors. And cold beer is particularly refreshing on a scorching day like today.”

Mr. Halwell’s friend, Bill Whitcomb, who is the food director of Whitsons Culinary Group in Islandia, said he couldn’t agree more.

“Anything with beer is great,” Mr. Whitcomb said. “Put beer in anything and I’d have it. Beer in dessert, beer in anything, sure, I’ll be there. You can put beer in the street and if there’s no one there, I’ll go get it.”

But winemaker Miguel Martin disagreed with one of Mr. Halwell’s points.

“Winemakers usually like to drink beer, too,” he said, with a laugh.

“Winemakers drink more beer than most people,” said “Edible East End” deputy editor Eileen Duffy. “They’re just sick of wine.”

The pair was just starting out at the tasting, but Mr. Martin said the Lighthouse Ale was an early front-runner.

“It’s beautiful, it’s really a good flavor,” he said. “It’s not too heavy, I like that. It’s definitely a full beer, it’s not just a beer to quench your thirst. It’s one to have with dinner or lunch. I love when it gives you a good impression, like wine.”

And though wine and beer can have similar qualities, Mr. Wesnofske maintained that the cheese-tasting world is entering a new age.

“Beer has been really taking the thunder from the wines, I feel,” Mr. Wesnofske said. “A lot of people are doing the beer dinners instead of wine, which is really cool. With the craft beer, each has its unique, different flavor to it. It is kind of like wines, except more fun.”