If you’ve been watching trends in America’s cocktail culture, you might have noticed that it mirrors the same quality that drives much of the American specialty cheesemaking scene—namely, a spirited quest for originality. Forget the once-ubiquitous Cosmo and all those daiquiris. Skilled bartenders—excuse me, mixologists—across the country are now mixing and muddling premium liquor with fresh ingredients to create cocktails that are uniquely their own. In the process, they’ve come up with some great new pours to pair with cheese. Especially right for fall, these four seasonal drinks are sure to create a buzz beside your cheese plate.

The Widow’s Kiss

Bar manager at Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder, Colorado, Bryan Dayton recommends serving this Halloween-inspired cocktail with a soft blue cheese, like Cambozola, which mellows the combination of Chartreuse and Benedictine.

Serves 1

11/2 ounces Calvados
3/4 ounce yellow Chartreuse
3/4 ounce Benedictine

This Bavarian artistry is matched nicely by a wedge of Meadow Creek Dairy's Appalachian (meadowcreekdairy.com)—an aptly named cheese created at an elevation of 2,800 feet. Truly a tomme-style cheese with a firm paste and earthy undertones, Appalachian plays nicely with the Munster Fest’s noble hop profile. The beer’s crisp finish is a welcome match to the cheese’s buttery notes as well. (6% alcohol by volume).