The Perfect Pair
Story & Photos by Bijan Mitchell
What sets a shop apart is not what it carries, how it looks, or even its location. What truly sets it apart from all the rest is how it makes you feel. Biercuterie isn’t just a cheese shop, it’s a place where you walk through the door and are greeted with smiles and a warm welcome. It’s a place where they remember your name and your likes and dislikes. Have a “usual”? They’ll remember it. They love what they do and who they serve. Community has always been a key word for Sarah and Brian Bystrom, owners of Biercuterie, an artisan cheese shop and craft beer destination in Freeland.
Like every perfect pair, Sarah and Brian balance and complement one another, allowing them to bring something entirely you-nique to the table. Brian brings a passion for beer connoisseurship, while Sarah brings the creativity and motivation to never give up. “It’s what makes us a great pair,” Sarah shared with a smile.
Biercuterie gets its name from a clever nod to Brian’s time in Germany, using the German word for beer and combining it with the word charcuterie. While Brian dreamed up the name, Sarah created their logo, featuring two different typefaces and a beer bottle-shaped charcuterie board.
What sets a shop apart is not what it carries, how it looks, or even its location. What truly sets it apart from all the rest is how it makes you feel. Biercuterie isn’t just a cheese shop, it’s a place where you walk through the door and are greeted with smiles and a warm welcome. It’s a place where they remember your name and your likes and dislikes. Have a “usual”? They’ll remember it. They love what they do and who they serve. Community has always been a key word for Sarah and Brian Bystrom, owners of Biercuterie, an artisan cheese shop and craft beer destination in Freeland.
Like every perfect pair, Sarah and Brian balance and complement one another, allowing them to bring something entirely you-nique to the table. Brian brings a passion for beer connoisseurship, while Sarah brings the creativity and motivation to never give up. “It’s what makes us a great pair,” Sarah shared with a smile.
Biercuterie gets its name from a clever nod to Brian’s time in Germany, using the German word for beer and combining it with the word charcuterie. While Brian dreamed up the name, Sarah created their logo, featuring two different typefaces and a beer bottle-shaped charcuterie board.
The business venture started as a spark of inspiration while living in California. “We used to walk to music classes together. When we were walking, we would pass a cheese shop called The Wheelhouse,” said Sarah. “Brian and I would always go in and buy so much cheese and he told me, ‘I’d love to own a cheese shop one day.’”
That day finally came after months of searching when Brian returned home from viewing a space in Freeland and said, “I signed the lease.” At that point, their dream of owning a cheese shop was a reality, but one that required many renovations. Always a bit of a Renaissance woman, Sarah discovered many of her past career hats seemed to stack on top of each other as she and Brian breathed life into Biercuterie. Marketing, cooking, design, etc. She was undaunted by the task of renovating the space and launching the business.
Their unique selections include an array of craft beers, wines, and cheeses with tongue-in-cheek titles. They’re serious about their craft but aren’t afraid of a little humor.
Creamy white and sage green walls give Biercuterie a comforting ambience, while a glowing refrigerated cheese case stands like a shining beacon next to the front counter. Though the space is small, each shelf and display is effortlessly and strategically stocked. Their unique selections include an array of craft beers, wines, and cheeses with tongue-in-cheek titles. They’re serious about their craft but aren’t afraid of a little humor. And the delicious options don’t stop with the shelves and cheese case. Biercuterie also offers fresh-made sandwiches, expertly crafted pizza dough (one of Brian’s specialties), and a wine and cheese club. Obscure, rare, and unusual are some of the couple’s favorite words when it comes to the selections at their Whidbey location.
In two short years, Biercuterie has made a name for itself in the wine and cheese industry. Kurt Beecher Dammeier, owner and founder of Beecher’s Handmade Cheese, has visited a number of times, and the shop offers Beecher’s cheeses you can’t find at your local grocers. Similarly, Gregory Perrucci, owner of Agricola Felline winery in Italy, visited Biercuterie for a wine tasting and was amazed by their selection of cheeses. “He said, ‘I can barely find this in Italy at times,’” recalled Sarah with a big smile. “He was so excited and bought cheese for his trip and wrote to me afterwards telling me it was a fun experience.”
When asked what cheese best represents her, Sarah smiled thoughtfully. “La Dama Sagrada,” she said, choosing a cheese made by one of the few female cheesemakers. “It’s about being yourself.
For the Bystroms, the things they love are an expression of them. When asked what cheese best represents her, Sarah smiled thoughtfully. “La Dama Sagrada,” she said, choosing a cheese made by one of the few female cheesemakers. “It’s about being yourself. Taking this process, doing something a little different, and finding your place in the world of hundreds of thousands of cheeses and being able to say, ‘this is mine, this is who I am, this is what I want to put out into the world.’”
As for Whidbey Island, Sarah knows just what cheese represents the island they’ve made their home. “Alp Blossom. It’s an alpine-style cheese coated in the edible flowers that come from the fields the cows graze in,” she explained. “It’s unique and stands out and, [like Whidbey], it’s not something you can find just everywhere. There’s a reason people come here and don’t leave. The people who are meant to be here can’t stay away. You see this vibrant community where everyone knows everyone. The bonds you form here, you can’t find anywhere else.”
You can explore Biercuterie’s shelves and find your perfect pairing at 1664 E Main St #3, Freeland, WA 98249. To learn more, and to join their wine and cheese club, check out their website, biercuterie.com.
