Firm Ripened

Cheddar and Colby Cheddar is the most popular cheese not only in the United States, but the world as well. As cheddar ages it's rich, nutty flavors intensify and become sharper, and it's texture changes in the aging process.


Appenzeller Cheese	Appetitost Cheese	Arkadaz	Bel Paese	Cheddar Cheese

Colby Cheddar	Edam Cheese	Gouda Cheese	Jarlsberg	Swiss Emmentaler

These cheeses ripen with the aid of a bacterial culture distributed throughout the entire cheese. Ripening continues as long as the temperature is favorable. The rate and degree of curing is also closely related to the moisture content. Therefore, being lower in moisture than softer varieties, they usually require a longer curing time.

Swiss Cheese (Aged Swiss and Baby Swiss)
In the making of theese cheeses, the cheesemakers use a Proprionic Starter culture. This particular starter culture reproduces and as the bacteria dies, they give off carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide expands and produces the holes we associate with Swiss cheese. They are referred to as eyes.

Gouda and Edam
These cheeses are what cheesemakers refer to as Sweet Curd cheeses. As they age their flavors intensify and become more rich and buttery , but because of the type of cultures used the do not become sharp as cheeses like Cheddar do with longer aging.