Frederic Melton
Cheddar cheese is one of the most popular cheeses in the world, with its bright orange colour, sharp but complex flavour, and versatility in cooking. It is a natural cheese made from cow's milk, and its texture changes as it ages, becoming drier and more crumbly. But did you know there's more than one type of cheddar? Cheddar cheese can be differentiated by age, rind, colour, or country of origin. The different types of cheddar cheese include mild, medium, sharp, extra sharp, New York style, white, and Vermont.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Origin | Cheddar, Somerset, South West England |
| Texture | Hard |
| Colour | Off-white, orange |
| Taste | Sharp, tangy, nutty, earthy, sweet |
| Age | Mild cheddar is aged 2-3 months; sharp cheddar is matured for 7-9 months; strong, extra-mature cheddar is aged for 15 months or more |
| Rind | Rindless cheddar is the most common type |
| Country | Cheddar is produced all over the world |
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What You'll Learn
Cheddar cheese types by age
Cheddar cheese is one of the most popular cheeses in the world, with a distinct flavour, vibrant orange colour, and a rich, creamy texture. It is traditionally made from cow's milk, although some variations use goat's or sheep's milk. Cheddar is produced all over the world, but the original and most well-known version comes from the village of Cheddar in Somerset, England.
The different types of cheddar cheese are differentiated by age, rind, colour, and country of origin. The age of the cheese significantly influences its taste and texture, with older cheddars developing a more pronounced nutty and earthy flavour.
Mild cheddar is aged for 2-3 months and has a buttery, smooth flavour. It is a great choice when you don't want the cheddar flavour to overwhelm other mild ingredients. Cabot Vermont Sharp Cheddar is aged for 7-9 months and has a creamy, smooth texture and a rich, buttery tang with nuances of sweetness.
Matured Cheddar Cheese, or Sharp Cheddar Cheese, can be described as classic cheddar, with most flavours already developed. It is tangy, nutty, and slightly earthy, with a hint of sweetness that gradually lessens over time.
Vintage Cheddar Cheese, or Aged Cheddar Cheese, is matured for 15 months or more and has a complex, robust, and very sharp flavour. The further the cheddar ages, the more pronounced the nutty and earthy flavours become.
Finally, premium specialty cheddars like Cabot’s Artisan Reserve, 5-Year, and 10-Year, and Cabot Clothbound are aged 3-10 years and are excellent choices for a cheese board or mac and cheese.
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Cheddar cheese types by rind
Cheddar cheese is a traditional English cheese that originated in the village of Cheddar in Somerset, South West England. It is a natural cheese made from cow's milk, and it is relatively hard and off-white (or orange if colourings such as annatto are added).
There are three ways to age cheddar, each resulting in the cheese developing a different rind. The rind type can significantly influence the cheese's taste and texture, making the cheddar seem younger or older than it is.
Rindless Cheddar Cheese
Rindless cheddar, sometimes called block cheddar, is the most common type of cheddar. It is aged through an anaerobic process, not being exposed to oxygen during ripening. This lack of oxygen results in a denser and fudgier texture, as well as a sharper and tangier flavour.
Clothbound Cheddar Cheese
Clothbound cheddar has a thick, hard rind and a dry, crumbly texture. It is aged while wrapped in a cotton cloth, a technique thought to have been developed by early US colonists to protect the cheese from unpredictable weather. The cotton wrapping allows for slow aerobic ageing, protecting the cheese from moisture while allowing oxygen to pass through. Clothbound cheddar has a more condensed and robust flavour with complex nutty, grassy, and sweet undertones.
Waxed Cheddar Cheese
Waxed cheddar is aged through the anaerobic method while wrapped in a pliable wax coating, which prevents moisture loss. This results in a more buttery and smooth texture, and a milder and less sharp flavour than rindless or clothbound cheddar. Waxed cheddar has complex nutty, earthy, sweet, and smoky undertones.
Other Types of Cheddar
While not classified by their rinds, it is worth noting that there are many other types of cheddar cheese differentiated by their age, country of origin, or added ingredients.
Aged cheddars can be mild, sharp, extra sharp, or extra-mature (vintage), with the strongest cheddars matured for 15 months or more. Cheddar is produced all over the world, including in the US states of Wisconsin, California, Idaho, New York, Vermont, Oregon, Texas, and Oklahoma.
Cheddar can also be flavoured with ingredients like herbs, spices, or even unexpected flavours like espresso or earl grey.
Cheddar is the most popular cheese in the UK, and the second-most popular in the US after mozzarella.
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Cheddar cheese types by colour
Cheddar cheese is a natural cheese that is relatively hard and sometimes sharp-tasting. It originates from the village of Cheddar in Somerset, South West England. Cheddar cheese is produced all over the world and has no Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). The colour of cheddar cheese can range from a natural white to pumpkin orange. The white cheddar is also known as off-white cheddar. The orange colour is achieved by adding colourings such as annatto, a spice extracted from the seeds of the tropical achiote tree, or beet juice.
Cheddar cheese is commonly sold in several varieties, including mild, medium, sharp, extra sharp, New York style, white, and Vermont. New York-style cheddar is particularly sharp/acidic, but tends to be somewhat softer than the milder-tasting varieties. Vermont cheddar is labelled as such when it does not contain annatto.
The different types of cheddar cheese can be differentiated by their ageing time. Mild cheddar is aged between 1 and 3 months and has a buttery, smooth flavour. Semi-sharp cheddar cheese is aged between 3 and 6 months and has a semi-hard texture. Matured or sharp cheddar cheese is typically aged between 6 and 12 months and has a classic hard and crumbly texture. Vintage or aged cheddar cheese is any cheddar cheese that has been aged for over 12 months, with some even aged over 36 months and up to 60 months.
In addition to the above, there are also premium specialty cheddars like Cabot's Artisan Reserve, 5-Year and 10-Year, and Cabot Clothbound, which are aged between 3 and 10 years.
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Cheddar cheese types by country
Cheddar cheese, originating from the village of Cheddar in Somerset, England, is now produced all over the world. The name "cheddar" has no Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and is used internationally. However, the name "West Country Farmhouse Cheddar" is protected in the UK and the EU, defined as cheddar produced from local milk within Somerset, Dorset, Devon, and Cornwall using traditional methods. Orkney Scottish Island Cheddar has also been registered as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) in the EU and the UK.
United States
The United States is the second-largest consumer of cheddar cheese, after the UK, and the largest producer, with Wisconsin being the top-producing state. Cheddar is sold in several varieties, including mild, medium, sharp, extra sharp, New York style, white, and Vermont. New York-style cheddar is particularly sharp or acidic, while Vermont cheddar refers to cheese that does not contain annatto, a colouring that gives cheddar its characteristic orange hue. Some examples of premium specialty cheddars from the US include Cabot's Artisan Reserve, 5-Year, and 10-Year, and Cabot Clothbound, aged 3 to 10 years.
United Kingdom
Cheddar is the most popular cheese in the UK, accounting for 51% of the country's £1.9 billion annual cheese market. West Country Farmhouse Cheddar, produced in Somerset, Dorset, Devon, and Cornwall, is a sharp and tangy variety of cheddar known for its distinct flavour. During the Second World War, most of the milk in Britain was used to make a single kind of cheese called "government cheddar", leading to the decline of other cheese production in the country.
Canada
Cheddar is a popular variety of cheese in Canada, known for its mild and buttery flavour. Balderson is a well-known type of Canadian cheddar, described as mild and buttery.
Australia
Australia is another country where cheddar is widely consumed, accounting for over 55% of the cheese market, with an average annual consumption of around 7.5 kg (17 lb) per person. Pyengana is a popular type of Australian cheddar, known for its creamy and nutty flavour.
New Zealand
Most of the cheddar produced in New Zealand is factory-made, although some are handmade by artisan cheesemakers. New Zealand cheddars are typically sold young within the country, but some are shipped to the UK to mature further.
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Cheddar cheese types by flavour
Cheddar cheese is one of the most popular cheeses in the world, with a unique flavour that is often imitated by vegan cheese manufacturers. The flavour of cheddar cheese can range from creamy to sharp, and its colour can vary from white to pumpkin orange. The texture of cheddar changes as it ages, becoming drier and more crumbly.
The flavour of cheddar cheese is influenced by several factors, including the source of milk, the geographical location where the animal grazes, the animal's diet, the cheese-making process, and the duration of ageing. The natural environment in which the animal lives contributes to the flavour of the cheese, known as terroir.
Cheddar cheese can be broadly categorized into industrial and artisan varieties. Industrial cheddar cheese is produced on a large scale and can vary significantly in flavour, colour, and quality. The packaging typically indicates the strength, such as mild, medium, strong, tasty, sharp, extra sharp, mature, old, or vintage. Artisan cheddar cheese, on the other hand, is crafted in smaller batches and develops strong and diverse flavours over time.
The ageing process plays a crucial role in developing the unique flavour profile of cheddar cheese. Mild cheddar, aged for 2-3 months, has a buttery and smooth flavour. As the ageing time increases, the flavour becomes sharper and more intense. Sharp cheddar, aged for 7-9 months, offers a creamy and smooth texture with a rich, buttery tang. Extra sharp cheddar, aged for 12-14 months, has a dense and slightly crumbly texture with a more intense flavour. The longest-aged cheddar cheeses, such as Cabot's Artisan Reserve, 5-Year, and 10-Year, have incredibly complex flavours and are considered premium specialty cheddars.
In addition to the ageing process, the colour of cheddar cheese can also impact its flavour. While there is no significant difference in texture or flavour between white and orange cheddar, the colour difference is often used as a way to categorize different types of cheddar. The orange colour in cheddar cheese is typically achieved by adding natural food colouring, such as annatto, a condiment made from achiote tree seeds. Over the years, various herbs and spices, such as paprika, saffron, marigold, and carrot juice, have been used to create the characteristic bright orange colour.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several types of cheddar cheese, which can be categorised by age, rind, colour, or country of origin.
Cheddar cheese can be classified as mild, medium, sharp (or classic), extra sharp, or vintage (or aged). Mild cheddar is aged for 2-3 months, while sharp cheddar is matured for 7-9 months. Extra-sharp cheddar is aged for 3-10 years, and vintage cheddar is matured for 15 months or more.
Cheddar cheese can be rindless (or block cheddar), or it can have a rind, which is influenced by the method of ageing.
Cheddar cheese is typically off-white or orange, with the orange colour coming from additives such as annatto. White cheddar is sometimes labelled as "Vermont cheddar", and orange cheddar is similar to Red Leicester.
