Clemson Blue Cheese: University-Made Or Commercialized?

Clemson University's College of Agriculture, Forestry and Science has been making blue cheese since 1941. The cheese-making operation was moved to the Agricultural Center in Newman Hall at Clemson in 1958, and the university has continued to produce its namesake cheese, increasing production to approximately 20,000 pounds annually by 1980 and 43,000 pounds by 2003.

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Clemson University's College of Agriculture, Forestry and Science has been making blue cheese since 1941

Clemson University's College of Agriculture, Forestry and Science has a long history of making blue cheese, dating back to the early days of World War II in 1941. It all started when a professor from the Clemson A&M College Dairy Department had a brilliant idea: to cure French-style blue cheese in the Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel, taking advantage of its cool, damp interior. This tunnel, located in Oconee County, had been left idle for 80 years after construction began in 1852 due to tensions between the North and South.

The dairy department began experimenting, and by 1941, they had successfully produced Clemson Blue Cheese. However, World War II caused a halt in production from 1941 to 1944 due to supply and personnel shortages. Clemson lost skilled specialists, and the milk used for cheese-making was needed for aviation cadets stationed on campus.

In 1951, Clemson A&M College purchased the tunnel and resumed the cheese project in 1953. It was directed by D.H. Graham, a recent Ph.D. graduate from Iowa State College. They produced a tangy, Roquefort-style blue mold cheese using milk from Clemson's dairy herd of Brown Swiss and Holstein cows. The cheese was made on campus and then transported 30 miles to the tunnel for curing.

Over the years, Clemson continued to refine and expand its cheese-making operations. In 1958, the cheese-making process was moved to air-conditioned cheese rooms in the campus's new food industry building, Newman Hall. Clemson University, formerly known as Clemson A&M College until its renaming in 1964, continued to experiment with production, packaging, and marketing, increasing annual production to 20,000 pounds by 1980 and 43,000 pounds by 2003. Clemson Blue Cheese has earned a reputation among food critics and has become a beloved part of the university's history and culture.

The cheese was originally cured in the Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel

Clemson Blue Cheese was originally cured in the Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel, an abandoned 1800s railroad tunnel, from 1941 to the 1970s. The tunnel, located in Oconee County, South Carolina, in the Sumter National Forest, was first proposed in 1835 as a new route for the Blue Ridge Railroad. Construction began in 1852, but work was halted due to tensions between the North and South on the brink of the Civil War, and the tunnel was left abandoned for 80 years.

In 1940, a Clemson A&M College professor recognized that the conditions in the tunnel were ideal for curing blue cheese. The tunnel's constant temperature of 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) and humidity of 85% created a damp environment perfect for curing blue cheese. The Clemson A&M College Dairy Department began experimenting with blue cheese manufacturing and curing it in the tunnel.

During World War II, production slowed and was eventually halted in 1944 due to limited milk supplies and other factors. In 1951, Clemson A&M College purchased the tunnel, and "Operation Blue Cheese" resumed in 1953. The cheese was manufactured on campus and then transported 30 miles to the tunnel for curing. By October 1953, 2,500 pounds of blue cheese were curing in the Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel.

In 1956, the Agricultural Center in Newman Hall was built at Clemson, and air-conditioned cheese ripening rooms were able to duplicate the tunnel's conditions for on-campus production and research. In 1958, the entire cheese-making operation, including curing, was moved to the campus, ending the use of the Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel for curing Clemson Blue Cheese.

Clemson lost cheese production specialists during World War II

Clemson University's College of Agriculture, Forestry and Science has been making its own blue cheese for years. The first Clemson University Blue Cheese was cured in Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel in 1941. However, the onset of World War II in 1941 brought about significant changes for the dairy workers at Clemson. The university lost cheese production specialists as team members had to enlist in the war effort. In addition, cheese production had to be halted as the milk used for cheese-making was required for aviation cadets stationed on campus.

Clemson's blue cheese production was initially the brainchild of a professor from the Clemson A&M College Dairy Department, who, in the 1940s, began experimenting with curing French-style blue cheese in the Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel. This tunnel, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, holds a legendary status in the Piedmont area of South Carolina. The name "Stumphouse" originates from a Native American legend involving a maiden named Issaqueena, who fell in love with a silversmith named David Francis. Issaqueena learned of her tribe's planned attack on her lover's settlement and bravely rode to warn the settlers, mentally naming the landmarks she passed.

Due to the challenges posed by World War II, Clemson's cheese-making operations faced disruptions. The loss of skilled specialists and the need to ration milk for aviation cadets led to a discontinuation of cheese production in 1944. However, Clemson A&M College persevered and successfully purchased the tunnel in 1951, allowing them to resume their cheese project in 1953. D.H. Graham, a recent Ph.D. graduate from Iowa State College, joined the staff to oversee dairy product research and cheese production.

Today, Clemson's blue cheese is renowned in the South for its tangy, piquant flavor. The cheese is produced using old-school techniques by Master Cheese Maker Anthony Pounders and his crew. Each 288-gallon vat yields a batch of 240 pounds of cheese, which is then salted, waxed, and aged for six months. Clemson's blue cheese has become a gourmet favorite, enjoyed by cheese connoisseurs across the region.

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Clemson Blue Cheese is now made on campus

Clemson University in South Carolina is known for its Clemson Blue Cheese, which has been produced on campus since 1941. The cheese-making process began in the Dairy Department of Clemson A&M College, which later became Clemson University in 1964. The university's College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Science has been crafting this artisanal cheese for years, and it has become a beloved delicacy in the South.

The story of Clemson Blue Cheese is deeply intertwined with the Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel, located near Walhalla in Oconee County. In the mid-1800s, construction began on this tunnel as part of a railroad project. However, it was left unfinished and abandoned for many years due to rising tensions between the North and the South. Interestingly, in 1940, a Clemson A&M College dairy professor wondered if the tunnel's cool, damp interior could be ideal for curing blue mold cheese, similar to how Roquefort cheese is cured in French caves.

This curiosity led to the birth of Clemson Blue Cheese. The dairy department began experimenting, using surplus milk from the university's own herd of Brown Swiss and Holstein cows. The cheese was crafted on campus and then transported 30 miles to the tunnel for curing. This process continued until challenges arose, such as maintaining sanitary conditions in the tunnel during the warm summer months and the limitations imposed by the tunnel's distance from the campus.

To overcome these obstacles, the university created cheese ripening rooms on campus that replicated the tunnel's environment in terms of air quality, temperature, and humidity. In 1958, the cheese-making operation moved to the Agricultural Center in Newman Hall at Clemson, marking the shift to a fully on-campus production process. Clemson Blue Cheese has since become a renowned artisanal cheese, crafted with care and earning excellent reviews from food critics.

The cheese is made by hand with no preservatives

Clemson Blue Cheese is an artisanal cheese produced by hand, with no preservatives. The cheese-making process begins with milk from Clemson's own herd of cows, which is specially processed to have a high fat content. Each 288-gallon vat of milk yields approximately 240 pounds of cheese. After the cheese is salted and waxed, it is aged for six months. Once the ageing process is complete, each hoop of cheese is carefully scraped and packaged.

The history of Clemson Blue Cheese dates back to the mid-1800s when planners in South Carolina's Piedmont area envisioned a railroad connecting the Midwest to the bustling port of Charleston. This led to the construction of the Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel, which began in 1852 but was eventually halted due to tensions between the North and the South. In 1940, a Clemson College dairy professor wondered if the tunnel's cool, dark, and damp conditions could be used to cure blue mould cheese, similar to how Roquefort cheese is cured in French caves.

The dairy department at Clemson A&M College began experimenting with cheese production, using milk from Clemson's herd of Brown Swiss and Holstein cows. However, World War II caused a halt in cheese production due to supply and personnel shortages. In 1953, Clemson purchased the Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel and resumed cheese-making operations. The cheese was produced on campus and then transported 30 miles to the tunnel for curing.

In 1958, the cheese-making operation moved to the Agricultural Center in Newman Hall at Clemson. Clemson A&M College expanded its academic programs and was renamed Clemson University in 1964. The Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel, where the cheese project began, became a historic landmark. Today, Clemson Blue Cheese is still produced on campus, and it continues to be a popular delicacy in the South, known for its unique flavour and high quality.

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