Maytag Blue Cheese: Where To Find This Delicious Treat?

Maytag Blue Cheese is a premium blue cheese produced by Maytag Dairy Farms just outside Newton, Iowa. It is made from Holstein cattle milk and has been handcrafted since 1941 using traditional curing methods. The cheese is aged in caves for over six months, developing a dense, crumbly texture and a semi-sharp flavour. In recent years, there have been concerns about changes in the taste and texture of the cheese, potentially due to changes in ownership and the switch from unpasteurized to pasteurized milk. Despite this, Maytag Blue Cheese remains a popular choice for cheese enthusiasts, known for its balance of tang, funk, and salty sweetness.

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Maytag Blue Cheese: Taste and Texture

Maytag Blue Cheese is a premium blue cheese produced on the Maytag Dairy Farms outside Newton, Iowa. The cheese is handcrafted from the milk of Holstein cattle and has been made using traditional curing methods since 1941.

The process of making Maytag Blue Cheese involves first homogenizing the milk by separating the cream from it, and then adding it back to the now skimmed milk. This is done to ensure proper fat hydrolysis, which affects the flavour of the cheese. The milk is then ripened before rennet (a mixture of enzymes that coagulates milk into curds and whey) is added to it. The cheese is then aged in specially designed caves, where it is exposed to high humidity and cool temperatures. This process results in a cheese with a uniform colour, flavour, and texture, and a distinctive blue veining.

Maytag Blue Cheese has a dense, crumbly texture and a semi-sharp flavour. It is known for its balance of tang, funk, and salty sweetness. The cheese has a pungent odour and may not suit everyone's tastes. When consumed, it melts in the mouth, leaving a slightly tangy flavour with a lemony finish.

Some people have noted that the taste of Maytag Blue Cheese has changed over time, with some batches tasting drier and less sweet than expected. This could be due to changes in the production process, such as switching from unpasteurized to pasteurized milk to avoid listeria, or changes in ownership, as the dairy farm was sold to Midwest Growth Partners in 2019 and then to AgCertain Industries in 2022.

History of Maytag Dairy Farms

Maytag Dairy Farms, based in Newton, Iowa, was established in 1941 by brothers Frederick Louis Maytag II and Robert Maytag, grandsons of the founder of the Maytag appliance company, Frederick Louis Maytag I. However, the business's roots can be traced back to 1919 when their father, Elmer Henry Maytag, purchased a single cow to provide milk for his family. Over time, he developed a small herd of Holstein-Friesian cows, which eventually supplied milk to his entire community.

Elmer's cows began to win a number of blue ribbons at livestock shows across the United States, and the offspring from his herd began to attract buyers from around the world. Following Elmer's death in 1940, his sons took over the farm, and Fred became President of the Maytag Appliance Corporation. The company pursued his idea of creating an American blue cheese made from cow's milk, and in October 1941, the first wheels of Maytag Blue Cheese were formed.

The milk from the Maytag farm's Iowa Holsteins resulted in a cheese resembling European blue cheeses in flavor. The cheese was initially sold by paper catalog, and Maytag Dairy Farms began delivering farm-fresh flavors directly to homes across the country through mail order. In addition to their blue cheese, the company also produced white cheddar and cheese spreads for their catalog business.

Fred's son, Fritz Maytag, assumed leadership in 1962 and led the small company for the next 50 years. Under his leadership, the cheese continued to be made by hand with milk from local dairy farms. The cheese is aged in specially designed caves, where it is exposed to high humidity and cool temperatures, resulting in a consistent product with a uniform color, flavor, and texture.

In 2016, Maytag issued three recalls with the FDA for possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes and subsequently stopped production and shipping for several months. In 2019, the formerly family-run Maytag Dairy Farms was sold to Midwest Growth Partners, a private equity fund manager. This marked the end of the company's long history as a family-owned business. In 2022, Midwest Growth Partners sold the company to AgCertain Industries, its current owner as of 2022.

Changes in Ownership

Maytag Blue Cheese has changed hands several times since its inception in 1941. The cheese was first produced by Frederick Louis Maytag II and Robert Maytag, grandsons of the founder of the Maytag appliance company, Frederick Louis Maytag I. The dairy farm was established by Frederick Louis Maytag II, the son of the Maytag founder.

In 2019, the formerly family-run Maytag Dairy Farms was sold to Midwest Growth Partners, a West Des Moines private equity firm. This marked the first time the dairy farm was no longer under the ownership of the Maytag family.

In June 2022, Midwest Growth Partners sold Maytag Dairy Farms to AgCertain Industries, an Ames company that produces specialty edible oils. With this acquisition, AgCertain Industries gained ownership of the iconic Iowa blue cheese maker, intending to expand production and create more jobs.

The changes in ownership have raised concerns among consumers about the consistency of the cheese's taste. Some have noticed a difference in the texture and flavor of Maytag Blue Cheese, speculating that the changes may have been deliberate to cut costs or improve food safety.

Despite the ownership transitions, Maytag Blue Cheese continues to be produced just outside of Newton, Iowa, using traditional methods of curing and high-quality, local milk. The cheese is known for its distinctive flavor and texture, carefully crafted and aged by expert cheesemakers.

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Production Process

Maytag Blue Cheese is produced on the Maytag Dairy Farms, located just outside Newton, Iowa. The cheese-making process involves several steps, each contributing to the distinct flavour, colour, and texture of the final product.

Firstly, the milk used for the cheese is homogenized. This involves separating the cream from the milk, homogenizing it, and then adding it back into the skim milk. The temperature and pressure during this process are carefully controlled, typically maintained between 80-100°F (27-38°C) and 2000-3500 pounds-force per square inch (14-24 MPa), respectively. This step is crucial for proper fat hydrolysis, which influences the cheese's flavour.

Following this, the milk undergoes a ripening period before adding rennet, a mixture of enzymes that coagulates the milk into curds and whey. The amount of rennet added and the temperature settings during this stage can be adjusted to achieve different results. For instance, Lane and Hammer's records indicate that using 4 ounces of rennet per 100 pounds of milk and a higher temperature range of 90-92°F (32-33°C) improved the cheese-making process by reducing the time required for setting, cutting, and dipping.

After the rounds of cheese are formed by hand, they are aged in specially designed caves with high humidity and cool temperatures. This ageing process, conducted under carefully monitored conditions, contributes to the development of the cheese's bloomy rind and characteristic blue veining. The result is a consistent product with a uniform colour, flavour, and texture, setting Maytag Blue Cheese apart from other varieties.

The production process of Maytag Blue Cheese was developed and patented by two Iowa State University microbiologists, Clarence Lane and Bernard W. Hammer. The cheese has been crafted by expert cheesemakers since 1941, when production began, and continues to be a favourite among cheese connoisseurs.

Availability and Distribution

Maytag Blue Cheese is produced on the Maytag Dairy Farms, located just outside Newton, Iowa. The cheese has been handcrafted on the farm since 1941, using traditional curing methods. Even today, the blue cheese is not mass-produced, as the cheesemakers prioritise quality over quantity.

Maytag Dairy Farms has been delivering farm-fresh products directly to homes across the country through mail order since the 1940s. The cheese is wrapped in the signature blue and silver foil, which is also used for other cheeses from the farm, including White Cheddar and Cheddar Cheese Spreads.

In February 2016, Maytag issued three recalls with the FDA due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, which led to a halt in production and shipping for several months. In November 2016, operations resumed, and sales recommenced as of September 2017.

In recent years, there have been changes in the ownership of Maytag Dairy Farms, with the formerly family-run business being sold to Midwest Growth Partners in 2019 and then to AgCertain Industries in June 2022. These changes have sparked discussions among consumers about potential alterations in the taste and texture of the cheese.

Maytag Blue Cheese is available for purchase through the Maytag Dairy Farms website, where it offers a variety of products, including the award-winning Maytag Blue Cheese and other traditional cheeses. The cheese can also be found at select stores, although its availability may vary.

Frequently asked questions