Patrick Oconnell
Cheddar and Colby cheese are often confused for one another due to their similar appearance and shared origin story. However, they are very different in terms of taste, texture, and history. Cheddar cheese, one of England's oldest cheeses, was first made in the village of Cheddar in Somerset, England, in the 12th century. On the other hand, Colby cheese was first created in 1885 in Colby, Wisconsin by a young cheesemaker named Joseph Steinwand. This cheese was developed by eliminating the cheddaring process used in making cheddar cheese, resulting in a moister, softer, and milder cheese.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Cheddar: Somerset, England; Colby: Colby, Wisconsin, USA |
| Date of origin | Cheddar: 12th century; Colby: 1885 |
| Texture | Cheddar: firm; Colby: semi-hard, softer than cheddar |
| Taste | Cheddar: sharp or mild; Colby: always mild, sweeter than cheddar |
| Colour | Cheddar: yellow/orange; Colby: orange |
| Moisture content | Cheddar: less moist; Colby: higher moisture content |
| Ageing process | Cheddar: aged for a minimum of three months; Colby: aged for one to three months |
| Production technique | Cheddar: involves cheddaring; Colby: skips cheddaring, curds are washed in cold water |
| Calcium content | Cheddar: higher; Colby: lower |
| Fat content | Cheddar: varies; Colby: 30% minimum, typically 31–32% |
| Salt content | Colby: 1.5–1.8% |
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What You'll Learn
History and origin
Cheddar cheese originated in the village of Cheddar in Somerset, England, and has been produced since at least the 12th century. The region's climate and rich grazing pastures, along with its limestone caves, provided the ideal conditions for dairy farming and ageing cheese. Cheddar's popularity quickly spread across Britain and Europe, and it eventually made its way to North America. Today, the US is the world's largest producer of cheddar cheese in terms of quality and volume.
Colby cheese, on the other hand, is an American cheese that was first made in 1885 in Colby, Wisconsin, by a young cheesemaker named Joseph Steinwand. Steinwand experimented with traditional cheesemaking methods and accidentally or intentionally developed a new variety of cheese. He tried washing the curds in cold water, which reduced the acidity and created a milder, sweeter, and softer cheese than cheddar. The new cheese was named after the town of Colby and soon became popular across Wisconsin as a uniquely American cheese.
According to some sources, Joseph Steinwand attended a cheesemaking course and was specifically interested in developing a new type of cheese. Other sources suggest that he neglected to drain the excess moisture after adding cold water and accidentally discovered the new variety. The resulting cheese was moister than cheddar and did not involve the complicated cheddaring process, making it popular among cheesemakers.
Today, Colby is recognised as a classic American cheese with deep Midwestern roots, and several proposals have been made to designate it as the official state cheese of Wisconsin. The city of Colby also organises an annual festival, "Colby Cheese Days", to promote the cheese.
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Taste and texture
Colby and cheddar cheese differ in taste and texture. While both are semi-hard, yellow or orange cheeses made from cow's milk, they have distinct flavours and textures. Cheddar can be sharp or mild, whereas Colby is always mild and has a sweeter taste. This is because Colby is softer than cheddar, with a higher moisture content and a more open texture. The curds in Colby are washed in cold water, which removes some lactose and reduces the acidity, resulting in a milder, slightly sweeter flavour. The curds are then gently stirred and kept moist, preserving the cheese's softer texture and creamy consistency.
Colby is typically aged for one to three months, while cheddar is aged for a minimum of three months, and sometimes for several years. Ageing cheddar enhances its complexity, creating tangy, nutty notes and a slightly crumbly texture in mature cheddar. The longer ageing process of cheddar produces a range of flavours, from mild to earthy.
Colby's high moisture content makes it a good melting cheese, suitable for grilled cheese sandwiches, cheese sauces, burgers, tacos, and fajitas. It is also commonly used in snacks, sandwiches, and salads. Its creamy texture and mild, milky flavour make it a popular choice for recipes and as a topping cheese.
Colby Longhorn, a variety of Colby cheese, is named for its shape, which is said to resemble a rainbow or a half-moon. The Longhorn style also makes the cheese more elastic than cheddar. Colby Longhorn has a slightly sweet taste and is often used in fondue, grilled cheese sandwiches, and hamburgers. It is also considered a good pairing with fruit, especially pears.
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Manufacturing process
The manufacturing process for Colby cheese is similar to that of Cheddar cheese, except that the former does not go through the cheddaring process. In other words, Colby cheese does not involve the truest" Cheddar process of cutting, draining, and repeatedly inverting the curds in a big block. Instead, Colby cheese involves washed curds.
To make traditional Cheddar cheese, one warms milk, adds a starter culture, mixes in rennet to help separate the curds from the whey, and finally, drains the whey. At this point, the curds are heated and moulded into slabs. This is the point where the manufacturing processes of the two cheeses differ.
When making Colby cheese, after the curds are cooked, only about two-thirds of the whey is drained until the curds break the surface. Then, cold water is added until the temperature of the mixture is about 81 °F (27 °C). Increasing this temperature produces a cheese that is less moist. After washing with cold water for 15 minutes, the mixture is fully drained and salt is added to the curd. The curd is then placed into moulds and pressed at 10 to 20 psi (69 to 138 kPa) for 16 to 18 hours. It is then packaged and ripened for 2 to 3 months at 37 to 39 °F (3 to 4 °C).
The Colby curd is then completely drained, salted, stirred, further drained, and pressed into forms, instead of being allowed to knit together like Cheddar. This traditional make method allows Colby a curdy texture with mechanical openings in the middle. The reduced acidity of the curd results in a mild and milky flavour.
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Ageing process
Colby and Cheddar cheeses differ in their ageing processes, which also contributes to their distinct tastes and textures.
Cheddar cheese typically undergoes a unique process called "cheddaring". After milk is heated and cultures are added, rennet is introduced to form curds. The curds are then cut and heated to release whey, stacked and pressed, allowing more moisture to drain. This "cheddaring" step is repeated several times, creating the dense and firm texture characteristic of Cheddar. The cheese is then aged, sometimes for several months to a few years, deepening its flavour and giving it a crumbly texture. The ageing process enhances its complexity, creating tangy, nutty notes.
Colby cheese, on the other hand, was developed to be enjoyed fresh and unaged, with a milder flavour. It is typically aged for a much shorter period, usually no more than three months, and sometimes even less. The curds in Colby cheese are washed with water before heating, which replaces the whey and stops the acidification process, resulting in a milder flavour and softer texture. This process also means that Colby has a higher moisture content than Cheddar, which contributes to its creamy texture.
The ageing process of Cheddar, therefore, results in a stronger, more complex flavour and crumbly texture, while Colby is milder, creamier, and consumed younger.
It is worth noting that there are variations of Colby cheese, such as Pinconning cheese, which can be aged for many years, resulting in sharper flavours and changes in texture.
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Uses and popularity
Colby and cheddar cheese are similar in appearance, but their uses and popularity differ for several reasons. Firstly, Colby cheese is a distinctly American cheese, whereas cheddar cheese is one of the oldest English cheeses, originating from the village of Cheddar in Somerset, England, and has been produced since at least the 12th century. Cheddar's popularity quickly spread across Britain and Europe and eventually reached North America.
Colby cheese, on the other hand, was first made in 1885 in Colby, Wisconsin, by Joseph Steinwand, who was experimenting with traditional cheesemaking methods. Steinwand's innovation involved washing the curds in cold water, which reduced the acidity and created a milder, sweeter, and softer cheese than cheddar. This method also meant that Colby did not need to undergo the complicated cheddaring process, making it popular with cheesemakers across Wisconsin.
Colby cheese is typically used in snacks, sandwiches, salads, and grilled cheese recipes. Its high moisture content means it melts very well, making it perfect for cheese sauces, grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers, and even fondue. It can also be shredded and used on tacos and fajitas. Its mild, creamy, and buttery flavour makes it less suitable for a cheese board and more of a cooking or "topper" cheese.
Cheddar cheese, on the other hand, is known for its pungent flavour that sharpens with age. It is often used for cheese boards and can be served in slices or chunks. Its lower moisture content means it does not melt as well as Colby, but it can still be used in cooking, particularly in cheese sauces.
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Frequently asked questions
Colby cheese is softer, moister, and has an open texture with tiny holes, while cheddar cheese is denser and firmer.
Colby cheese has a milder, sweeter, and less pungent flavour than cheddar cheese, which has a sharp and bold flavour that intensifies with age.
Colby cheese is American-made and named after a town in Wisconsin. Cheddar cheese, on the other hand, originated in the village of Cheddar in Somerset, England.
During the production of Colby cheese, the curds are washed with water before heating, which replaces the whey with water and stops the acidification process. Cheddar cheese, on the other hand, undergoes the "cheddaring" process, which further acidifies the curds and removes more whey, resulting in a denser texture and flavour.
Colby cheese is often used in grilled cheese sandwiches, hamburgers, mac and cheese, and tacos due to its melting ability. Cheddar cheese, with its bold flavour, is commonly used in sandwiches and can be shredded and served in tacos or paired with fruits.
