Vermont cheesemakers take top prizes in national contest (Jasper Hill Farm, best in show)

[cali]

The Cellars at Jasper Hill in Greensboro, Vt., won "Best of Show" for its Winnimere at the 28th Annual American Cheese Society (ACS) Competition on Aug. 3, 2013. The results were announced in a ceremony in Madison, Wis., followed by ACS's signature event, the "Festival of Cheese." It would seem brothers Andy and Mateo Kehler, the founders of Jasper Hill Farm and later the Cellars at Jasper Hill, are the crowned princes in cheesemaking, beating out a record-setting 1,794 entries for the same top award they took home in 2006 with Jasper Hill's Cabot Clothbound Cheddar.

"Winnimere represents the soul of our business, and the award is recognition for the hard work of so many people," said Mateo Kehler.

A washed-rind cheese wrapped in bark cut from the spruce trees on Jasper Hill Farm, Winnimere is known for its complex flavor, texture and strong aroma. The cheese is produced during the winter months from the farm's herd of 45 Ayrshire cows as their fresh, raw milk achieves peak richness. The washing part of the process takes place when the rind is sprayed or rubbed with brine, beer, or another liquid to encourage the growth of certain microorganisms on the surface. The cheese then matures for about 60 days in a cool and very humid environment. Batches of Winnimere vary from a smoky, sometimes fruity, sometimes mustardy, to sometimes meaty flavor.

The farm sits on 263 acres of land the Kehlers purchased in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom, an area where visionary agripreneurs and farmers have set the bar for the rest of the real food-loving world. The brothers bought a bulk of the land in 1998, built the cheesehouse in 2002, and began making cheese in 2003. The brothers settled on Ayrshire cows (their herd ranges in size from 40-45 depending on the time of year), because their milk is high in butterfat and has small fat globules, which break down evenly which is helpful to the development of a great cheese.

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sharon-kitchens/cellars-at-jasper-hill_b_3704896.html

http://www.cellarsatjasperhill.com/

And Hill Farmstead Brewery, voted the best brewery in the world this year by ratebeer
http://www.hillfarmstead.com/
Greensboro Bend, VT. – Hill Farmstead Brewery has been named 2013 Best Brewery in the World, as well as Best Brewery in Vermont and Best Brewery in New England by RateBeer, the world’s largest, most popular beer review and rating website. Also, eight of its beers were listed in the top ten new beers in the world by RateBeer.

The RateBeer awards are determined solely by the reviews of RateBeer’s millions of active members. RateBeer is home to the most experienced beer critics in the world with 108 master beer tasters having over 5,000 documented beer reviews. RateBeer is also home to countless certified cicerones, GABF, GBBF and BJCP judges.

From Joe Tucker, Executive Director, RateBeer, LLC.:
“Of the nearly 14,000 brewers in the world, Hill Farmstead Brewery was judged by hundreds of thousands of beer reviewers worldwide as being the best in the world. Hill Farmstead not only took the top slot, but for the first time in the 11-year history of the contest, the top brewer ran away with it. This was ‘The (First?) Year Of Hill Farmstead’ where Hill Farmstead not only won Top Brewer but also dominated the New Releases top 10 (8 out 10 top new 2012 releases) and took a record 31 awards in the Best Beers By Style list.

“Quietly, out off a dirt road in rural Vermont, Hill Farmstead founded a revolutionary kind of brewing for beer aficionados with a new aesthetic replete with a wide range of characteristics that can be floral, vinous, citric, rustic, roasty and over a wide range of heft and quaffability.

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http://www.craftbeer.com/news/brewery-news/hill-farmstead-brewery-named-best-brewery-in-the-world-2013


Winnimere is just so yummy. It's wrapped in spruce bark and washed in Jasper, a beer from Hill Farmstead. Both are just a couple of miles down the road from where I live.

[cbayer]

1. Well, congratulations!!

I order all my cheese online and will look for these. They often have quite a bit of Vermont cheese.

The beer I'm not going to be able to get.

[cbayer]

2. The've got the Harbison and the Bayley Hazen Blue, but not the Winnimere.

Have you had either one of these?

[cali]

3. yes. they are both scrumptious

Winnemere is a seasonal cheese and won't be available for several months.

From the happy marriage between their Winnemere and Moses Sleeper comes the Cellar's at Jasper Hill's newest addition to the family. A cradle of spruce bark imparts a subtle, almost pine forest-y flavor to the oozy, floral, near-liquid paste. This little bundle of joy is meant to be eaten with a spoon. Break through the top of the cheese, and dip in your favorite petite toasts or crusty French bread. Perfect with an effervescent, fruity sipper. Try berry lambic or a dry, fruity rose.One wheel is approximately 12 ounces and perfectly-sized for serving 4 - 6 guests!

This new American classic is named for a road half-built during the Revolutionary War, intended to be a route for the invasion and capture of Canada. G-Dub decided to leave well enough alone, but the Kehler brothers, who inhabit the region now, cant bear stasis. They conquer the realm of blue cheese with this Stilton-esque invention. Made of raw milk from their herd of 50 Ayrshire cows, Bayley's paste is drier than most blues due to the beautiful buff colored natural rind, but the texture is fudgy and dense. Unique, balanced flavors range from buttered toast to licorice, chocolate and hazelnuts. Supplies are limited were glad the Canadians are kept at bay.

From the undisputed kings of Vermont artisan cheesemaking, another world-class American Original. Ayrshire cow's milk is formed into discs a bit larger than your typical Camembert, then aged with care in the Cellars at Jasper Hill for a quick 60 days. Once released, Moses usually has a classic white bloomy rind, with a smattering of exotic mauve- and dandelion-hued molds heightening its complexity. The paste is a revelation - milky, luscious, prone to running across the plate. Sparkling white wine (or, even better, cider) propels it to new heights.
http://www.murrayscheese.com/jasper-hill-farm-bayley-hazen-blue.html

other favorites of mine come from Consider Bardwell farm. Love their Dorset and Rupert

http://www.considerbardwellfarm.com/cheese.html

Thistle Hill's Tarentaise is also yummy

http://www.thistlehillfarm.com/

And if you're a cheddar fan, the collaboration between the guys at Jasper Hill and Cabot, Clothbound Cheddar, is considered one of the finest cheddars in the world.

Venerable Vermont cheddar producer, Cabot Creamery, teamed up with the Kehler brothers at Jasper Hill Farm to produce our favorite American cheddar, Cabot Clothbound. As the 40+ lb. wheels are but a few days old, they are sent over to the Cellars at Jasper Hill, where they are bandaged and aged anywhere from 10-14 months until the classic Cabot Clothbound flavor profile comes out: sweet, fruity, savory, and nutty.
http://www.formaggiokitchen.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=1792

Happy cheese trails to you.

[cbayer]

4. Thanks so much for this cali.

I love cheese and not being able to taste prior to purchase is sometimes a problem.

I really appreciate the advice and guidance. I will be ordering again next week.