What Are Some Of The Differences In Cheddar Cheese?

Cheddar is one of the most popular types of cheese in the world. It was first created in Cheddar in Somerset, England but since then it has spread around the world. Now you will notice that there are plenty of different types of it available, variations in color, sharpness and flavors as well as other factors. Here is everything you need to know about the differences between the various types of cheddar cheese including why these variations are made and how they affect the taste.

Sharpness

The most common difference you will find between the various types of cheddar cheese is sharpness. In general you will find three types: mild, medium and sharp although there are also other options such as extra sharp. The difference in the sharpness depends completely on the aging process. The longer it is aged, the sharper the cheese. In general, mild cheddar was aged for three months or more; medium was aged for between four and nine months and sharp (and other similar varieties) were aged for more than nine months. Usually they will not be older than seven years but in some cases you can find ten year old cheddar cheese.

Color Of Your Brick

Another thing you will notice is that cheddar cheese is usually yellow and in fact, this is the color that most people associate with this variety. Despite this, you will find white cheddars as well. Some people wonder what the difference between the yellow and white variety is but in reality there is no difference. It is simply that yellow cheddar contains a coloring additive that is all natural. This additive is called annatto and comes from the achiote tree. Despite changing the color, this additive has no effect on the taste.

Industrial Or Artisanal

Another difference is how it was made. Most of the time when you go to the grocery store, you will find industrially produced cheese. If you order specialty bricks, however, such as from websites or go to a farmer’s market, chances are that you will get an artisanal cheese. These tend to be more expensive tend to have more flavor as well as drier texture. This is because instead of using industrial techniques, artisans rely on the ancient cheese-making techniques to create their product.

Flavors

One of the final differences you will find is the flavor. While most manufacturers and artisans alike will stick to the normal methods and simply make the classic flavors of mild, sharp, etc., some will add additional items. The highest quality items will be aged with the additional ingredients for the flavor, such as jalapeno peppers, already within the cheese. If you aren’t a fan of spice in your cheese, there are also plenty of other flavors added to cheddar cheese such as maple or smoked cheeses. Sometimes you will even find a combination of flavors such as smoked maple.