Beer Cheddar is Back!

Left: For one day in April 2022, Fiddlehead IPA was poured into the cheesemaking vat to make our Beer Cheddar. Right: Our Beer Cheddar cut, packaged, labeled, and ready to hit the shelves! (Sarah Webb)
Left: For one day in April 2022, Fiddlehead IPA was poured into the cheesemaking vat to make our Beer Cheddar. Right: Our Beer Cheddar cut, packaged, labeled, and ready to hit the shelves! (Sarah Webb)

Back in April of 2022, our cheesemakers spiked our cheesemaking vat for one day, marinating the curds in Fiddlehead Brewing Company’s flagship IPA. After six months of aging, the result is a delicious cheddar with a distinct floral, hoppy note. “We have a lot of great local breweries here in Vermont,” shares Cheese Sales Manager Tom Perry, “and we wanted to add our own distinctive Shelburne Farms spin by working with a brewery in our town, Fiddlehead Brewing Co.”  

Getting the extra-hoppy note is a two part process: Not only do the cheesemakers add the beer into the vat while making the cheddar, but they add more beer to the finished block of cheese and seal it up so it can absorb the flavors and aromas of this popular Vermont IPA.

How does a cheese expert eat our Beer Cheddar? “This cheese is quite delicious on its own,” notes Tom, “but I like to cube it and pair it with salamis, mustards, or crackers. What people may not expect is the versatility of this cheese. It is an amazing addition to fondue, cheddar sauces or soups, and adds a distinctive note to grilled cheeses.”  And of course, it’s all made right here from the milk of our own Brown Swiss Cows.

You can find Shelburne Farms Beer Cheddar for purchase online, at our Farm Store, and as part of our limited edition St. Patrick's Day Sampler.

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