Dunbarton Blue
The Basics
| Make | Hard | ||||
| Sub Make | Cheeses which acidify in the vat | ||||
| Post-Make | Internal (blue) mould | ||||
| Sub Post-Make | Natural rind | ||||
| Typical age profile | 90 days | ||||
| Approximate weight(s) | 4kg | ||||
| Dimensions |
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| Geographical origin | Wisconsin, USA | ||||
| Protected status | No | ||||
| Species of milking animal | Cow | ||||
| Raw/pasteurised milk | Raw (summer months) Pasteurised (winter months) | ||||
| Vegetarian/animal rennet | Animal | ||||
| Commonly encountered variations | None |
The Story
Dunbarton Blue is the creation of Chris Roelli, 4th generation Wisconsin cheesemaker. The Roelli family came to Wisconsin from Switzerland in the 1920s and have been making cheese there ever since. The name comes from the nearby township of Dunbarton.
The intention was to make a blue cheese with a very subtle blue flavour. In order to do this, Chris combined blue cheese and Cheddar technologies. The milk is inoculated with the mould and the cheeses are pierced after unmoulding but are then pressed like Cheddar cheese. This pressing step closes the gaps in the curd, inhibiting the growth of the mould. The cheeses are aged in the dairy’s own aging room, with natural rock walls
The Character
The natural rind is a dark, slightly dusty brown with an uneven surface. The paste is pale and compact with straight lines of dark blue mould.
The rind gives the cheese a musty and mushroom-y flavour. The cheese has typical beefy and brothy Cheddar flavours and the blue gives a peppery note.
Perfect Partners
Brown ale, bourbon
References
- [1] - Roelli Cheese Haus