Red Rock

A blue American cheddar, Red Rock is defined by its vibrant orange hue from an extra dose of annatto and distinct lines of Penicillium mould that gives blue cheese its characteristic colours. Minimal piercing – once each quarter turn of the loaf – createa a mild flavour with just a hint of blue.

After the success of Dunbarton Blue in 2009, another blue cheddar by Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker Chris at Roelli Cheese Haus that combines the best of an English cheddar with blue cheese, the idea for a slightly softer flavoured American version emerged. Noticing the deep colour of an early experiment and aged version of this cheese, Roelli aimed to replicate it. Named for a natural limestone outcropping of vivid red near Roelli’s cheesemaking facility, Red Rock proved as iconic as its namesake from the moment it debuted in 2011. It’s no wonder it took Best in Class at the 2022 World Championship Cheese Contest.

The great-grandson of Adolf Roelli, a Swiss-born American cheesemaker, Chris Roelli started making cheese when he was just ten years old and earned his cheesemaking license by the time he was 19. However, his father and uncles closed the doors of the family creamery and condensed it to a milk-hauling operation just as Chris planned to start. They saw no future in the commodity cheese market. But Chris kept his finger in the vat, including with a portable creamery, Cheese On Wheels, waiting to see what might happen. Now, a Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker in Alpine-style, blue, and cheddar, he carries on the family tradition.

With its natural rind, Red Rock delivers earthy, buttery, and subtly peppery flavours in a vivid orange paste striated with blue-green lines.

Pair Red Rock with tart cherries, black garlic salami, dill pickle chips, bacon jam, and chocolate covered almonds. For sipping, pair it with a Scotch ale, a Brandy Old Fashioned Sweet, or a root beer.