GREEN BAY, WIS. – An aged gouda from Arethusa Farm Dairy emerged as the champion at the 2023 United States Championship Cheese Contest.

Europa, produced by Arethusa’s cheese team in Bantam, Conn., received a score of 98.739 and the top honor following two days of judging at the event.

In total, the US Championship Cheese Contest received 2,249 entries from 197 dairy companies and cooperatives.

Red Barn Family Farms, Egg Harbor, Wis., secured first runner-up in the competition, with its Vintage Cupola American Original Cheese (98.613), which was made by the Door Artisan Cheese Company. Associated Milk Producers Inc., Blair, Wis., finished as second runner-up, with its cheddar (98.554) from cheese maker Dillon Sylla.

“The men and women of the US dairy processing industry are exceptionally passionate and dedicated to crafting quality products,” said John Umhoefer, executive director of the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, which hosts the biennial competition.

Below are the top 20 finalists from this year’s competition.

Class 2: Cheddar, Medium (Three to Six Months)

Cheese Name: Cheddar

Maker: Dillon Sylla

Company: Associated Milk Producers Inc.

Location: Blair, Wis.

Class 4: Cheddar, Aged One to Two Years

Cheese Name: Cracker Barrel Aged Reserve Cheddar

Maker: Manufactured by Agropur - Weyauwega

Company: Lactalis Heritage Dairy

Location: Weyauwega, Wis.

Class 6: Traditional Waxed Cheddar, Mild to Medium

Cheese Name: Roelli Haus Select Cheddar

Maker: Team Roelli

Company: Roelli Cheese

Location: Shullsburg, Wis.

Class 8: Natural Rinded Cheddar

Cheese Name: Lucky Linda Clothbound Cheddar

Maker: Redhead Creamery

Company: Redhead Creamery

Location: Brooten, Minn.

Class 12: Baby Swiss Style

Cheese Name: Baby Swiss Wheel, Rindless

Maker: DV Team 2

Company: Guggisberg Cheese

Location: Millersburg, Ohio

Class 13: Swiss Style Cheese

Cheese Name: Founder 56 Emmentaler Swiss

Maker: James Yoder

Company: Rothenbuhler Cheesemakers

Location: Middlefield, Ohio

Class 19: Provolone, Mild

Cheese Name: Mild Provolone Cheese

Maker: Cuba Team 3

Company: Great Lakes Cheese

Location: Cuba, NY

Class 23: Parmesan

Cheese Name: Organic Copper Kettle Parmesan

Maker: Team Lake Country Dairy

Company: Schuman Cheese

Location: Turtle Lake, Wis.

Class 38: Gouda, Aged

Cheese Name: Europa

Maker: Arethusa Cheese Team

Company: Arethusa Farm Dairy

Location: Bantam, Conn.

Class 45: Washed Rind/Smear Ripened Semi-soft Cheeses

Cheese Name: Whitney

Maker: Jasper Hill Farm

Company: Jasper Hill Farm

Location: Greensboro Bend, Vt.

Class 47: Pepper Flavored Monterey Jack, Mild Heat

Cheese Name: Pepper Jack

Maker: Juan Torres

Company: Glanbia Nutritionals

Location: Twin Falls, Idaho

Class 48: Pepper Flavored Monterey Jack, Medium Heat

Cheese Name: Ghost Pepper Jack

Maker: Jim Falls Cheese Team

Company: Associated Milk Producers Inc.

Location: Jim Falls, Wis.

Class 54: Open Class: Semi-soft Cheeses

Cheese Name: Cello Fontal

Maker: Lake Country Dairy

Company: Schuman Cheese

Location: Turtle Lake, Wis.

Class 55: Open Class: Hard Cheeses

Cheese Name: Vintage Cupola American Original Cheese

Maker: Team Door Artisan Cheese Company

Company: Red Barn Family Farms

Location: Egg Harbor, Wis.

Class 56: Open Class: Cheeses with Natural Rind

Cheese Name: St. Malachi

Maker: Team Doe Run

Company: The Farm at Doe Run

Location: Coatesville, Pa.

Class 59: Open Class: Hard Cheeses, Flavored

Cheese Name: Rumiano Pepato Dry Jack

Maker: Rumiano Cheese

Company: Rumiano Cheese

Location: Crescent City, Cal.

 Class 77: Hard Goat’s Milk Cheeses

Cheese Name: Hootenanny

Maker: Goat Rodeo Team

Company: Goat Rodeo Farm & Dairy

Location: Allison Park, Pa.

Class 83: Hard Sheep’s Milk Cheeses

Cheese Name: Sweet Annie

Maker: Landmark Creamery

Company: Landmark Creamery

Location: Belleville, Wis.

Class 86: Soft & Semi-soft Mixed Milk Cheeses

Cheese Name: Breezy Blue

Maker: Kingston Cheese Team

Company: Kingston Creamery

Location: Cambria, Wis.

Class 88: Hard Mixed Milk Cheeses

Cheese Name: Wegmans Three Milk Gouda

Maker: Todd Pontius

Company: Old Chatham Creamery

Location: Groton, NY

 

The full list of gold, silver and bronze award winners from each class of the competition can be found online at the US Championship Cheese Contest website.