
Here’s the cheese list for the 45th Cambridge Beer Festival.
Please note we aim to have a representative selection of about 10–15 cheeses available at any one time. This selection is constantly changing and we cannot guarantee that a specific cheese will be available at any particular time.
P = Pasteurised milk used
V = Vegetarian rennet used
O = Organically produced
Blue cheeses
Usually fairly soft cheeses, with blue (or green or grey) veins of mould running through. Look for the blue labels on the right-hand side of our display counter.
- Barkham Blue cow, P, V. Moist, rich and creamy, with spicy depth and a deep yellow interior. Made in Barkham, Berkshire.
- Beenleigh Blue sheep, P, V. Devon’s answer to Roquefort – moist and slightly crumbly, with a rich, creamy and slightly sweet caramel flavour.
- Blacksticks Blue cow, P, V. Semi-soft blue cheese with a creamy, smooth texture and tangy flavour. Made in Lancashire.
- Blue Murder cow, V. Strongly flavoured, but creamier than most blues. Hints of spices. New for 2018.
- Cashel Blue cow, P, V. Ireland’s first blue cheese. Creamy, dryish texture and mellow flavour.
- Cropwell Bishop Stilton cow, P, V. A strong, rich, tangy, firm blue cheese, best eaten at room temperature and served with dark beers.
- Crozier Blue sheep, P, V. Gently salty with a rich creamy texture and full, spicy flavour. Ireland’s only blue ewes’-milk cheese.
- Devon Blue cow, P, V. A sweet, medium-strength flavour with a lively bite from the blue. Moist, slightly crumbly texture.
- Dorset Blue Vinny cow, V. A dry, crumbly, blue cheese with a medium-strength, nutty taste, made to a traditional Dorset recipe.
- Harbourne Blue goat, P, V. White goat’s cheese with pale blue veins, a creamy, melting texture and a powerful, aromatic flavour.
- Mrs Bell’s Blue sheep, P, V. Milder than a Roquefort but with a complex, sweet and salty punch.
- Oxford Blue cow, P, V. Creamy semi-soft blue cheese with a sharp, clean flavour.
- Perl Las Blue cow, P, V, O. A blue Caerphilly with a salty, lemony flavour and lingering aftertaste. “Perl Las” is Welsh for “Blue Pearl”.
- Shropshire Blue cow, P, V. Similar to Stilton but with a deep orange colour. Medium blue with a firm, creamy texture. Not originally from Shropshire.
- Suffolk Blue cow, P, V. A soft, creamy, rich cheese, lightly blue-veined. Made from milk from Guernsey cows.
- Yorkshire Blue cow, P, V. Mild, soft, blue-veined cheese with no sharp bite.
Firm cheeses
Firm-textured cheeses, some with natural or washed rinds or other coatings. Look for the yellow labels in our display counter.
- Appleby’s Cheshire cow, V. Moist and crumbly with a clean, zesty taste and a rich finish.
- Applewood cow, P, V. Creamy West Country cheddar with a smoked flavour, coated in paprika.
- Ashdown Foresters cow, P, V, O. A medium-strength, buttery, firm cheese with a nutty flavour, from West Sussex.
- Berkswell sheep. A sweet and dry flavour, with hints of pineapple or citrus, reminiscent of Pecorino.
- Berwick Edge cow. A hard, mature, Gouda-style cheese from Northumberland with a sweet, lingering taste.
- Black Bomber cow, P, V. Strong, creamy, extra-mature cheddar.
- Cahill’s Porter cow, P, V. Firm, tangy, Irish cheddar flavoured with porter.
- Celtic Promise cow, V. Washed in cider, it has an orange rind, supple texture and spicy, aromatic flavour.
- Celtic Promise Smoked cow, V. A rich, intense, oak-chip flavour, but still retaining the creaminess of the original.
- Coolea Matured cow, P. Made in Ireland to an old Gouda recipe, and matured to add sweetness. New for 2018.
- Cornish Yarg cow, P, V. A creamy, lemony cheese with a crumbly core, wrapped in nettle leaves for a unique, earthy flavour.
- Cumberland Smoked cow, V. An extra-mature, buttery farmhouse cheese with a nutty, rounded flavour, smoked over Cumbrian oak.
- Curworthy cow, P. A younger version of Devon Oke, this is mild and creamy, developing a nutty flavour as it ages. New for 2018.
- Devon Oke cow, P. Unique, creamy texture with a mature aftertaste. Lacks the acidity of a Cheddar.
- Double Gloucester with onion & chives cow, P, V. Hard cheese with a mellow flavour and added bite from the onion and chives.
- Godminster cow, P, V, O. A firm, pale yellow Cheddar-type cheese with a salty-sweet flavour, matured for 12 months.
- Golden Cenarth cow, P, V. An aged Caerfilli with a red rind.
- Goodweald Smoked cow, V. A hard, matured farmhouse cheese with a tangy, full-bodied flavour and toasted aroma. Good with chutney.
- Gorwydd Caerphilly cow. A longer-matured Caerphilly with a crumbly middle and a mushroomy, lemony taste.
- Gubbeen cow, P. A gentle, semi-soft, savoury Irish cheese with a delicate pink rind washed in white wine. Aftertastes of mushrooms and nuts.
- Gubbeen Smoked cow, P. A semi-soft, savoury Irish cheese with a gentle oak-smoked flavour.
- Gunstone goat, V. A light, smooth, rinded, semi-hard cheese made in Devon to a Dutch recipe. Goaty flavour which increases with maturity.
- Hereford Hop cow, P. A mellow, sweet, buttery cheese with a natural rind and a bitter coating of toasted hops. Excellent with a light, hoppy beer.
- Isle of Mull Cheddar cow. Traditional, farmhouse cheddar with an extra tang from the occasional use of grain from the Tobermory distillery to feed the cows.
- Jersey Ogle Shield cow. Made with milk from Jersey cows, this semi-soft cheese is full and fruity with a sticky, orange, brine-washed rind.
- Keen’s Cheddar cow. Artisan Cheddar matured for 12 months to give a creamy texture and rich, nutty, tangy flavour.
- Keltic Gold cow, P, V. A delicately sweet, creamy Cornish cheese, washed in local cider to give an apple flavour and a sticky, orange, edible rind.
- Leicester Smoked cow, P.
- Lincolnshire Poacher cow. A hard, extra-mature, rinded cheese with plenty of flavour.
- Lord London cow, P, V. Formed into uniquely cone-shaped cheeses, this is semi-soft with natural creaminess and a clean-tasting hint of citrus.
- Lyburn Gold cow, P, V. Mellow and sweet with a smooth, supple texture and a natural rind. Similar to a Gouda.
- Mexicana cow, P, V. Traditional farmhouse Cheddar, spiced up with bell pepper and chillis.
- Montgomery’s Cheddar cow. Matured for 12 months to give a flaky texture and rich, lingering, nutty flavours.
- Old Winchester cow, P, V. An extra-mature, dry, nutty, Parmesan-style cheese.
- Olde Sussex cow, V. Cheddar-style cheese with a full body and plenty of flavour.
- Posbury goat, V. A medium-soft cheese made in Devon to a Dutch recipe, with an unusual combination of garlic, onion, horseradish, paprika and ginger.
- Scrumpy Sussex cow, V. Full-bodied Cheddar-style cheese blended with garlic, cider and herbs.
- Smoked Wedmore cow, P, V. A zesty Caerphilly with chopped chives for a delicate, oniony sweetness. Smoked over cherry wood for a soft, bonfire fragrance.
- Smoked Wensleydale cow, P, V. An acidic, crumbly cheese, cold-smoked to give a special tang and texture.
- Spenwood sheep, V. Moist and mild cheese with a delicate, grassy tang, named after the Berkshire village where it originated.
- Suffolk Gold cow, P, V. A semi-hard, creamy Gouda-style cheese with a golden colour and delicate flavour. Made with milk from Guernsey cows.
- Ticklemore goat, P, V. Light and gently with a flaky texture and hard rind, without much of a goaty aroma.
- Wensleydale with cranberries cow, P, V. An acidic, crumbly cheese balanced by the sweetness of cranberries.
- Westcombe Cheddar cow. Mature Cheddar with a lactic tang and a deep flavour of citrus, hazelnut and caramel.
- Wild Garlic Yarg cow, P, V. A creamy, lemony cheese with a firm texture and gently garlicky flavour from its wrapping of wild garlic leaves.
- Wookey Hole Cheddar cow, P, V. Rich, tangy and mature, with earthy and nutty flavours from its maturation in caves. New for 2018.
- Worcester White cow, P, V. Full-bodied, strong, Cheddar-style cheese with a creamy texture.
- Y Fenni cow, P, V. Creamy Welsh Cheddar cheese made with mustard seed and ale for a distinctive, pungent flavour.
Soft cheeses
Soft-textured cheeses, many with natural white-mould rinds or other coatings. Look for the white labels in our display counter.
- Admiral Collingwood cow. Smooth and semi-soft, with a full, mellow flavour. Made in Northumberland and washed in Newcastle Brown Ale.
- Bath Soft cow, P, O. Mushroomy and creamy with a hint of lemons, and a white bloomy rind. New for 2018.
- Bosworth Ash goat, V. A fresh, lemon-flavoured cheese rolled in salted ash beneath a layer of white rind, with a garnish of rosemary.
- Burwash Rose cow, V. Semi-soft, mild cheese washed in rose water. Great with walnut bread.
- Caboc cow, P, V. Scotland’s oldest cheese, this is light, nutty and creamy. Rolled in oatmeal. New for 2018.
- Capricorn goat, P, V. Mild and crumbly, ripening to a creamy texture and fuller flavour.
- Carlton sheep, P, V. Soft, creamy cheese from north Bedfordshire.
- Cerney Ash Pyramid goat, V. Fresh, mild and goaty flavour with floral notes. Coated in French oak ash and sea salt.
- College White cow, P. Rinded cheese, between a brie and a chaource in style.
- Cote Hill Yellow cow. A soft, sweet, creamy cheese with a mellow flavour, matured for two months in a yellow wax coating.
- DiVine cow, P, V. Soft, golden cheese washed in cider and wrapped in vine leaves. Full flavour.
- Dorstone goat. A dry, fluffy-textured cheese with a sweet yet salty flavour and an ash coating.
- Drunken Burt cow, P, V. Soft, golden cheese washed in cider. Slight smokey notes. Named after cheesemaker Claire Burt and not our previous festival organiser.
- Durrus cow. Mild and creamy, semi-soft Irish cheese with a pinkish rind and earthy flavour. Good with fruit.
- Golden Cross goat, V. A fresh, lemony cheese with a silky texture and velvety, white rind. Dusted with charcoal.
- Milleens cow. The oldest Irish farmhouse cheese, this is soft and complex with a sweet, floral flavour and edible rind.
- Norsworthy goat, V. A medium soft cheese with a mild flavour. New for 2018.
- Olde York sheep, P, V. Similar to Feta, but more moist. Creamy, soft and refreshing.
- Oxford Isis cow, P, V. Full-flavoured and pungent with a spicy tang. The rind is washed in mead.
- Rollright cow, P. Mild, Reblochon-style cheese with a washed rind, made in the Cotswolds.
- Rosary goat, P, V. Creamy with a mousse-like texture and natural acidity. New for 2018.
- Slipcote sheep, P, V, O. Moist and fluffy with a fresh, lemony tang. The name is an old English word for a small portion of cottage cheese.
- Somerset Brie cow, P, V. Soft, mild cheese with a fluffy, edible white rind.
- Somerset Camembert cow, P, V. Rich and creamy with a soft, edible white rind.
- Sister Sarah goat, P, V, O. Semi-soft, with a mild yet delicious flavour.
- Stinking Bishop cow, P, V. With an odour of socks and wet towels, this creamy cheese has a unique, strong flavour and a sticky rind washed in perry.
- Tovey goat. A lively, semi-soft cheese.
- Tunworth cow, P. A mellow, nutty, mushroomy cheese with a white, edible rind.
- Waterloo cow, V. A delicately flavoured, Guernsey-milk cheese. Creamy, with a yielding texture. New for 2018.
- White Stilton with apricot cow, P, V. Combining mild, fresh white cheese with sweet and fruity dried apricots.
- Winslade cow, P. Soft, gooey Vacherin-style cheese from Hampshire, packed in spruce to give floral, piney notes.
- Yorkshire Fettle sheep, P, V. A Yorkshire-made version of Feta, with a soft, slightly crumbly texture and a sweet, lemony flavour.