Berkswell Cheese is one of the finest examples of a British ewes’ milk cheese, using only the milk from our own flock of Friesland sheep. The cheese is entirely handmade by our amazing and dedicated team of Julie, Sue and Beth. Berkswell’s taste profile features deep enduring flavours due to the maturation process, which is longer than many of its contemporaries and also results in the characteristic biscuit colour of the rind.
Also on the rind, we often find yellow spots of Chrysosporium sulfureum and red spots of Sporendonema casei. Both of these favour ewe’s milk cheese and indicate good ripening conditions.
Berkswell Cheese is matured at 12c.
The cheese is best stored cool rather than cold; an old fashioned larder is ideal.
To avoid the cheese ‘sweating’ try not to wrap it in cling film, use greaseproof or waxed paper instead if possible.
If you do store the cheese in the fridge place it low down near to the salad drawer, remove and loosen the wrapping at least 30-40 minutes prior to eating. Berkswell is best enjoyed at room temperature when it is at its most flavoursome.
If light mould growth develops on the face of the cheese in the days after cutting, you can scrape it off and still enjoy the cheese.
And if in doubt please do what we do .... "Cork out of the red wine, cheese out of the fridge".
Berkswell has a natural rind that is slightly chewy and rusty brown-red in colour. The texture is firm and dense and slightly granular with an interior paste the colour of pale butter. Flavours are concentrated, sweet and very complex, with tremendous length and finish. There are often notes of pineapple and caramel overlaid with a balanced tang.
Ref: Culturecheesemag.com
Hard sheep’s cheeses such as Berkswell are some of the most flattering cheese pairings for a good red wine, especially mature Spanish reds.
These are just a few suggestions but the perfect way to eat Berkswell is whatever takes your fancy at the time!
Quince jelly or paste is perfect for hard sheep milk cheeses
Apple chutney
Sourdough crisp bread
Iberico Ham
Honey
English Dry Cider
Mature Chianti
Pinot Noir
Aged Oak White Rioja
Mature Spanish reds especially Rioja
Valdepeñas is a wine from the same region as Manchego, the famous Spanish ewe’s milk cheese.
Other oak-aged tempranillos
Red Wines such as Madiran from South-western France, a region famous for sheep cheese.
Jurançon and Pacherenc-du-Vic-Bilh are two sweet wines also from the same region
Dry Sherry including Amontillado
Aged Tawny Ports
"This cheese is unreal tasty, and worth every penny." - Murrays Cheese U.S.A
"This isn’t just any old cheese, this is Berkswell Cheese!" - Rick Stein
"The ever splendid Berkswell" - Tom Parker-Bowles
James Aldridge Memorial Trophy
Presented by HRH The Prince of Wales and nominated by our fellow raw milk cheese makers.
RASE – Excellence in Practical Farming
A highly prestigious award presented annually to one farm by the Royal Agricultural Society of England.
World Cheese Awards
This award placed Berkswell amongst the best 53 cheeses in the World.
British Cheese Awards
Best Modern British Cheese and Best Export Cheese
We have won over 12 Gold Medals in the last 26 years.
International Cheese Show, Nantwich
5 times Gold Award Winner.
The National Sheep Association Trophy
Presented 4 times at the International Cheese Awards.
Artisan Cheese Awards
Supreme Champion
Best Farmhouse Cheese
Best English Cheese
Best Ewe's Milk Cheese
Winning against several hundred of the best speciality cheeses in the UK.
Nantwich Show 1994
Bakewell Show 1994
Virtual Cheese Awards
World Cheese Awards
info@berkswellcheese.com