Ashgrove Cheddar cheese is only produced when the cows are in the peak of their lactation and the milk is ideally suited to Cheddar cheese production.
The milk is not standardised prior to cheese making. The Ashgrove Farm dairy herd produces milk with a slightly higher fat content than the standard used for Cheddar. This results in a cheese that is slightly creamier than standard Cheddar.
All the cheese produced at Ashgrove is hand made in open vats using traditional techniques. Traditional “cheddaring” involves turning and piling the slabs of drained curd every 5 minutes for an hour. Producing Cheddar cheese this way is very hard work and requires a fit and dedicated workforce.
The traditional “cheddaring” system is used to facilitate whey drainage from the curd and make the finished cheese quite dry. It also assists in keeping the curd warm which supports the bacteria in their fermentation process. Cheese produced using this technique has a texture that is described as “corky” and will become flaky rather than crumbly as it ages.
Ashgrove Mature Cheddar is aged for a minimum of 12 months prior to release. The full 12 month aging ensures there is a good level of flavour in the cheese prior to release. It has a smooth body and slightly nutty flavour.
The Cheddar cheeses are graded at 4 months of age. Specific vats are selected for keeping to age for 2 years prior to release as Vintage Cheddar. The Vintage Cheddar has a much sharper and stronger flavour than the Mature Cheddar but retains the nuttiness. The body of the Vintage Cheddar is more flaky owing to the extended maturation time.