The name Double Gloucester was given to cheese produced in the Gloucestershire county of England when cheese was produced on farms. The word double originally referred to the extra cream added to the milk to produce this cheese. The extra cream resulted in a very rich cheese with a smooth texture and dark yellow colour.
Today Double Gloucester is produced using only whole milk. The rich buttery colour is retained in the cheese through the addition of annatto – a natural plant extract derived from the seeds of the annatto tree.
Ashgrove Double Gloucester is made using whole milk from the Ashgrove Farms dairy herds. The Ashgrove Farms dairy cows produce milk with a slightly higher fat content than the standard used for Double Gloucester. This results in a cheese with a very smooth texture.
This cheese is matured for 6 months to allow time for the development of relatively mild but distinct cheese flavour.
The smooth texture of the Double Gloucester makes it ideal for cutting and slicing. The rich colour allows this cheese to stand out on cheese boards and platters. It is an excellent melting cheese.
Ashgrove Double Gloucester was awarded first prize in the category for Cheeses Not Already Specified for the 2001 and 2002 Royal Perth Show. It won gold in the 2003 Royal Sydney Show and Dairy Industry Association of Australia Awards.