Colby may be the front-runner if there was ever a candidate for an official state cheese. Named after its birthplace, where Joseph Steinwand developed the recipe just outside of Colby, Wisconsin, in 1885. Today, colby is still crafted in the traditional way; curds are stirred and rinsed with cold water while in the vat before being pressed and aged for one to three months, resulting in a sweeter, milder cousin of cheddar. Colby is a softer, easy-eating cheese excellent for melting, snacking and sharing.

Vintage Cūpola Artisan Cheese was named after the small structure at the top of Wisconsin barns—or pinnacle. A pinnacle cheese for Red Barn Family Farms, it won Overall First Runner-Up at the 2023 U.S. Championship Cheese Contest. This gem is an aged Wisconsin Original with a clever parmesan meets gouda vibe, big caramel flavor notes, and the texture has prized crystallization. Make its sweet notes pop, and pair it with gourmet caramels, honey or fruit like on this Colorful Floral Cheese Board.

Combining two popular cheeses to create an original with worldwide acclaim takes expertise and creativity. “Cheddar and blue cheese are two of my favorite styles,” says Master Cheesemaker Chris Roelli. Flagship Dunbarton Blue® is a cellar-cured cheese with the character of a fine English-style cheddar coupled with a subtle hint of blue flavor. “We combine the process of each style and add out-of-the-box thinking to arrive at our finished product,” shares Chris. “We use our senses and let the cheese guide us. The process cannot be rushed.”  

Pub cheese, crock cheese, club cheese, tavern cheese—this state icon has many names, and one thing's for sure: Cold pack cheese is delicious! Food historians have traced this snackable spread back to 1933 when Herbert Fassbender first served it to customers at his Kaukauna, Wisconsin, beer depot. Crafted with aged cheeses and other goodies like port wine, herbs, bacon, and horseradish, it remains true to its name and is unheated to let the cheese flavor shine through.

Named for its shape and the bricks used to craft it, brick cheese was invented in Wisconsin by John Jossi in 1877. Today, Master Cheesemaker Joe Widmer is America’s only traditional brick cheesemaker. “Our product is so authentic that we still use my grandfather’s bricks to press the cheese,” says Joe. “We're pretty adamant on sticking to tradition.” Widmer’s Cheese Cellars has been making cheeses for 100+ years, including their classic aged brick, flavored brick, young brick that’s buttery sweet with a bit of nuttiness and brick spreads.