The Cheeses
The taste
Beemster cows graze only on pesticide-free pastures which are located 20ft below sea level in North Holland. The rare blue sea clay of these pastures contains special minerals that give the milk a sweeter and softer milk fat. Hence Beemster cheeses have softer and creamier texture than other Dutch cheeses.
The rare environmental makeup of the Beemster polder allows for the creation of the highest quality cheese in the world, Beemster cheese.
Beemster cheese is still made by the traditional cheese making methods. The dairy is proud to employ only Master Cheesemakers who have a love and passion for their trade and a true dedication to quality. Beemster is created using a secret recipe known only to the Beemster farmers and Master Cheesemakers
In order to make cheese it is important that the quality of the milk is of the highest standard. This standard is ensured by continuous testing as the milk arrives at the dairy when it is brought in from the individual farms. Cheesemaking begins with the so called ‘curdling’ of the milk.
This is done by adding on rennet to the milk that makes the protein and milkfat, that are the present in the milk, coagulate of curdle. Then the curd is cut and is pumped into open drainage containers and slowly raked out by hand to allow for the whey to drain from the curd evenly. This step is skipped by many cheesemakers today who have large machines that squeeze the whey mechanically from the curd at high speeds before blowing it into cheese molds.
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After the whey drains, the curd is placed into molds and pressure is applied which forms the wheel shape . Then the wheels are placed into a brine bath. This brine starts the aging process from within the cheese. The wheels are removed from the brine, after a shorter period than most other Dutch cheeses, and transported to warehouses where the cheese is aged on wooden boards. The wheels are hand turned, inspected, and polished every day for up to 26 months to ensure perfect maturation before being prepared for consumption.