The Beemster Story
Premium Gourmet Dutch Cheese
Artisanal Cheese making
Before Beemster’s farm families formed the co-op in 1901, our cheese was made by hand by the farmers’ wives, each in their own kitchens. Forming the co-op not only streamlined the production, it ensured a consistency in its taste. Over the years, this small co-op has stood by its original recipe, fine tuning only where improvements could be made.
The Beemster recipe remains the foundation of every wheel of Beemster crafted at the dairy. Master Cheesemakers hand it down, one to the other, but only after the craftsmen complete their years of apprenticeship.
The co-op and its craftsmen spare no cost or effort when it is time to set aside the wheels of Beemster for aging. The cheese matures in traditional warehouses, where the wheels are laid out on wooden boards. Because temperature and humidity control are crucial to the ripening process, the cheesemakers vigilantly monitor those conditions. Each wheel is continually turned and polished with love and care. This takes a lot of time and energy, but it guarantees every wheel of Beemster cheese bears our trademark perfect texture and wonderful flavor.