Five Medals for Blakesville’s Debut at American Cheese Society Competition
Congrats to all the 2022 ACS Winners! The American Cheese Society (ACS) is the leading organization supporting the understanding, appreciation, and promotion of artisan, farmstead, and specialty cheeses produced in the Americas.
July 2022
The American Cheese Society (ACS) hosts the foremost annual educational conference and world-renowned cheese judging and competition in North America — this year, hosted in Portland, Oregon after a two-year pandemic hiatus. This was the first time Blakesville Creamery was able to participate in the competition, so it was wonderful to see colleagues and friends in-person again, celebrate accomplishments of many handworking cheese professionals, and share our cheeses with our peers. We were honored to walk away with FIVE MEDALS in the following categories:
St. Germain, a Pyrenees-style cheese, won 1st Place in Goat’s Milk Cheese Aged Over 60 Days (Category: NU).
Lake Breeze, a soft-ripened goat cheese with a Geotrichum rind won 2nd in the Farmstead Cheese Aged Less than 60 Days - All Milks (Category: MA).
Sunny Ridge, a semi-firm cheese washed in Is/Was Brewing beer, garnered 2nd in Washed Rind Cheeses Made from Goat's Milk (Category: TG).
Lake Effect, soft-ripened with a bloomy rind and an aroma ireminiscent of a walk in the woods won 3rd in Open Category - Made from Goat's Milk (Category: BG).
Fresh Chevre, our bright and super spreadable fresh goat cheese won 3rd in Fresh Goat’s Milk Cheese Aged 0 to 30 Days (Category: NS).
The five ACS medals further contribute to an exciting inaugural year for Blakesville on the competition circuit, following a Good Food Award for Sunny Ridge in February and Gold + Silver medals at the World Championship Ceese Content for St. Germain and Lindeline, respectively, in March.
Blakesville Creamery opened in June 2020 and is women-owned and -operated under the leadership of Head Cheesemaker & General Manager Veronica Pedraza, Business Manager Juli Kaufmann, and Owner Lynde Uihlein.
As a farmstead creamery, Blakesville’s cheeses are made by hand on the same farm where the goats are raised, and their milk is collected. The adjoining Blakesville Dairy Farm, led by Farm Manager Brent Foat and Herd Manager Whitney Sakal, humanely raises over 1000 goats using sustainable farming practices to yield the highest quality of milk for handmade artisan cheeses. Head Cheesemaker Pedraza adds that she is incredibly proud “to share these awards with our staff who make it all possible….Cheesemaking is a team sport and I couldn't do what I do without this group.”
Blakesville Creamery’s award-winning cheese can be found in restaurants and specialty food markets throughout the country. For more information on where to find Blakesville Creamery locally and nationwide, please click here.