Top 100 American Pasteurized Milk Cheeses

Humboldt Fog is an American cheese produced in Arcata, California. The cheese is made with goat's milk and has a paper-thin bloomy rind. Inside, there is a semi-soft body with a creamy, smooth, and slightly runny texture, due to the fact that Humboldt Fog ripens from the outside to the centre. The cheese is distinguished by a layer of edible ash on the interior, which is actually a nod to the French Morbier cheese. The aromas of this cheese are pungent and floral, while the flavors are citrusy, tangy, and slightly lemony. It is recommended to drizzle it with honey and serve it with almonds, tart apples, or prosciutto. For the best experience, pour a glass of beer or Sauvignon Blanc on the side. And if you're eating Humboldt Fog and think that the flavors are ''dreamy'', you might not be far from the truth - its inventor, Cypress Grove Chevre founder Mary Keehn says she fell asleep on a plane and dreamed about a new type of cheese with a line running through it, and the Humboldt Fog was born.Expand

Muenster is an American imitation of the famous Munster cheese that's traditionally produced in France. This one is made from pasteurized cow's milk. Underneath its orange rind, the texture is smooth, supple, and elastic. This soft cheese has pungent aromas and savory flavors that range from mild to sharp. Compared to the French Munster, Muenster is much milder and it's also sold younger than the French one. Muenster has great melting properties so it's often used in sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, burgers, and pizza. It's recommended to pair it with a glass of beer.Expand

American Provolone is an American type of Provolone cheese. The most famous Provolone cheeses are protected and come from Italy in two versions – dolce and piccante. The American version of provolone is unlike its Italian cousins – it’s usually aged for just two months, while the Italian piccante is usually aged for more than a year, and the dolce version is aged for at least 4 months before consumption. American producers of provolone use non-animal enzymes, which can vary in flavor. The cheese is made from pasteurized cow’s milk, and its texture is semi-soft and light. The flavor is very mellow, milky, and mild, and it’s typically recommended to use it in sandwiches and for cooking. American Provolone is also an important part of famous American dishes such as Muffuletta and Philly cheesesteak.Expand

Goat Gouda is an American semi-hard cheese produced in California. This Gouda-style cheese is made from pasteurized goat's milk and cream. The rind is natural, and the texture is dense, firm, and smooth, sometimes slightly grainy. The aroma is sweet and the flavors are caramel-like, milky, and nutty. Goat Gouda ages for about 5 months before it's ready for consumption. It's recommended to pair it with a glass of Chardonnay and serve it with sour cherry preserve.Expand

Monterey Jack is an American cheese made from cow's milk. It originates from Monterey in California, where it was first made by Spanish missionaries under the name queso blanco pais, but it was later taken from them by David Jack, who bought nearly all of Monterey in 1859 and renamed the cheese to Jack's Cheese, soon to be called Monterey Jack's Cheese. Historical shenanigans aside, this semi-hard cheese has a firm, open, supple, and compact texture and a natural rind. It is pale yellow in color, while the flavors are mild and buttery. Monterey Jack also melts exceptionally well. It has a few subvarieties, such as Dry Jack and Pepper Jack. The cheese can be easily found in almost all supermarkets in the United States.Expand

Colby Jack or Cojack is an American cheese originating from Wisconsin. The cheese is a combination of Colby and Monterey Jack. It has a semi-soft, smooth texture and an appealing marbled visual appearance. Its flavor ranges from mild and sweet to sharp and tangy. Colby Jack is usually used in omelets, sandwiches, sauces, and soups, and it is recommended to serve it with baked potatoes, pears, apples, and steamed vegetables. Due to its good melting properties, it is also used in casseroles and with nachos.Expand

Pepper Jack is an American cheese produced in Monterey, California. This popular variety of Monterey Jack cheese is flavored with jalapeño peppers for a spicy kick. It's made from cow's milk and has a natural rind that hides a creamy, smooth, and open texture. The aromas are herbal, while the flavors are sharp, spicy, and buttery. The cheese has a high moisture content and melts easily. Pepper Jack is often used to add flavor to sandwiches, pizza, omelets, and casseroles. It's also recommended to use it in Mexican-style dishes such as quesadillas, enchiladas, and nachos.Expand

Colby is an American cheese originating from the city of Colby in Wisconsin. This semi-hard cheese is made with cow's milk and has a firm, springy, and open texture. Its flavors are mild, creamy, and sweet, so Colby is often used in hamburgers, grilled sandwiches, fajitas, or served with apples, pears, and rye bread. Colby is sometimes compared to cheddar, even though these two cheeses taste different – Colby is softer, it has a higher moisture content, and the curd is washed, which reduces the acids in the cheese, making it less tangy.Expand

Pinconning is a traditional semi-hard American Colby-style cheese. It's named after Pinconning, Michigan, where it was first created by Dan Horn in 1915. The cheese is aged up to 120 months, giving Pinconning a special savory flavor. It's made from cow's milk and it's available in mild, medium mild, medium sharp, sharp, extra sharp, and super sharp (more than 7 years!) varieties. The texture changes with aging, but it's usually creamy, rich, and open. It's recommended to use it in dishes such as mac & cheese and soufflés.Expand

Harbison is an American cheese that's produced in Vermont, at Jasper Hill Farm. It is made from cow's milk and has a bloomy rind. The cheese is traditionally wrapped in strips of spruce. It has a creamy and soft texture, the aromas are fruity, rich, floral, and mushroomy, while the flavors are best described as sweet, woody, and lemony. The cheese is named after Anne Harbison, who originally contributed to its production. It is recommended to serve Harbison with baguettes, mostarda, and barrel-aged sour beer.Expand

Calkins Creamery is a family-owned creamery located on a farm in Honesdale, in northeastern Pennsylvania. It was founded in 2007 by Jennifer Rudnitsky and her family, with the goal of enhancing the long-standing tradition of the Calkins family farm. The cows grazing on the farm’s pastures provide the milk that is processed on-site into cheeses, ensuring complete quality control – from animal feed to the final product. The creamery’s offerings include a wide range of cheeses, from fresh varieties to semi-hard and surface-ripened styles. The focus is on traditional cheesemaking techniques combined with modern expertise, resulting in cheeses of rich flavor and authentic character that reflect the terroir of the region. As a local producer, Calkins Creamery is deeply connected to its community – their cheeses are sold directly on the farm, in specialty shops, and at farmers’ markets, while also supplying restaurants eager to feature artisanal products on their menus. In this way, the creamery not only preserves tradition and agricultural sustainability but also contributes to the development of Pennsylvania’s and the broader region’s gastronomic culture.Expand

Jasper Hill Farm is a farmstead cheese producer based in Greensboro, founded in 2003 with a clear mission to strengthen the rural economy of Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom through high-quality cheesemaking. The operation is built around milk from its own farm, with a strong emphasis on consistency, milk quality and expressing a sense of place through different cheese styles. A central pillar of the business is The Cellars at Jasper Hill, a purpose-built underground aging facility designed to provide precise control over humidity, temperature and microbial development during affinage. These cellars are used not only for Jasper Hill’s own cheeses but also to support other small regional producers by offering professional aging, storage and distribution services. This collaborative model has positioned Jasper Hill as both a producer and an infrastructure backbone for the local artisan cheese community. Their portfolio spans multiple styles, from blue and soft-ripened cheeses to alpine-inspired varieties, many of which have received international recognition. Jasper Hill Farm is widely regarded as one of the most influential producers in American artisanal cheesemaking, known for combining technical rigor with a strong commitment to regional sustainability.Expand

Sartori Cheese is a brand specializing in the production of high-quality cheeses with a particular emphasis on artisanal and hand-crafted products. Founded in a small business in Wisconsin, Sartori quickly became known for its innovative production techniques and unique, rich flavors of cheese. The brand offers a wide range of cheeses, including various types of hard cheeses as well as cheeses with added spices and herbs, enhancing every bite. Sartori is renowned for using the finest milk from local farms in its production process, creating cheeses that not only meet high taste standards but also provide a richness of textures and aromas that develop over time.Expand

Beecher's Handmade Cheese, established in 2003, is renowned for its artisanal cheesemaking in the heart of Seattle's Pike Place Market. The company was founded by Kurt Beecher Dammeier and quickly became known for its commitment to quality and natural ingredients, producing cheese free from artificial preservatives and flavor enhancers. Beecher's is particularly famous for its Flagship cheese, a semi-hard cow's milk cheese noted for its robust, nutty flavor that is carefully aged for 15 months to develop its complex character. Beecher's operates transparently with a glass-walled facility that allows visitors to watch the cheesemaking process, emphasizing educational outreach and community engagement. They also contribute significantly to charitable causes, with a portion of their sales going to the Beecher's Pure Food Kids Foundation, which teaches children about healthy eating and the importance of natural foods.Expand

BelGioioso Cheese, based in Green Bay, USA, is renowned for its production of Italian-style cheeses since 1979. The company operates out of multiple facilities and crafts over 27 different varieties of cheese. BelGioioso is known for its commitment to quality, using fresh, local milk and traditional cheesemaking methods. This commitment is evident in their practice of processing milk into cheese on the same day it is collected from local farms to ensure freshness and flavor. BelGioioso has been recognized widely in the cheese industry, receiving numerous awards from prestigious competitions like the World Cheese Championship and the American Cheese Society. Their range includes popular Italian-style cheeses such as fresh Mozzarella, Mascarpone, Ricotta, and aged cheeses like Parmesan and American Grana, which are aged in specialized caves to enhance their flavor.Expand

Central Coast Creamery is located in Paso Robles, California, where they specialize in producing handcrafted cheeses using local milk free of artificial hormones. The company focuses on aged cheeses and offers a variety including goat, sheep, and cow milk varieties. Their product lineup includes multiple award-winning cheeses recognized in national and international competitions.Expand

Cabot Creamery is a well-known dairy cooperative based in Cabot, Vermont. Established in 1919, it comprises over 1,000 dairy farm families from Vermont and neighboring states. The cooperative specializes in producing a variety of dairy products, including award-winning cheeses, butters, and yogurts. Cabot is particularly famous for its cheddar cheese, which comes in various flavors and aging profiles, from mild to extra sharp. The cooperative emphasizes high-quality, sustainable practices, ensuring that their products are made from the milk of cows that are humanely treated and raised on family farms.Expand

Crave Brothers is a family-owned dairy company located in Waterloo, Wisconsin, USA. It was founded by brothers Charles, George, Tom, and Mark Crave, who grew up on a farm with 40 cows in Beloit, Wisconsin. In 1980, they purchased a farm in Waterloo where they began producing milk, and in 2001 they opened a cheese-making facility. Today, the company is owned by the fourth generation of the family, including Andy and Patrick Crave. Crave Brothers produces high-quality cheeses using exclusively milk from their own farm. Their production is based on sustainability principles: they use 100% green energy generated on the farm and apply biodigesters to process manure and wastewater, producing more energy than needed for the dairy and farm operations. This approach makes them a company with a negative carbon footprint. Their milk comes from Holstein cows fed with locally grown corn, alfalfa, and soy, cared for individually and raised in fresh air.Expand

Henning's Cheese is a family-owned creamery based in Kiel, Wisconsin, that has been producing cheese since 1914. It was founded by Otto and Norma Henning, and today it is run by the fourth generation of the Henning family. The creamery prides itself on the tradition of handcrafted cheese and uses milk exclusively from small, local farms that practice pasture-raised dairy farming, supporting sustainable agriculture and high-quality dairy products. Henning's Cheese is known for producing large cheese wheels, including wheels weighing up to 12,000 pounds, which are used for promotional events and parades. Their products have won numerous awards at national and international cheese competitions.Expand

Deer Creek Cheese is not simply a dairy – it is an atelier of creativity in the world of cheese. Founded in 2006, their journey began with carefully selected cheddars aged 1 and 3 years, aiming to highlight the elegance of higher-class aging in Wisconsin cheddars. This innovative approach grew into collaborations with master cheesemakers such as Kerry Henning and Sid Cook, inspired daily by a children’s book and family artistry – their daughter Sophie illustrates the labels that tell the story of each cheese. In addition, Deer Creek donates 1% of annual sales to environmental protection, showing that their mission is to share extraordinary flavors — and responsibility — with the world.Expand