How to Age Your Cheddar Cheese

Cheddar cheese is one of the most commonly-known aged cheeses around, so if you are interested in making your very own wheel of Cheddar from your home using our DIY Farmhouse Cheddar kits, it’s important to know how to properly age it.

The first and arguably most important step to aging your Cheddar is ensuring that your cheese is as dry to the touch as possible, so as to avoid any mold growth. This process can take well over a day until it is sufficiently dry enough, so be sure to be patient! Next, wherever you choose to age your Cheddar, be it the crisper section of your fridge, your attic, or your basement, it should remain at a consistent temperature between 10-15°C (42-55°F). So long as the cheese sees no light on a regular basis throughout the aging process, it should age as planned, but if you notice any mold growth on your cheese, all is not lost! Simply cut it off, and reapply any coating as needed.

Finally, you must decide how long you want to age your Cheddar for. This is the main variable as to how sharp your cheddar will taste. The longer you age your Cheddar, the sharper its taste. For a properly sharp, mature Cheddar, age your cheese for at least a year. For a medium-aged cheddar, aim for four to eight months, and for a mild, fresher Cheddar, you only need to age your cheese for one to four months.

I know how difficult it is to wait all this time for your cheese to age, but trust me, upon that first bite, you know it will have all been worth it! The development of the cheese’s nutty and tangy notes are impossible to achieve without aging your Cheddar, and it is a flavour like no other!