{"id":4282,"date":"2025-03-06T03:03:10","date_gmt":"2025-03-06T03:03:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/the-best-american-made-goudas\/"},"modified":"2025-03-06T03:03:10","modified_gmt":"2025-03-06T03:03:10","slug":"the-best-american-made-goudas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/the-best-american-made-goudas\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best American Made Goudas"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
<\/p>\n

\"\"

\n

Gouda, Niederlande, Stadtzentrum credit Ralf Roletschek<\/a>, CC BY 3.0<\/a><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Go<\/a>u<\/a>da<\/a> is the most famous cheese of the Netherlands, loved worldwide for its notably sweet yet balanced flavor.\u00a0 Perhaps more than most cheeses, it undergoes a remarkable transformation when aged beyond a couple of years, developing incredible sweet notes. It is also a cheese that has traditionally been flavored with spices and herbs. While some of the finest Goudas are made in the Netherlands, a good number of outstanding interpretations are also produced by members of North America\u2019s growing artisan cheese community, some of whom (Stuyt, Oakdale, Frisian Farms Cheese House and Marieke) are immigrants from the Netherlands or have Dutch heritage. The following is a roundup of some of the best Goudas made in the United States, including young, aged, and flavored examples.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Stuyt Dairy Diamond Reserve<\/h2>\n

Stuyt Dairy<\/strong><\/a>, California<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"

\n

Stuyt Diamond Reserve<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Since 2015, family-operated Stuyt Dairy has produced farmstead, raw-milk cheese, focusing primarily on Dutch-style Gouda. The Diamond Reserve is aged more than nine months, producing a cheese with rich flavors of caramel and butterscotch and a firm, crystalized texture. Stuyt also offers a 60-day aged mild Gouda, and a line of flavored Goudas that includes cumin, smoked, bacon, garlic herb, onion parsley, jalapeno, and habanero flavors.<\/p>\n

Details<\/strong>: <\/strong>Made from raw cow\u2019s milk<\/p>\n

Pairing and serving suggestions<\/strong>: fresh-cut apple, sweet pepper jelly, fresh tomato soup, sprinkled on garlic bread, rich stout or porter, and Sonoma chardonnay<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

E<\/a>u<\/a>ropa<\/a><\/h2>\n

Arethusa Farm<\/strong><\/a>, Connecticut<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"

\n

Europa photo courtesy of Arethusa Farm <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Arethusa Farm produces a full line of dairy products from a renovated, 130-year-old dairy farm near Litchfield, Conn. This young Gouda is one of a line of cheeses produced since 2011. Europa features \u201cwispy aromas of butterscotch and toasted nuts that give way to a savory, brothy flavor.\u201d The company notes that its smooth, dense paste makes Europa a great cheese for melting\u2014”on burgers, sandwiches, or a bowl of piping hot soup.\u201d<\/p>\n

Details<\/strong>: <\/strong>Made from cow\u2019s milk, aged 6-12 months, wheels weigh 17-18 pounds<\/p>\n

Suggested pairings<\/strong>: brown ales, Scotch whisky<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Urban Stead Gouda<\/a><\/h2>\n

Urban Stead Cheese<\/strong><\/a>, Ohio<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"

\n

Urban Stead Gouda<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Scott and Andrea Robbins started Urban Stead Cheese in 2018 to \u201ccreate a great local product that had a sense of community.\u201d\u00a0 Working in a retrofitted medical clinic, they produce small batches of handmade cheese including the Gouda, a quark, a camembert, cheese curds and Street Ched, a traditional, clothbound Cheddar. The natural rind Gouda is aged 18-20 months. The milk for their cheeses comes from Bohl\u2019s Jerseys\u2014a third generation family farm located about an hour away in Mowrystown, Ohio. \u201cOur mission is to make old-world artisanal style cheese.\u201d Andrea says. Most Goudas have a wax rind, she points out, and while a natural rind requires more attention:\u00a0 \u201cWe believe it provides for a greater depth of flavor.\u201d Experts seem to agree. Urban Stead Gouda won several awards in 2024 alone, including a gold medal at the World Cheese Awards in Portugal. The Gouda evokes flavors of salted caramel and toffee with a remarkably long-lasting umami finish. On Fridays and Saturdays, the creamery staffs a full-service tasting room, where customers from the Evanston\/East Walnut Hills neighborhood can enjoy the cheeses along with wine, craft beers and cocktails.\u00a0 The company\u2019s products are available throughout Ohio, in some neighboring states, and at select locations elsewhere.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Details<\/strong>: <\/strong>Made from pasteurized local Jersey cow\u2019s milk and aged at least 18 months<\/p>\n

Suggested pairings<\/strong>: chardonnay, Pilsner, stout, cider, apple chutney, Marcona almonds, and peanut brittle<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Point Reyes Farmstead Gouda<\/a><\/h2>\n

Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese<\/strong><\/a>, California<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"

\n

Point Reyes Gouda<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese operates from a bay-side farm purchased in 1959 by the Giacomini family. Since cheese production began in 2000, the company, run by three sisters, has become mainly well-known for its outstanding blue cheeses. This traditional Gouda has won a variety of awards, most recently the \u201cBest of California\u201d at the California State Fair in 2024. It is described as having a creamy texture with small amounts of crystallization, delivering pops of texture and complex flavor.\u00a0 This artisan cheese offers notes of butterscotch, caramel, toasted hazelnuts, and cooked cream.<\/p>\n

Details<\/strong>: <\/strong>Made from pasteurized cow\u2019s milk with microbial (vegetarian) rennet, aged 10 months or more, wheels weigh 20 pounds<\/p>\n

Suggested pairings<\/strong>: toasted almonds, Scotch, Bourbon, sweet white wines, craft beers<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Marieke\u00ae Holy Trinity M\u00e9lange<\/a> <\/h2>\n

Marieke\u00ae Gouda<\/strong><\/a>, Wisconsin<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"

\n

Marieke\u00ae Holy Trinity Me\u0301lange<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Marieke Penterman began making Gouda in Thorpe, Wisconsin, in 2006 and has changed the landscape of American artisan Gouda. Just last year, Penterman became a Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker, and in the years between, her company has grown and developed a robust line of young, aged, and flavored cheeses. The Holy Trinity M\u00e9lange is a flavored Gouda that takes its name from the so-called holy trinity of Cajun cooking, which features specific ratios of celery, onion and bell pepper. The cheese also invites garlic and chive along for the ride, creating a zesty flavor combo. Flavored Goudas are typically young and moist, so they are great melters that spice up a multitude of dishes with their savory ingredients.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Details<\/strong>: <\/strong>Made from raw cow\u2019s milk, aged 60-180 days<\/p>\n

Suggested pairings<\/strong>: Sauvignon Blanc, brown ale, apples, and dried pineapple<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Jake\u2019s Nettle Blend Baby Gouda<\/a><\/h2>\n

Jake\u2019s Gouda Cheese<\/strong><\/a>, New York<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"

\n

Jake’s Nettle Blend Baby Gouda <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jake\u2019s Gouda produces primarily Gouda cheese in the traditional Holland style from a 200-acre farm in Deansboro, in upstate New York. The owners Jake and Sylvia Stoltzfus, moved from Pennsylvania to New York more than 20 years ago. Among their most popular cheeses is Nettle Blend, a young Gouda, described as \u201csofter and smoother than its aged counterpart.\u201d This cheese contains nettle, chives, celery, parsley, onion, and garlic for a savory flavor with herbal notes reminiscent of chicken soup. The company says their fine, raw-milk Gouda cheeses are turned daily on pine planks to ensure uniform age and perfection, \u201cjust as cheesemakers have been doing Holland for centuries.\u201d<\/p>\n

Details<\/strong>: <\/strong>Made from raw cow\u2019s milk, aged 60 days or more<\/p>\n

Suggested pairings<\/strong>: sweet preserves, almonds, cured meats, and red wines\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Lindale<\/a><\/h2>\n

Goat Lady Dairy,<\/strong><\/a> North Carolina<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"

\n

Lindale Gouda<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Since 1995, Goat Lady Dairy has been making a variety of handmade, artisan cheeses in Central North Carolina. Lindale is a cow\u2019s milk Gouda made with the traditional methods which include washing and cooking the curds, and pressing under whey. Lindale is cave aged for four eight months, developing a silky texture and sweet, buttery flavor.<\/p>\n

Details<\/strong>: Made from raw Cow\u2019s Milk, aged: 4-8 months<\/p>\n

Pairings and serving suggestions<\/strong>: milk chocolate, mango chutney, bacon, porter, brown ale<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Hill Valley Dairy Luna<\/a><\/h2>\n

Hill Valley Dairy,<\/strong><\/a> Wisconsin<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"

\n

Hill Valley Luna<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hill Valley Dairy was founded in 2016 and sources its milk from the owner\u2019s family farm, Romari Farms, founded in 1942. Luna is a cave-aged, natural rind alpine\/Gouda hybrid, and was entered in the \u201chard cheese w\/ natural rind\u201d category at the 2022 World Cheese Championship, winning third place in its category. This cheese has a nutty and tangy flavor, with the rind providing a touch of crunchiness and an earthy flavor.<\/p>\n

Details<\/strong>: Made from cow\u2019s milk, aged: 6 months or more<\/p>\n

Suggested pairings<\/strong>: bolder wines, dark chocolate, dried fruits, fresh berries<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Oakdale Mild Gouda<\/a><\/h2>\n
<\/p>\n

\"\"

\n

Oakdale Gouda photo credit Cecily Ray Photography<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Oakdale Creamery<\/strong><\/a>, California<\/strong><\/p>\n

This national award-winning cheese is a great example of a young Gouda, presenting creamy and buttery flavor notes with a pleasant smooth texture. The company says it is great for snacking and melting and ratcheting up a sandwich. It pairs well with your favorite light-bodied red wine. Oakdale uses pasteurized cow\u2019s milk from local farms and vegetarian rennet in this cheese and in its aged and smoked Goudas. This family-run operation opened in 1983, but has Dutch cheesemaking roots that reach back for generations.<\/p>\n

Details<\/strong>: Made from pasteurized Holstein milk, aged approximately three months<\/p>\n

Suggested pairings and serving<\/strong>: Merlot, apples, sourdough grilled cheese<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Marieke\u00ae Gouda Reserve<\/a><\/h2>\n

Marieke\u00ae Gouda<\/strong><\/a>, Wisconsin<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"

\n

Marieke\u00ae Gouda Reserve<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The makers at Marieke coax this one along for at least 1000 days, and sometimes for up to four years. \u201cIt has the traditional crystals of aged Gouda but it also maintains the rich and creamy texture of a younger Gouda.\u201d Marieke says. Indeed while most extra-aged Goudas become flinty and brittle, this cheese maintains some suppleness, while offering crunchy crystals. It\u2019s almost like an aged cheddar in that regard, while offering rich sweet and savory flavor notes.<\/p>\n

Details<\/strong>: Made from raw cow\u2019s milk, aged approximately 3-4 years<\/p>\n

Suggested pairing<\/strong>: apples, honey, oats, crusty bread and mustards, whiskey and hard cider<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sagittarius<\/a><\/h2>\n
<\/p>\n

\"\"

\n

Sagittarius photo courtesy Chantal’s<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Shooting Star Creamery<\/strong><\/a>, California<\/strong><\/p>\n

This fantastic young cheese from young cheesemaker Avery Jones was in our spotlight in 2023, and deserves a mention here. Among American-made Goudas it is a bit unique for its use of blended sheep\u2019s and cow\u2019s milks. Aged 3-4 months, this is a sweet cheese with a rich, silky mouthfeel. In her spotlight piece, Cheese Professor contributor Pamela Vachon suggested pairing its buttery notes with popcorn, and with pinot noir, which sounds amazing. We would also suggest trying it with a Belgian saison, and it begs to be paired with dark chocolate. This one would be lovely on a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. Read more about <\/em>Sagittarius<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Details<\/strong>: Made from pasteurized cow\u2019s and sheep\u2019s milk, aged 3-4 months<\/p>\n

Suggested pairings<\/strong>: country ham, pinot noir, dark chocolate and saison beer<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Marieke\u00ae Smoked Gouda<\/a><\/h2>\n

Marieke\u00ae Gouda<\/strong><\/a>, Wisconsin<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"

\n

Marieke\u00ae Smoked Gouda<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Smoked cheeses can sometimes turn tragic, but award-winning cheesemaker Marieke Penterman\u2019s raw milk, farmstead Goudas are all miraculous. For this multiple award winner, a younger cheese is treated to a short rest over cold hickory smoke. The gentle smokey aroma complements the sweet flavor of the cheese rather than clobbering it.<\/p>\n

Details<\/strong>: Made from raw Cow\u2019s Milk, aged 60 days or more<\/p>\n

Pairing and serving suggestions<\/strong>: dried cherries, toasted cashews a stout, a malt-forward lager or a pinot noir<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sneek<\/a><\/h2>\n

Frisian Farms Cheese House<\/strong><\/a>, Iowa<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"

\n

Sneek<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Frisian Farms Cheese House is a family-owned operation focused entirely on making Gouda. Founder Mike Bandstra says that the decision to focus entirely on the style reflected his family\u2019s heritage, and that of the Central Iowa town of Pella where the family farm was located. While he and his brother Jason had been making farmstead cheese about 15 years ago, the farm operation was segregated when the current creamery was built in 2015, Sneek is one of 14-15 Goudas that Frisian Farms produces, and it is a classic, super-aged cheese that undergoes at least 1000 days of aging. It is named after a town in the Friesland region of the Netherlands which was the birthplace of Mike\u2019s great grandfather who was one the first in the family to immigrate to the States. With a flinty texture and well-developed crystals, it provides a deep rich flavor with notes of caramel, butterscotch, toast and toffee. While the cheese was in short supply after the pandemic, Mike expects it to be back in full circulation this year locally and in select markets in the Midwest and on the coasts.<\/p>\n

Details<\/strong>: Made from locally sourced cow\u2019s milk and microbial (vegetarian) rennet, aged 1000 days<\/p>\n

Pairings and serving suggestions<\/strong>: A fruity Riesling or a light pinot noir, pears, apples, figs, fruit chutney or jam, snacking with crackers, shredded on pasta or salads<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

TomaRashi<\/a><\/h2>\n

Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese<\/strong><\/a>, California<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"

\n

TomaRashi<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A few years back, the creative team at Point Reyes developed three flavored variations on the creamery\u2019s popular and versatile Toma. Toma is described by Point Reyes Farmstead as \u201cPart young Gouda. Part traditional Havarti.\u201d and perhaps the most interesting in the \u201cTomas with Attitude\u201d line is TomaRashi, with its blend of heat, umami and nutty flavors. The key to the complex, remarkable flavor is Shichimi Togarashi, a Japanese spice blend containing chili flakes, nigella, chili powder, orange peel, ginger powder and nori. The result is a gentle heat that warms the palate gradually, with a multitude of novel flavor notes, in a silky, creamy cheese.<\/p>\n

Details<\/strong>: Made from pasteurized cow\u2019s milk and microbial (vegetarian) rennet, aged 90 days<\/p>\n

Pairing and serving suggestions<\/strong>: melted into egg dishes, with seaweed for a snack, included in Mexican food, gin and tonic a light lager or sake<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Gouda, Niederlande, Stadtzentrum credit Ralf Roletschek, CC BY 3.0 Gouda is the most famous cheese of the Netherlands, loved worldwide for its notably sweet yet balanced flavor.\u00a0 Perhaps more than most cheeses, it undergoes a remarkable transformation when aged beyond a couple of years, developing incredible sweet notes. It is also a cheese that has … Okumaya devam et “The Best American Made Goudas”<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1271,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[395],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4282","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-milk-and-diary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4282","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1271"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4282"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4282\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4282"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4282"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sutyo.com\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4282"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}