How long is sharp cheddar aged

All cheddar cheese is, technically, aged cheddar. Aging the cheese after it has been formed and pressed is part of the process required to make it into an edible and tasty cheese.

At a minimum, cheddar cheese must be left to mature for roughly three months to have the character expected of mild cheddar.

40-year aged cheddar

There are, however, aged cheddar cheeses that have been allowed to mature for 10 years or longer. As cheddar is allowed to age, its flavor becomes sharper and sweeter and its texture grows harder and more brittle.

The process of creating aged cheddar involves placing cheese that has been put through the cheddaring process in an area where the temperature and humidity are tightly controlled.

When the cheese originated in the English town of Cheddar, nearby caves provided perfect conditions for aging the cheese. The production of cheddar is now performed in many parts of the world, and the conditions present inside the caves in Cheddar are replicated so the cheese can age properly.

Most countries, including the United States, have no official guidelines about

how long is mild cheddar cheese aged

how long is tillamook cheddar cheese aged