20 finalists in the US Championship Cheese Contest

The 20 finalists have been named in the glorious UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP CHEESE CONTEST! Thirteen of them are from Wisconsin, neatly demonstrating that Wisconsin still exists.

I don’t think of flavoured gouda as actual cheese.

Via WEAU.com:

2017 United States Championship Cheese Contest
20 Finalists

Class: Cheddar, Medium (3 to 6 months)
Team Meister 3, Meister Cheese, Muscoda, WI, Medium Cheddar

Class: Cheddar, Aged One to Two Years
Terry Lensmire, Agropur, Weyauwega, WI, Cheddar Cheese, Cut from 640

Class: Cheddar, Aged Two Years or Longer
Daniel Stearns, Agropur, Weyauwega, WI, Cheddar Cheese, Cut from 640

Class: Bandaged Cheddar, Mild to Medium
Saxon Cheese LLC, Saxon Cheese LLC, Cleveland, WI, Old English Style Cheddar, Aged 5 Months

Class: Bandaged Cheddar, Sharp to Aged
Wayne Hintz, Red Barn Family Farms, Appleton, WI, Bandaged Cheddar, Sharp to Aged

Class: Baby Swiss Style
Casey Petak, Rothenbuhler Cheesemakers, Middlefield, OH, Baby Swiss cheese

Class: Blue Veined Cheeses
Imperia Foods Montfort WI Team, Schuman Cheese, Fairfield, NJ, Montforte Bleu Wheel

Class: Brie & Camembert
Jasper Hill, Cellars at Jasper Hill, Greensboro Bend, VT, Moses Sleeper

Class: Edam & Gouda
Marieke Gouda Team, Marieke Gouda, Thorp, WI, Marieke Gouda Belegen

Class: Gouda, Aged
Marieke Gouda Team, Marieke Gouda, Thorp, WI, Marieke Gouda Aged

Class: Gouda, Flavored
Gonzales Christopher, Glanbia Nutritionals, Twin Falls, ID, Gouda/Green Olives & Pimento

Class: Smoked Gouda
Saxon Creamery Team, Saxon Cheese LLC, Cleveland, WI, Smoked Gouda Aged 7 Months

Class: Open Class: Flavored Semi-soft (semi-hard) Cheeses
Lake Country Dairy Team, Schuman Cheese, Fairfield, NJ, Yellow Door Creamery Harissa Rubbed Fontal Cheese

Class: Open Class: Flavored Hard Cheeses
Mike Matucheski, Sartori Company, Antigo, WI, Sartori Reserve Black Pepper BellaVitano

Class: Open Class: Smoked Soft and Semi-soft Cheeses
Zimmerman Cheese Team 2, Zimmerman Cheese, South Wayne, WI, Smoked Brick

Class: Reduced Fat Soft & Semi-soft Cheeses
John (Randy) Pitman, Mill Creek Cheese, Arena, WI, Reduced Fat Muenster

Class: Cold Pack Cheese, Cheese Food
Widmer’s Cheese Cellars, Widmer’s Cheese Cellars, Theresa, WI, Traditional Washed Rind Aged Brick Spread

Class: Surface (Mold) Ripened Goat’s Milk Cheeses
Cypress Grove, Cypress Grove, Arcata, CA, Fresh Goat Cheese

Class: Hard Goat’s Milk Cheeses
Team Montchevre, Montchevre-Betin, Inc., Belmont, WI, Trivium

Class: Hard Mixed Milk Cheeses
Mike Matucheski, Sartori Company, Antigo, WI, Sartori Tre Donnes