A Guide to Types of Cheese: What Is Cheese, How Cheese Is Made, Cheese Tasting

Every time you go to the grocery store to buy cheese, you probably notice there are lots of kinds to choose from, like cheddar, brie, and camembert. But what makes these cheeses different from each other?

Basically, cheese can taste buttery, milky, salty, and sometimes smoky. But each type of cheese has its own unique flavor. For example, brie tastes fruity, buttery, and nutty, while camembert has a buttery, earthy, and mushroomy taste. Cheddar is sharp and a bit earthy, while blue cheese is sharp but much stronger than the others.

Keep reading to learn about different types of cheese, how they’re made, and why cheese tasting is important.

Main Types of Cheese

No one really knows exactly when or where cheese was invented, but it was probably around as early as 8000 BCE. By about 1200 BCE, the first type of cheese had been created. Today, there are over a thousand kinds of cheese worldwide. But what are their main types?

The main types of cheese are the following:

1. Hard Cheese
2. Semi-Firm Cheese
3. Semi-Soft Cheese
4. Soft-Ripened Cheese
5. Fresh Cheese

Let’s briefly discuss each one of them.

Hard Cheese

To make hard cheese, the curd is cut into small pieces and cooked at temperatures up to 55°C to remove as much moisture as possible. Then, the curd is put into molds, soaked in saltwater, turned regularly, and left to age for six to 36 months.

Cheesemakers make sure that hard cheeses maintain their smoothness. In terms of texture, they are firm, granular, and form natural salt crystals. They are dry and crumbly which is why they are often run through a cheese grater. Also, they get their strong taste and aroma over time or from a long aging process.

Two of the most popular hard cheeses in the world are parmesan and pecorino.

Parmesan

This hard cheese can be described with words like fruity, sharp, nutty, and rich. Its strong umami flavor can truly elevate a dish, making it delicious.

Pecorino

Though this salty hard cheese looks similar to Parmesan, it has distinct characteristics. Its earthy and grassy flavor comes from being made with sheep’s milk.

Semi-Firm Cheese

This type of cheese is made similarly to hard cheeses, but with a bit more moisture. This means it has more whey and is somewhat softer than hard cheeses.

Two of the most popular semi-firm cheeses are gouda and cheddar.

Gouda

Gouda has a springy, dense texture and a distinct caramel-like, aromatic taste. This yellow-orange round-wheel cheese comes from The Netherlands.

Cheddar

Cheddar is nutty and crumbly, and as it ages, it develops a sharp taste and crunchy salt-like crystals.

Semi-Soft Cheese

Semi-soft cheeses usually have a lot of moisture. Depending on how old they are, their flavor can be mild or strong. They have a smooth, creamy inside and often don’t have much of a rind.

Two of the most popular semi-soft cheeses that we know of are Taleggio and American cheese.

Taleggio

This cheese has a thin crust and a strong smell, but the flavor is mild with a unique fruity tang. Washing the flat, square wheels with a salt brine during aging gives Taleggio its distinctive pungent, earthy aroma and unique rind.

American Cheese

This creamy and salty cheese features a medium-firm texture and a low melting point. It’s typically yellow or white, with yellow American cheese being flavored and colored with annatto.

Soft-Ripened Cheese

This type of cheese undergoes an aging process that produces soft and gooey cheeses instead of hard and crumbly. Aside from being creamy, soft-ripened cheeses are also garlicky and grassy.

Two of the most popular soft-ripened cheeses in the world are brie and camembert.

Brie

Made from cow or goat milk, the flavor is mild, mellow, and slightly nutty. It has hints of fresh mushrooms and sautéed butter, leading to a creamy, smooth finish. A slice of room-temperature Brie is soft and can sometimes be a bit runny.

Camembert

This cheese has a soft but solid center that turns creamy and gooey as it ages. Its flavors can be milky and buttery or more vegetal, mushroomy, and earthy. As it matures, the outside tends to develop reddish spots, indicating a stronger flavor and softer texture.

Fresh Cheese

Typically, fresh cheese tastes mild, with a hint of tanginess or salt at times. It isn’t aged for long and doesn’t have a rind. In terms of texture, it can be soft and pliable, crumbly, or creamy and spreadable.

Two of the most popular fresh cheeses are mozzarella and feta.

Mozzarella

This type of cheese typically comes from buffalo or cow milk. It has a dense and springy consistency with a distinct taste of whole cream. People with delicate palates typically love mozzarella because they are supple, refreshing, and mild.

Feta

Feta has several variations, with Greek Feta being the most authentic. It tastes salty, tangy, and briny, but its lemony aftertaste is what lingers in the mouth.

Cheese Tasting

“Cheese tasting” is all about trying out different kinds of cheese to enjoy their aromas, textures, and tastes. Like tasting wine, it’s about looking at the cheese, smelling it, and then tasting it to pick up on its different flavors and textures. You can do it casually at home with friends or in fancier places like cheese shops or events that organize tastings. It’s a way for cheese lovers to explore the wide range of cheeses from different places, made from different kinds of milk, and aged for different amounts of time.

Conclusion – A Guide to Types of Cheese: What Is Cheese, How Cheese Is Made, Cheese Tasting

While we have discussed only several types of cheese in this article, there are in fact more than a thousand types of cheeses around the world! They come in all sorts of flavors, textures, and appearances because of the different kinds of milk used (like sheep, goat, or cow), how they’re aged, and the traditions of different regions. This diversity makes cheese tasting a rich and enjoyable experience for enthusiasts.