The 2023 US Championship Cheese Contest announced all of its winners yesterday, February 23, 2023. The event took place over two days in Green Bay, with plenty of Cheeseheads in attendance. To absolutely nobody’s surprise, “The Dairy State” played no games, as Wisconsin asserted its dominance over the rest of the competition.
Wisconsin Flexes Dominance in 2023 US Championship Cheese Contest
In total, there were 113 total classes in the 2023 US Championship Cheese Contest. Before we get into the results, we want to give our thoughts and prayers to the judges’ bowels, as that is a lot of cheese to consume.
ANYWAYS, of the 113 classes of cheese, Wisconsin won 54 “Best of Class” finishes.
The overall US Championship Cheese Contest winner, however, was an Aged Gouda, called Europa, from Arethusa Farm Dairy in Bantam, Connecticut. Contain yourself, because the head cheesemaker there is a Benedict Arnold of sorts. He’s a damn traitor from Wisconsin! Stabbed in the back by one of our own, but it’s good to know that a Wisconsinite was the winner, in a way.
Following that traitor, the first runner-up was a Vintage Cupola American Original Cheese made by Door Artisan Cheese Company of Egg Harbor for Red Barn Family Farms in Appleton. The second runner-up was a Medium Cheddar made by Dillon Sylla for Associated Milk Producers Inc. of Blair.
Mediocre Cows (and Cheesemakers) Come From California
Happy cows my ass. A very distant second behind Wisconsin in overall Best of Class winners was California, with only nine. Idaho proved themselves to be more than potato farmers to finish third, winning eight classes.
For a full list of cheese that is sure to please from the 2023 US Championship Cheese Contest, click here.
