Cellars at Jasper Hill’s Harbison Named Best of Show at ACS Awards

Harbison from Vermont cheesemaker Cellars at Jasper Hill was named best of show from among 1,954 entries at the American Cheese Society’s 2018 Judging & Competition. Cellars of Jasper Hill also took home second place in the competition with Calderwood, and COWS Creamery in Prince Edward Island, Canada, took home third place for Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar.

“What a thrill!” said Cellars at Jasper Hill Cheesemaker Mateo Kehler. “These wins represent the efforts of many dedicated people from our cropping crew and herdsmen, through production and affinage, to sales and support. It took a village working in concert to pull this off.”

The awards were announced at the 35th annual ACS Conference, “Forged in Cheese,” held July 25-28 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Of the 1,954 entries from more than 250 companies this year, 350 were named winners in the blind-judging that awards points for aesthetic qualities such as taste and subtracts points for technical defects for a total top score of up to 100 points. Cheeses had to earn at least 95 points to be named a first-place winner in one of 123 categories. Category winners then competed for best of show honors.

Cellars at Jasper Hill is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, and the company is also celebrating its third ACS award for Harbison, which has won two third-place awards in past years. Greensward, a cheese made with Harbison and aged in its caves by Murray’s Cheese, won third place in ACS’ 2016 competition.

“This year’s competition once again featured the very best cheeses and cheesemakers in the Americas,” said Nora Weiser, ACS Executive Director. “The diversity of cheeses displays the skill and passion of American cheesemakers. In taking two top honors, Cellars at Jasper Hill exemplifies how American artisan cheesemakers seamlessly meld tradition and innovation.”