COLUMBUS — Pearl Valley Cheese of Fresno, Ohio, took top honors, receiving the overall grand champion award for its Swiss cheese, at the 2024 Ohio State Fair Cheese Contest held July 18 at Miceli Dairy Products in Cleveland, the American Dairy Association Mideast announced. Guggisberg Cheese of Millersburg, Ohio, received the overall reserve champion award for its Ziller.
Participation was at an all-time high with 71 entries from cheesemakers across the state. Winners of the contest by classification are as follows:
Swiss Class
First place, Pearl Valley Cheese, Fresno; second place, Pearl Valley Cheese, Fresno; third place, Guggisberg Cheese, Millersburg.
Other Swiss Class
First place, Guggisberg Cheese, for its Ziller; second place, Guggisberg Cheese, for its Rind Swiss; third place, Pearl Valley Cheese, for its Lacey Baby Swiss.
Mild Cheddar Class
First place, Middlefield Original Cheese, Middlefield; second place, Urban Stead Cheese, Cincinnati; third place, Tri-State Cheese, Hicksville, Ohio.
Aged Cheddar Class
First place, Middlefield Original Cheese; second place, Urban Stead Cheese; third place, Young’s Jersey Dairy, Yellow Springs, Ohio.
Surface Mold Bloomy Class
First place, Marchant Manor Cheese, Cleveland, for its Lampworth Porcini; second place, Urban Stead Cheese, for its Camembert; third place, Marchant Manor Cheese, Cleveland for its Elmstead Ash Triple Cream.
Bacteria Ripened Class
First place, Black Radish Creamery, Granville, Ohio, for its Pious; second place, Canal Junction Cheese, Defiance, Ohio, for its Charloe; third place, Black Radish Creamery, Granville for its Raclette.
Spreadable Class
First place, Blue Jacket Dairy, Bellefontaine, Ohio, for its Fromage Blanc; second place, Urban Stead Cheese, for its Quark.
Cheese Curd Class
First place, Young’s Jersey Dairy, for its Cajun Curd; second place, Young’s Jersey Dairy, for its Italian Curd; third place, Tri-State Cheese, for its Muenster Curd.
Open Class – Non-Spicy
First place, Marchant Manor Cheese, for its Brighton Blue; second place, Miceli Dairy Products, Cleveland for its Impastata; third place, Pearl Valley Cheese, for its Marbled.
Open Class – Flavored
First place, Middlefield Original Cheese, for its Dill Pickle; second place, Tri-State Cheese, for its Garlic and Herb; third place, Urban Stead Cheese, for its Pimento.
Open Class – Spicy
First place, Middlefield Original Cheese, for its Pepper Jack; second place, Pearl Valley Cheese, for its Salsa Jack; third place, Pearl Valley Cheese, for its Chipotle.
Other Mammal Class
First place, Marchant Manor Cheese, for its Shepton Sheep; second place, Blue Jacket Dairy, Bellefontaine for its Herb Chevre.
