Every year the American Cheese Society (ACS) holds a contest for the best American cheeses, defined as cheeses produced in the Americas. Entrants come from the US, Canada, Mexico, and even as far south as Colombia. Logistical constraints associated with shipping cheese across international borders mean there are fewer entries from outside of the US, but this year Canada showed up in full force and claimed the two top spots.
Why such a strong showing from our neighbors to the north? This year there was a big effort (spearheaded in part by Mary Ann Ferrer) to help Canadian cheesemakers get their cheese across the border, resulting in the most entries from Canadian cheesemakers ever (96 in total).
First Place Best of Show went to Fromagerie la Station from Compton, Québec, Canada for its Raclette de Compton au Poivre, a raclette–style cheese with a peppercorn line running through the center. This was the first time the Canadian cheesemaker had entered cheese in the ACS Judging and Competition.
While we were not able to taste the winning cheese at this year’s ACS conference, we did get to try some other incredible cheeses from Canada thanks to Canadian cheese pros Erin Harris and Kelsie Parsons. Harris and Parsons hosted a tasting session to showcase the exciting cheeses—both new and old—that Canada has to offer. My personal favorite was Wildwood from Stonetown Artisan Cheese in Ontario. Inspired by Appenzeller, the Swiss-style cheese tasted like a baked potato topped with sour cream and chives, and had a pungent, almost soapy-smelling rind. Out of the five cheeses sampled this was the one I could not stop going back to.
Second Place Best of Show went to Le Cousin, a Soft-Ripened Washed Rind cheese from Fromagerie Médard of Saint-Gédéon, Quebec, Canada and Third Place Best of Show went to Flagship Reserve from Beecher’s Handmade Cheese of Seattle, WA.
Due to importing constraints, it may be difficult to get your hands on the two Canadian cheeses in the United States—but fear not, there were plenty of other incredible cheeses recognized at the awards ceremony. Below is a list of the top ten cheeses at the 2024 American Cheese Society Judging & Competition (listed in alphabetical order by cheesemaker):
- Flagship Reserve, Beecher’s Handmade Cheese
- Mariana, Blakesville Creamery
- Smoked Burrata, Calabro Cheese
- Herbed Rose Butter, Cherry Valley Dairy
- Le Cousin, Fromagerie Médard
- Chemin Hatley Grand Cru., Fromagerie la Station
- Raclette de Compton au poivre, Fromagerie la Station
- Alpha Tolman, Jasper Hill Farm
- Stockinghall, Murray’s Cheese
- Pleasant Ridge Reserve, Uplands Cheese
The ACS Judging & Competition is renowned for its rigorous standards and is one of the largest cheese competitions in North America. The event highlights the exceptional quality and diversity of cheeses being produced across the Americas, providing a platform for cheese makers to showcase their best products. Click here to find a list of all the winners from this year’s competition.
Josie Krogh
Josie Krogh is culture's Digital Strategy Lead. She earned her master's degree in Agricultural and Applied Economics from The University of Georgia. Josie developed a love of food while working at farmstands in the D.C. area as a young adult, and discovered her love of cheese while living and working on a dairy farm on Martha's Vineyard. Josie currently lives in Catskill, NY.
