Briana
- Producer
- Jacobs & Brichford
- Country
- United States
- Region
- Indiana
- Weight
- 20-23 lbs
- Website
- jandbcheese.com
- Milk
- Cow
- Treatment
- Raw
- Classification
- Firm
- Rennet
- Animal
- Rind
- Washed
- Style
- Alpine-style
This fontina-style beauty is aged for a minimum of 90 days, or as long as 10 months—if it doesn’t sell out first. With a semi-firm texture and easy meltability, Briana is a versatile cheese that can accompany appetizers, main courses, and even desserts.
In the heart of Southeastern Indiana’s Whitewater Valley, on a farm that has been in the Brichford family since 1819, Jacobs & Brichford Farmstead Cheese produces raw milk cheeses from their own grass-fed cows. Their herd of Jersey, Normande, and Tarantaise cross cows are grazed through fresh pastures every day, and the dairy follows nature’s milking rhythm, operating on a seasonal basis.
In the mid-1990s the farm—run by Leslie Jacobs and Matthew Brichford—transitioned from raising beef cattle to dairying. In 2010, after years of studying cheesemaking, they built their cheese plant and sold their first products two years later. A family venture, Matthew Brichford manages the farm and makes the cheese, while Leslie Jacobs takes care of marketing with their daughter Maize while daughter Miah handles milking and grazing management.
Briana was released in 2012 as a complement to Jacob and Brichford’s Alpine style cheese, Everton. This fontina style is a washed curd cheese, which involves washing the cheese curds before salting them in the earlier stages of the cheesemaking process. Briana is also a smear-ripened cheese, meaning the bacteria and fungi growing on more mature wheels are intentionally spread to the younger wheels, spreading their rich, nutty, complex flavors.
Tasting Notes
Similar to fontina, Briana is rich and creamy with a smooth herbaceous body, slight nutty notes, and mild funk. Hints of fresh fruit add a kick of acidity and a subtle sweetness without overwhelming the palate.
Pairings
Briana’s subtle nutty and fruity notes pair well with grapes and a variety of nuts. Briana can also stand up well to roasted meats; try it with a simple garlic and herb roasted pork tenderloin and a fruity Willamette Valley pinot noir.
