PepBert

Producer

MouCo

Country

United States

Region

Colorado

Size

3¼ in diameter x 1¼ in height

Weight

5 oz

Website

www.mouco.com

Milk

Cow

Treatment

Pasteurised

Classification

Soft

Rennet

Vegetable

Rind

Mold Ripened

Style

Soft-Ripened (Brie-like)

Flavor

Flavor added to paste

MouCo Cheese Company is owned by Birgit Halbreiter and Robert Poland, who met while working for the New Belgium Brewing Company. Birgit, originally from Germany, had a background in food science, while Robert was working as Fermentation Manager at the brewery. In 2000, after some experimental cheesemaking at home, Birgit enlisted the help of her father, Franz, a master cheesemaker from Germany. Today, MouCo Cheese Company produces soft cheeses using Holstein milk from nearby Morning Fresh Dairy.

Production of PepBert is much like production of MouCou’s flagship Camembert, except that a generous heaping of green peppercorns has been added into the mix. The cheesemaking process softens the peppercorns, their spiciness gradually giving way to the Camembert’s natural tanginess.

Tasting Notes

Underneath this cheese’s bloomy rind is an oozing and inviting paste, sprinkled very generously with peppercorns. While the creaminess of the cheese stands up somewhat to the peppercorns, they’re unavoidably strong and biting, providing a texture and flavor contrast with each bite. An ideal cheese for pepper snobs (“we know you’re out there,” say Birgit and Robert).

Pairings

Pair it with a Merlot.