MINERAL POINT, Wis. – For only the second time in its 50-year career, a Wisconsin cheesemaking family will release a limited run of cheddar aged 20 years.
On January 1, Hook’s Cheese, of Mineral Point, will begin to take orders from distributors, retailers and individuals for its 20-Year Cheddar, available Memorial Day weekend 2020. The cheese will retail for $209 per pound, and half of all sales will go to the Dairy Innovation Hub, which provides funds for dairy research at UW-Madison, UW- Platteville, and UW-River Falls.
“I am particularly proud of this batch of cheddar – the taste and texture are smooth, yet full of crystals with a rich, savory finish,” Tony Hook said. “This cheese is a labor of love, and we are looking forward to sharing it with our customers.”
More than 30 years ago, the cheesemaking duo of Tony and Julie Hook began aging cheddar for more than a couple of years, which was virtually unheard of at the time. Several years ago, the Hooks began selling cheddar aged up to 15 years and soon discovered there was a demand for super aged cheddar.
Tony tastes every batch of aging cheese regularly to see how each batch’s flavor is developing. He then decides what and how much of each batch should be released for sale. In 2015, the Hooks released their first batch of 20-Year Cheddar. That time, the cheese sold out in five days.
The second batch release of 20-year Cheddar celebrates Tony Hook’s 50th year of cheesemaking. The Hooks have crafted cheese since 1970, winning hundreds of awards, including a World Championship Cheesemaker title for Julie Hook for Hook’s Colby in 1982. The company is best known for its aged cheddars and blue cheeses, but they make a variety of award-winning cheeses from the milk of cows, sheep, and goats. Some of those cheeses are a mixture of all of those milks.
For more information, contact Tony Hook at hookscheese@gmail.com or call 608-987-3259.