With many gourmet retailers carrying cheese, here’s a rundown of the top cheeses in the recent 2019 American Cheese Society (ACS) Competition, held in Richmond, Va., in August.

Beecher’ Handmade Cheese was a big winner taking home five awards. The cheesemaker’s aged clothbound cheese, Flagship Reserve, took first place in the clothbound cheddar category, making it one of the top clothbound cheddar cheeses in the country.

Beecher’s also won in the with the original Flagship which came in second, Marco Polo Reserve, which came in third, the cutely named Flagsheep and Extra-Aged Flagship. Beecher’s Handmade cheese is an urban cheese maker operating in both Seattle’s Pike Place Market and in the Flatiron District of New York City.

The American Cheese Society Judging and Competition welcomed 1,742 entries of cheeses and cultured dairy products from 257 companies.  Competing entries represented 35 U.S. states, four Canadian provinces, Mexico and Brazil. Winning cheeses are judged for their achievements in flavor, aroma, texture and appearance. ACS awarded a total of 433 awards including 139 gold medals, 143 silver medals and 151 bronze medals.

Needless to say, Beecher’s owner and founder Kurt Beecher Dammeir was pleased with his team’s winnings. “It was such an honor to be recognized for so many of our cheeses,” he says. “It is really a testament to the passion and hard work of our cheesemakers and our entire team.”

ACS supports the understanding, appreciation and promotion of farmstead, artisan and specialty cheese produced in the Americas. 

For a complete list of winners visit www.cheesesociety.org/competition-winners