Five Brothers

Producer:

Gunn's Hill Artisan Cheese

Style:

Aged washed rind

Milk type:

Pasteurized cow's milk

Region:

Woodstock, Ontario (Southwestern Ontario)

Photo credit: cheesehound.ca

Context:

Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese is a small facility located in the gentle hills of Oxford County, an area in Southwestern Ontario known for its dairy, cheese and maple syrup production. The nearby city of Woodstock promotes itself as the Dairy Capital of Canada. Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese is owned and operated by Shep Ysselstein. Shep grew up on the family dairy farm, earned a degree in business and then set out on a pilgrimage to the U.S., British Columbia and Switzerland to learn the art of making hand-crafted cheese. Five Brothers, is named in honour of the five Ysselstein brothers – John, Marc, Daniel, David and Shep, who all grew up on the  family farm. (Before taking on the Five Brothers moniker, this cheese was simply known as Gunn's Hill Semi-Firm). This is a washed rind cheese that is aged from eight to 18 months, Five Brothers combines the traits of two prominent European cheeses – the Dutch Gouda and a Swiss Appenzeller. The milk used to make Five Brothers and other Gunn’s Hill cheeses comes from the neigbouring family farm, Friesvale Farms.   

Appearance of rind:

A washed rind that appears to be masquerading as a natural rind. The rind is the colour tarnished copper with random black flecks

Appearance of paste:

Pale yellow with pronounced holes.

Nose:

The rind gives off distinct earthy notes; the paste offs whiffs of earth and barnstall, but not enough to mask some underlying fruity notes. 

Primary taste:

Savoury.

Flavour:

Medium intensity. Earthy, toasty notes with a fruity sweetness that breaks through on the finish.

Texture:

Semi-firm.

Pairing opportunities:

Will pair well with a merlot, almonds, multi-grain baguette or multi-crackers. 

Other comments:

Gunn’s Hill has an onsite store with a large viewing window that  looks out onto the production floor. Visitors are welcome to stop by, sample cheese and take a tour.