Beecher’s Handmade Cheese of Seattle took the top prize in this years American Cheese Society Competition with its lovely Flagsheep cheese! (note: that’s not Flagship, the other cheese Beecher’s is known for). Flagsheep – photo on the left – is a mixed milk cheese made from cow and sheep’s milk and has a lovely, rich buttery flavor. Congratulations to Kurt Dammeier and the crew at Beecher’s on the win! It’s also worth noting that this is the 3rd time in four years that a cheese from the Pacific Northwest has taken Best in Show at the competition – Rogue Creamery won in both 2009 and 2011 for its Rogue River Blue.

Find the complete list of winners here.

Best in Show:   Beecher’s Handmade Cheese – Flagsheep (WA)

2nd runner up - Valley Shepherd Crema de Blue  (NJ)

3rd runner up -  Emmi Roth Grand Cru Surchoix (WI)

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Beecher’s Handmade Cheese (WA)

1st Place – Cheddar Flavored with Peppers – Marco Polo Reserve
1st Place – Original Recipe (sheep’s milk or mixed milk) – Flagsheep
3rd Place – Cheddar with Sweet Flavorings – Yule Kase

Black Sheep Creamery (WA)

1st place – Open Category Aged Over 60 days (w/ sheep’s milk) – St. Helens

Briar Rose Creamery (OR)

3rd Place – Fresh Goat’s Milk Cheese (flavor added) – Chocolate Chèvre Truffles

Mt. Townsend Creamery (WA)

1st Place – Monterey Jack (cow’s milk) – New Moon

Mystery Bay Farm (WA)

2nd Place – Fresh Goat Cheese – Fresh chèvre

Ochoa’s Queseria (OR)

3rd place – Fresh Cheeses (all milks) – Don Froylan Queso Oaxaca

Rivers Edge Chévre (OR)

3rd Place – Original Recipe (goat’s milk) – Beltane
3rd Place – Farmstead Category/Soft (all milks) – Siltcoos

Rogue Creamery (OR)

2nd Place – Blue Veined Cheese with External Rind (cow’s milk) – Flora Nelle
1st Place – Rindless Blue Veined (cow’s milk) – Oregon Blue

Tillamook County Creamery Association (OR)

1st Place – Colby (cow’s milk)
3rd Place – Mature Cheddar Aged Between 24-48 mo.
3rd Place – Flavored Montery Jacks – Hot Habanero Jack
2nd Place – Unsalted Butter (cow’s milk)

Willamette Valley Cheese Co. (OR)

3rd Place – Dutch Style (all milks) – Farmstead Gouda
3rd Place – Open Category Aged Over 60 days (with sheep’s milk) – Perrydale

Willapa Hills Farmstead Cheese (WA)

1st Place – Blue Veined Cheese with External Rind (cow’s milk) – Big Boy Blue

[photo courtesy Beecher's Handmade Cheese]