Description
Keen’s Cheddar Cheese
About Keen’s Cheddar Cheese
Keen’s Cheddar is (quite simply) an honest cheddar. It’s made by the Keen family near Wincanton in Somerset, who’ve been making cheese since 1899, and you can taste all that history in every bite. This is proper farmhouse cheddar, made the old-fashioned way with raw milk and plenty of patience. No shortcuts here, just good cheese, done right.
The milk for Keen’s cheddar comes straight from the farm’s own grass-fed cows. It is made with unpasteurised milk, and whilst that might not sound like a big deal, it really is. The milk changes with the seasons (what the cows eat, the weather, even the time of year) all of it ends up in the cheese. It means every batch has its own little quirks, and the cheese always feels full of life.
Protected by PDO Tradition
Keen’s Cheddar is protected by its West Country Farmhouse Cheddar PDO. This PDO, or Protected Designation of Origin states that as a West Country Farmhouse Cheddar, it must be made using traditional methods, matured for at least 9–12 months, and use milk from Dorset, Somerset, Devon, or Cornwall.
Keen’s Cheddar – Jen’s Tasting Notes
The first thing you notice with Keen’s Cheddar is how wonderfully balanced it is. It’s not one of those cheddars that hits you over the head with its strength. Instead, you get a gentle savoury flavour with just a hint of sweetness. Then comes a nice tang, bright and a bit citrusy, which keeps things lively.
Give it a moment, and you’ll start to pick up more of what’s going on. There’s a lovely nuttiness, like toasted hazelnuts or almonds, and sometimes a bit of caramel or browned butter in the background. If you get your hands on an older piece, those flavours can get even deeper, almost meaty or brothy, with a little hint of caramelised onion. Cheese fans will know what I mean!
The flavour really sticks around too. A good chunk will leave a warm, tangy taste that lingers long after you’ve finished eating. That’s all down to the careful ageing, which brings out loads of flavour. Keen’s Cheddar gets about 14 to 15 months to mature. It’s wrapped in cloth and turned by hand, so it can breathe and grow a proper natural rind.
This traditional ageing method makes a big difference to the flavour. Younger cheddars are milder and creamier, while the older ones get drier, crumblier, and pack more punch. So even this regular Keen’s has loads of depth, and if you go for the extra mature, you’ll get even more of those bold flavours.
How to Serve and Pair Keen’s Cheddar
- Make sure you take it out of the fridge a good hour before you want to eat it so it can come up to room temperature.
- Classic pairings: Traditional English ales are a great match. A malty bitter or a nutty brown ale goes really well with the cheese’s savoury, toasty flavours, and the bubbles help keep things fresh.
- Something a little different: If you’re more into wine, balance is the name of the game. A crisp white (think something a bit like a dry cider) will bring out the cheese’s tang and keep your palate refreshed
- On the plate: You can’t go wrong with a chunk of this cheddar and some good bread, especially a rustic sourdough or a crusty farmhouse loaf. The tangy bread and the cheese just work together. Add a few pickled onions or a dollop of chutney and you’ve got yourself a proper ploughman’s lunch.
- In the kitchen: Keen’s cheddar is brilliant for cooking too. Melt it into macaroni cheese, Welsh rarebit, or just a good old toasted sandwich and you’ll get loads of flavour and creaminess. It melts nicely but still keeps its character, so your food never ends up bland.
Jen’s note: Occasionally our cheddars develop a blue streak in them. This is all edible and simply a reflection of the artisan nature of the cheese!
Buying Keen’s Cheddar
- Brand or Producer: Keen’s Cheddar
- Product name: Keen’s Cheddar
- Milk: Cow
- Country: England
- Region: Somerset
- Strength: Mature
- Vegetarian: No
- Suitable for pregnancy: Yes
- Allergens: MILK
Sizes and Prices
- 100g wedge, £2.50
- 500g wedge, £12.50
- Wheel (approx. 6kg), available to pre-order
Storage Advice
- Keep refrigerated
- Wrap in waxed paper or cling film
- Remove from the fridge before serving
- Consume within 10 to 14 days of opening
Delivery and Collection
- UK wide courier delivery
- Click and collect from our Pangbourne shop
- Free local delivery available for selected postcodes
Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)
MILK, starter cultures, rennet, salt
