Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association
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Wisconsin Cheese Industry Conference

Contest Classes

Contest Classes available in pdf format pdf

For contest guidelines please refer to the Contest Rules.

Cow's Milk Cheese

In the Cow's Milk Cheese Classes 1-27 you may send up to three entries from each manufacturing site. You may send up to three entries of each unique variety from each manufacturing site in classes 28-59.

  1. Cheddar, 'Mild' (0-3 Months) - Natural, unflavored, rindless, cow's milk cheddar aged 1 to 90 days. Made between December 5, 2007 and March 4, 2008.
  2. Cheddar, 'Medium' (3 to 6 months) - Natural, unflavored, rindless, cow's milk cheddar aged 91 to 180 days. Made between September 6, 2007 and December 4, 2007.
  3. Cheddar, 'Sharp' (6 months to 1 year) - Natural, unflavored, rindless, cow's milk cheddar aged 181 to 365 days. Made between March 5, 2007 and September 5, 2007
  4. Cheddar, Aged One to Two Years - Natural, unflavored, rindless, cow's milk cheddar aged 366 days to 730 days. Made between March 5, 2006 and March 4, 2007.
  5. Cheddar, Aged Two Years or Longer - Natural, unflavored, rindless, cow's milk cheddar aged 731 days or longer. Made on or before March 4, 2006.
  6. Bandaged Cheddar, Mild to Medium - Natural, unflavored, rinded, cow's milk cheddar aged 1 to 180 days. Made between December 4, 2007 and March 4, 2008.
  7. Bandaged Cheddar, Sharp - Natural, unflavored, rinded, cow's milk cheddar aged 181 to 365 days. Made between March 5, 2007 and September 5, 2007.
  8. Entries moved to Class 7 - Insufficient amount of entries.
  9. Colby - Natural, unflavored colby made from cow's milk.
  10. Monterey Jack - Natural, unflavored monterey jack made from cow's milk.
  11. Marbled Curd Cheese - Natural cow's milk cheese marbled with colored and uncolored curd, commonly colby and/or jack and/or cheddar and/or mozzarella curd.
  12. Rinded Swiss Style Cheese - Natural, unflavored, rinded cow's milk Swiss style cheeses, for example, Emmentaler, Swiss. Aged 60 days or more. Made on or before January 4, 2008.
  13. Rindless Swiss Style Cheese - Natural, unflavored, rindless cow's milk Swiss style cheeses, for example, Emmentaler, Swiss. Aged 60 days or more. Made on or before January 4, 2008.
  14. Mozzarella - Natural, unflavored whole milk mozzarella in loaf form made from cow's milk, described as mozzarella cheese and low moisture mozzarella cheese in U.S. CFR1 Title 21 Part 133.155 and 133.156
  15. Mozzarella, Part Skim - Natural, unflavored part skim mozzarella and low moisture, part skim mozzarella in loaf form made from cow's milk, described in U.S. CFR1 Title 21 Part 133.157 and 133.158.
  16. Provolone, Mild - Natural, unflavored cow's milk provolone aged 1-180 days. Includes smoked provolone per CFR1 133.
  17. Provolone, Aged - Natural, unflavored cow's milk provolone aged 181 days or more. Includes smoked provolone per CFR1 133.
  18. Ricotta - Natural, unflavored ricotta made from cow's milk and /or whey.
  19. Parmesan - Natural, unflavored parmesan made from cow's milk.
  20. Baby Swiss Style - Natural, unflavored cow's milk Baby Swiss style cheeses. Maximum moisture 43 percent, minimum fat 45 percent, eye development throughout.
  21. Feta - Natural, unflavored feta made from cow's milk.
  22. Feta, Flavored - Natural feta made from cow's milk and flavored with added condiments.
  23. Havarti - Natural, unflavored havarti made from cow's milk.
  24. Havarti, Flavored - Natural havarti made from cow's milk and flavored with added condiments.
  25. Gorgonzola - Natural, unflavored gorgonzola made from cow's milk.
  26. Gruyere - Natural, unflavored, smear-ripened gruyere cheese produced from cow's milk.
  27. String Cheese - Natural, unflavored cheese made from cow's milk, includes blended curd styles and oaxaca. In the cow's Milk Cheese Classes listed below, you may send up to three entries of each unique variety from each manufacturing site.
  28. Cottage Cheese - Natural, unflavored cottage cheese of any curd size with one percent or higher milkfat content, in retail packaging (24 oz. or smaller packages).
  29. Fresh Mozzarella - Offered in varieties ciliegine, bocconcini, ovoline, burrata, etc., fresh mozzarella is high moisture, usually full fat, often packed in water and made from cow's milk and/or buffalo milk.
  30. Blue Veined, Exterior Molding - Natural, unflavored cow's milk cheeses veined with blue molds and ripened to develop surface mold.
  31. Blue Veined - Natural, unflavored cow's milk cheeses veined with blue molds and no surface mold development (rindless).
  32. Brick, Muenster - Natural, unflavored cow's milk brick cheese and muenster cheese. Aged 30 days or longer, not surface (smear) ripened. Made on or before February 3, 2008.
  33. Brie - Natural, unflavored brie made from cow's milk.
  34. Camembert & Other Surface (Mold) Ripened Cheeses - Natural, unflavored camembert and all other surface (mold) ripened cheeses made from cow's milk. Note: Surface (mold) ripened cheeses with blue mold veining will compete in Class 30.
  35. Edam - Natural, unflavored edam made from cow's milk.
  36. Gouda - Natural, unflavored gouda made from cow's milk aged 1-180 days. Made between September 6, 2007 and March 4, 2008.
  37. Gouda, Aged - Natural, unflavored gouda made from cow's milk aged 181 days or longer. Made on or before September 5, 2007.
  38. Gouda, Flavored - Natural gouda made from cow's milk and flavored with added condiments.
  39. Quesos Frescos - Includes all fresh, Natural, unflavored cow's milk Hispanic cheeses, for example queso fresco, queso blanco, panela and other crumbly fresh cheeses.
  40. Quesos para Fundir - Includes all Natural, unflavored, cow's milk Hispanic cheeses often melted for cooking, for example queso quesadilla, asadero and other sliceable, meltable Hispanic cheeses
  41. Smear Ripened Soft & Semi-Soft Cheeses - Includes all Natural, unflavored cow's milk cheeses (40% or higher moisture), smeared or washed with bacterial cultures during ripening.
  42. Smear Ripened Hard Cheeses - Includes all Natural, unflavored cow's milk cheeses (39% or lower moisture), smeared or washed with bacterial cultures during ripening.
  43. Pepper Flavored 'American' Style Cheeses (Cheddar, Colby, Jack) - Natural American-style, cow's milk cheeses (namely cheddar, colby and/or jack) with added hot chile peppers (e.g. jalapeno, habanero, cayenne, tabasco).
  44. Pepper Flavored Cheeses (Other Natural Styles) - Natural, cow's milk cheeses (other than cheddar, colby and/or jack) with added hot chile peppers (e.g. jalapeno, habanero, cayenne, tabasco).
  45. Flavored Soft Cheeses - Natural, cow's milk soft cheeses (51% or higher moisture) with added (non-sweet) condiments including herbs, spices, vegetables, meats, peppercorns, oil marinades.
  46. Flavored Semi-soft Cheeses - Natural, cow's milk semi-soft cheeses (40% to 50% moisture) with added (non-sweet) condiments including herbs, spices, vegetables, meats, peppercorns, oil marinades.
  47. Flavored Hard Cheeses - Natural, cow's milk hard cheeses (39% or lower moisture) with added (non-sweet) condiments including herbs, spices, vegetables, meats, peppercorns, oil marinades.
  48. Flavored Cheeses with Sweet or 'Dessert' Condiments - Natural, cow's milk cheeses with added sweet condiments including fruit, nuts, syrup, wine, liqueur.
  49. Smoked Cheeses - Natural cow's milk cheeses, with smoke flavor or naturally smoked. Note: Smoked provolone cheese will compete in Class 16 or 17.
  50. Open Class Soft Cheeses - Natural, unflavored cow's milk cheeses with 51% or higher moisture. For example, mascarpone, teleme.
  51. Open Class Semi-soft Cheeses - Natural, unflavored cow's milk cheeses with 40% to 50% moisture. For example, farmers, tomme, bel paese, yogurt cheese.
  52. Open Class Hard Cheeses - Natural, unflavored cow's milk cheeses with 39% moisture or lower. For example, parmesan, romano, asiago, cotija.
  53. Reduced Fat Cheese - Reduced fat cheese is Natural, cow's milk cheese, flavored or unflavored. U.S. standard of identity cheeses with a min. 25% fat reduction compared to the standard. See U.S. CFR1 Title 21 Part 101.62 (b)(4).
  54. Lowfat Cheese - Lowfat cheese is Natural, cow's milk cheese, flavored or unflavored. U.S. standard of identity cheeses containing 3 grams or less fat per 50 grams of product. See U.S. CFR1 Title 21 Part 101.62 (b)(2)
  55. Cold Pack Cheese - Includes cold pack cheese and cheese food. Flavored or unflavored.
  56. Spreadable Cheeses - Natural cheeses heated to inhibit ripening and containing no added condiments. For example, cream cheeses, gourmet spreadable cheeses. Not pasteurized process cheeses as defined in the U.S. CFR1
  57. Flavored Spreadable Cheeses - Natural cheeses heated to inhibit ripening and containing added condiments. Not pasteurized process cheeses as defined in the U.S. CFR1.
  58. Pasteurized Process Cheeses - unflavored pasteurized process cheese, cheese food or cheese spreads as defined in U.S. standards of identity (U.S. CFR1 Title 21 Part 133.169, 133.173, 133.179). Entries may be loaves or slices (except spreads.) For example, American, Swiss, Gouda and other pasteurized process cheeses.
  59. Flavored Pasteurized Process Cheeses - Flavored pasteurized process cheese, cheese food or cheese spreads as defined in U.S. standards of identity (U.S. CFR1 Title 21 Part 133.170, 133.174, 133.180). Entries may be loaves or slices (except spreads.) Flavors include smoked flavor and condiments

Goat's Milk Cheese

In the Goat's Milk Cheese Classes, you may send up to three entries of each unique variety you produce at each manufacturing site.

  1. Soft Goat's Milk Cheeses - Natural, unflavored cheeses made from goat's milk. Includes all rindless, unripened goat's milk cheeses with no added flavors
  2. Flavored Soft Goat's Milk Cheeses - Natural cheeses made from goat's milk and flavored with added condiments, smoke or marinade. Includes all rindless, unripened goat's milk cheeses with added flavors.
  3. Surface (Mold) Ripened Goat's Milk Cheeses - Natural surface mold ripened cheeses, flavored or unflavored, made from goat's milk.
  4. Semi-soft Goat's Milk Cheeses - Natural, unflavored cheeses made from goat's milk containing 40% or higher moisture. Includes feta, mozzarella, jack, blue or any original semi-soft cheese made from goat's milk.
  5. Flavored Semi-Soft Goat's Milk Cheeses - Natural cheeses made from goat's milk flavored with added condiments, smoke or marinade and containing 40% or higher moisture. Includes flavored feta, mozzarella, jack, blue or any original semi-soft cheese made from goat's milk.
  6. Hard Goat's Milk Cheeses - Natural, flavored or unflavored cheeses made from goat's milk. Includes all aged, hard goat's milk cheeses.

Sheep & Mixed Milk Cheeses

In the Sheep and Mixed Milk Cheese Classes, you may send up to three entries of each unique variety you produce at each manufacturing site.

  1. Soft Sheep's Milk & Mixed Milk Cheeses - Natural, unflavored cheeses made from sheep's milk or mixed milk (blended cow, goat and/or sheep milks). Includes all rindless, unripened cheeses with no added flavors.
  2. Flavored Soft Sheep's Milk & Mixed Milk Cheeses - Natural cheeses made from sheep's milk or mixed milk (blended cow, goat and/or sheep milks) and flavored with added condiments, smoke or marinade. Includes all rindless, unripened cheeses with added flavors.
  3. Surface (Mold) Ripened Sheep's Milk & Mixed Milk Cheeses - Natural surface mold ripened cheeses, flavored or unflavored, made from sheep's milk or mixed milk (blended cow, goat and/or sheep milks).
  4. Semi-soft Sheep's Milk & Mixed Milk Cheeses - Natural, unflavored cheeses made from sheep's milk or mixed milk (blended cow, goat and/or sheep milks) containing 40% or higher moisture. Includes feta, mozzarella, jack, blue or any original semi-soft cheese made from sheep's milk or mixed milks.
  5. Entries moved to Class 67 - Insufficient amount of entries.
  6. Hard Sheep's Milk Cheeses - Includes all Natural, flavored or unflavored cheeses made from sheep's milk containing 39 percent or lower moisture.
  7. Hard Mixed Milk Cheeses - Includes all Natural, flavored or unflavored cheeses made from mixed milk (blended cow, goat and/or sheep milks) containing 39 percent or lower moisture.

Butter Classes

In the Butter Classes, you may send up to three entries from each manufacturing site.

  1. Salted Butter - Creamery butter, salted, minimum 80% milkfat.
  2. Unsalted Butter - Creamery butter, unsalted, minimum 80% milkfat

Demonstration Classes

Demonstration Classes feature technical evaluation of, and medals awarded to, products produced from natural cheese, pasteurized process cheese and butter. These products compete for gold, silver and bronze medals, but do not compete in the Championship Round of judging. In the Demonstration Classes, you may send up to three entries of each unique variety you produce at each manufacturing site.

  1. Retail Packaging - A professional evaluation of cheese and butter packages designed specifically for sale to the retail industry. Products are evaluated for appeal, marketability, usage information, consumer friendliness, utility in display, environmental friendliness, and other categories. Includes exact weight cheese or butter products, natural or processed, flavored or unflavored in retail packaging only. To ensure that packaging functions to maintain product quality, product entries will also be judged for flavor, body and texture.
  2. Snack Cheeses - Natural cheese, flavored or unflavored, produced or prepared for immediate and convenient consumer consumption (piece weight is 4 ounces or smaller). Includes all natural cheese sticks, cheese curds, cheese wedges and cheese in decorative shapes. May be packed as individual servings or multiple-serving packages. Note: Excludes String Cheese. See Class 27.
  3. Open Class Shredded Cheese - Includes natural cheese varieties, unflavored and shredded. Any package size prepared for retail or foodservice distribution.
  4. Open Class Flavored, Shredded Cheese - Includes natural cheese varieties shredded with added condiments. Any package size prepared for retail or foodservice distribution.
  5. Open Class Grated Cheese - Includes any natural Italian-style cheese variety (or blend of varieties), unflavored and grated. Any package size prepared for retail or foodservice distribution. Grated cheese as described in U.S. CFR1Title 21 Part 133.146.

1 The term 'U.S. CFR' is a reference to the United States Code of Federal Regulations. These regulations can be accessed on the internet at www.gpoacess.gov/cfr/index.html.

2 May include added cultures (starter or starter distillate) as allowed in U.S. CFR1 Title 7, Part 58.330, 58.331.