Our Award Winning Cheese

Glebe Brethan is a thermophilic, artisan cheese made from unpasteurised Montbeliarde cows milk. At four months Glebe Brethan is mellow, fruity and creamy. It becomes more aromatic with spicy, nutty flavours as it matures, the maximum age being up to 18 months. A natural and healthy food for all the family, it is hugely versatile with a place at every stage of the meal from the aperitif through to the cheeseboard and melts beautifully in fondue or other cheese dishes. Glebe Brethan takes its name from Baothan or Brethan the founder of the monastic settlement at Lannleire, now Dunleer.

It is a gruyere-type cheese made in 40 - 45 kg wheels or rounds, which are matured on spruce timbers for at least six months. These are carefully turned and salted to promote the formation of a natural rind, which helps protect the cheese and enhances its unique flavour. When young the rounds are firm to the touch and creamy in colour, gradually developing their distinctive honey coloured rind.

The Cheese Dairy

From the Milking Parlour, fresh milk from the cows goes straight to the copper vat in the cheese house, thus preserving all the potential for aromatic flavour.

In the cheese dairy where David’s grandmother once made her prizewinning butter, milk is gently warmed and rennet is added, transforming it to curds. The curd is cut to size of grains of rice or barley and stirring begins until temperature gradually reaches 54 degrees. These curds are then poured into moulds and pressed, the whey drained off and only cheese is left behind. After a few hours the new round emerges still soft and white in colour.

The Maturing Cellar

Like the cows the cheese must take its time until the full story is revealed. During several months in darkness and stillness the cheese undergoes a natural organoleptic period of development. Care and attention is given to regularly turn and salt each wheel to bring out its own distinctive colour, texture and flavour. The aromatic nature of Glebe Brethan is the revealed through the alchemy of Irish pastureland, the season, and the persona of the cheesemaker and the lengthy maturing phase on timbers.