Beehive Cheese Brings Utah to the Global Stage with Award-Winning Artisan Cheeses

Beehive Cheese Brings Utah to the Global Stage with Award-Winning Artisan Cheeses

Utah might not be the first state that comes to mind when you think of American artisan cheese, but Beehive Cheese is changing that perception—one wheel at a time. The family-run creamery recently earned global recognition when five of its cheeses snagged bronze at the 2025 World Cheese Awards: Apple Walnut Smoked, Barely Buzzed, Promontory, Red Butte Hatch Chile, and Teahive.

Promontory, often called Beehive’s “mother cheese,” is a rich, buttery cheddar that forms the backbone of the creamery’s lineup. Apple Walnut Smoked is cold-smoked using a blend of apple and walnut wood, infusing a subtle, layered smokiness. Barely Buzzed blends espresso and lavender on the rind, while Red Butte Hatch Chile adds the bold warmth of New Mexico Hatch chiles. Teahive rounds out the list with a delicate Earl Grey tea infusion, showcasing the creamery’s knack for balancing unique flavors with traditional cheesemaking techniques.

What sets Beehive apart is the way these flavors develop over time. By rubbing the rinds early in the aging process—with coffee, sea salt, honey, or other signature blends—the enzymes and flavor rubs interact and evolve alongside the milk, creating nuanced, sophisticated profiles that surprise even seasoned cheese lovers.

For a relatively young creamery, founded in 2005 in Northern Utah, these accolades are a statement. Beehive Cheese was started by brothers-in-law Pat Ford and Tim Welsh, neither of whom came from a food background—one came from real estate, the other from software. With just eight days of cheesemaking experience under their belts, they trained with experts at the Western Dairy Center and Utah State University, quickly building a reputation for creativity and precision.

A hallmark of Beehive’s approach has always been a focus on high-quality milk. Partnering with Gossner Foods, a family-run dairy known for its Jersey cow milk, gave the creamery a strong foundation. From there, innovation took center stage: Tim Welsh’s idea to rub cheddar with coffee and lavender led to Barely Buzzed, which quickly became one of the creamery’s most beloved offerings.

Despite the competitive landscape—cheese powerhouses like Wisconsin, Vermont, California, and New York dominate the U.S. scene—Beehive is carving out a space for Utah on the map. These awards highlight not only the creamery’s craftsmanship but also the dedication to quality that drives every batch. Cheesemakers at Beehive work in harmony with each wheel, adjusting to its character to achieve consistently exceptional results.

Beehive Cheese proves that even in a state better known for mountains than milk, there’s room for world-class, innovative cheese. For adventurous eaters and cheese lovers alike, these award-winning flavors offer a taste of Utah’s hidden dairy gems—and a reason to pay attention to the state’s growing artisan cheese scene.

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