How to Identify Cheese Styles: A Beginner’s Guide

How to Identify Cheese Styles: A Beginner’s Guide

Cheese names can be charming, but they don’t always explain what you’re actually buying. If you’ve ever wished for a simpler way to decode the case, here’s a straightforward chart that breaks down the major cheese styles and what defines each one.

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Cheese Styles Guide

Style	What Defines It	Examples
Blue	Characterized by blue veining created when specific molds grow inside or across the cheese, giving it that bold, mineral-rich flavor.	Roquefort, Gorgonzola, Stilton, Cabrales
Bloomy Rind	Soft cheeses with a fluffy white exterior created by applying a friendly mold that ripens the cheese from the outside in, leaving it creamy and high in moisture.	Brie, Camembert, Triple Cream
Pasta Filata	Curds are heated, stretched, and kneaded until elastic—a process that creates cheeses famous for their stretch and melt.	Mozzarella, Provolone, Oaxaca, Burrata
Alpine-Style	Based on traditional cheesemaking from the Alps: firm wheels with nutty, savory depth and excellent meltability.	Gruyère, Emmental, Comté
Cheddar or Cheddar-Like	Made using “cheddaring,” where curds rest, fuse, are cut into slabs, and stacked to build dense texture and concentrated flavor.	Montgomery’s, Jasper Hill Farm Cabot Clothbound, Westcombe, Grafton Village, Shelburne Farms, Hook’s 5-Year, Carr Valley Master Reserve, Henning’s
Fresh	Cheeses with virtually no aging—light, milky, and clean in flavor.	Ricotta, Cottage Cheese, Chèvre
Grana / Grating Cheese	Firm, long-aged Italian-style cheeses known for their granular texture and ideal for shaving or grating.	Grana Padano, Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano
Processed Cheese	Cheeses treated or blended after production for shelf stability, uniformity, or smooth melting.	American Cheese, Powdered Cheese, Canned Cheese
Washed-Rind	Rinds are repeatedly washed in brine, alcohol, whey, or similar liquids to cultivate aromatic bacteria, resulting in a pungent aroma and orange-rust color.	Époisses, Taleggio, Munster

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