Double Gloucester Cheese: Flavor, the Cooper's Hill Cheese Roll and Substitutes

One thing trips up many shoppers: the protected name (PDO) covers Single Gloucester, not Double, so Double Gloucester is made well beyond the county that named it.

It is also the cheese you see tumbling down a hill in the Cooper's Hill cheese roll, and for the rest of the year it is an easy all-rounder for boards, toasties and sauces.

Double Gloucester cheese at a glance

Here is Double Gloucester cheese at a glance, with the protected Single Gloucester for contrast.

Double Gloucester vs Single Gloucester and the PDO

Double Gloucester versus Single Gloucester comes down to aging, size and legal protection. The UK product specification protects only "Single Gloucester": an uncolored, full-fat, flat-disc cheese from Gloucestershire, made from pasteurized or raw cow's milk that must, whenever possible, come from Gloucester cows, and ready at about 2 months. The spec lists a typical 58 percent fat in the dry matter, though a maker may label a low-fat version.

Double Gloucester is not part of that PDO. It is described as slightly firmer than Single, allowed to age longer, and stronger and more savory, which is why it travels and sells better. That is how a Double Gloucester made in a large dairy elsewhere can still use the name. The guide to PDO and PGI labels explains why a protected name matters, and why this one is narrower than people assume.

Nobody agrees on why it is "double." The theories are cream skimmed twice, morning cream added to evening milk, and a wheel that stands twice as tall as a Single.

Double Gloucester cheese flavor and texture

Double Gloucester cheese is firm, smooth and close-textured, with a mellow, buttery, savory flavor and a clean, nutty finish. It is milder than a sharp cheddar and creamier than most crumbly English cheeses, which is why it works for people who find a strong cheddar too much.

The orange comes from annatto, the same plant dye used in orange cheddar, and it adds color without changing taste. Another orange English cheese, Red Leicester, is more crumbly and a little sweeter.

The Cooper's Hill cheese roll

The Cooper's Hill cheese roll is an annual race at Brockworth, Gloucestershire, where people chase a 7 to 9 pound (3 to 4 kg) round of Double Gloucester down a hill about 200 yards (180 m) long, with a slope of around 50 percent. According to Wikipedia, it takes place on the Spring Bank Holiday and runs several downhill races, including men's and women's, plus uphill ones.

The first person to the bottom wins the cheese. The cheese gets a head start and can reach speeds high enough to knock over a spectator, and injuries are common. The official event was canceled in 2010 and an unofficial one went ahead, and in 2013 a foam cheese was used for safety before a real wheel returned.

None of that tells you how the cheese tastes, and the rolled wheel is a stunt, not something to buy.

How to use Double Gloucester cheese

Double Gloucester cheese is an eating and cooking cheese. On a board it pairs with chutney, apples and crusty bread, and it melts smoothly for a cheese toastie, gratins and sauces, and it suits a Welsh rarebit when you want a milder, buttery base.

The Cotswold version blends Double Gloucester with chives and spring onions, and it is good grated into mashed potato or sprinkled over a baked potato.

For drinks, the pairing guide lists Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and tawny port, bitter, brown ale and IPA, and apple, pear and grape on the side.

Double Gloucester cheese substitutes

The best Double Gloucester cheese substitutes are mild, orange-tinted hard cheeses. A young Red Leicester is the nearest in color and feel, a mild or medium cheddar gives a bit more bite, and Colby is the easiest American stand-in for melting. Lancashire works when you want something crumblier and creamier.

The substitute finder lists further options. Because Double Gloucester melts cleanly and tastes mild, none of these swaps will wreck a toastie or a cheese sauce.

Buying and storing Double Gloucester cheese

When buying Double Gloucester cheese, read the label for "Double," because "Single" is a different, uncolored, flatter cheese that is mild and lactic. You will find Double in blocks, plain or flavored, and some are labeled with a Gloucestershire maker.

Wrap it in wax paper, keep it in the fridge, and use it within a couple of weeks, slicing or grating it fresh. The storing cheese guide covers wrapping in more detail.

What most Double Gloucester advice gets wrong

Most Double Gloucester advice repeats three habits worth correcting.

Double Gloucester is not the PDO cheese

Double Gloucester is not the PDO cheese, because the registered name is Single Gloucester. When a label implies a protected Gloucester, check which one it means.

The cheese roll is not the point

The cheese roll is not the point, because the wheel that leaves Cooper's Hill is a stunt prop, and the cheese on your board is the same style, tasting mild and buttery.

Orange does not mean strong

Orange does not mean strong, because annatto is a dye, so an orange Double Gloucester can be milder than a pale cheddar.

Questions about Double Gloucester cheese

These are the questions about Double Gloucester cheese that come up most often.

What is the difference between Single and Double Gloucester?

The difference between Single and Double Gloucester is that Single is the PDO-protected, uncolored, flat cheese, while Double is firmer, aged longer, more savory and colored orange.

Why is Double Gloucester orange?

Double Gloucester is orange because makers add annatto, a plant-based dye that colors the cheese without adding much flavor.

Is Double Gloucester cheese a PDO cheese?

Double Gloucester cheese is not a PDO cheese, because only Single Gloucester is protected under the PDO.

What is the Cooper's Hill cheese roll?

The Cooper's Hill cheese roll is an annual race at Brockworth, Gloucestershire, in which competitors chase a Double Gloucester wheel down a steep hill.

Does Double Gloucester cheese melt well?

Double Gloucester cheese melts well, which makes it a good choice for toasties, gratins and sauces.

Your first Double Gloucester cheese

For your first Double Gloucester cheese, buy a small block and eat half of it on a board with chutney and an apple, then melt the rest on toast. If you like it, try Red Leicester next to compare.