Brick Cheese

According to Wisconsin Cheese, John Jossi created it in 1877.

This page is the short reference. For how brick fits among the state's cheeses, see Wisconsin cheese.

Brick cheese origin and name

Brick cheese takes its name from the bricks used to press the curds, and it is an American original with no protected geographic name. The federal standard requires at least 50 percent milkfat in the solids and at most 44 percent moisture, which is wetter than cheddar or colby. If it is made from unpasteurized milk, it must be cured at 35°F or warmer for at least 60 days.

Because the name is a US standard of identity, a package labeled brick promises the recipe and not the place. Wisconsin makers are the ones most shoppers look for.

How brick cheese is made

Brick cheese is made by pressing the curd under bricks and then encouraging a smear on the rind. Makers introduce Brevibacterium linens bacteria, then smear the rind and wash it in a mixture of water and whey so the bacteria grow, and brine-wash it by hand to keep the process going, per Wisconsin Cheese. That surface growth is what builds the aged cheese's pungency, in the same way as in other washed-rind cheeses.

Brick cheese taste and texture by age

Brick cheese tastes mild with a touch of nuttiness when young, and develops serious pungency and tang as it ages. Wisconsin Cheese calls it semi-hard with a somewhat softer taste and a sharper finish. If you like funk, buy it aged. If you want a sandwich cheese, buy it young.

How to buy brick cheese in the US

Buy brick cheese in a block, usually in the specialty case near other Wisconsin cheeses, and ask whether it is young or aged, since the two taste very different. It is less common than cheddar, so check well-stocked grocery cheese counters and Wisconsin-focused shops. Pick a block that looks smooth and glossy, without dry edges.

Brick sold young is cheap and mild. Aged brick costs more and smells stronger, so open it the day you plan to eat it and keep it wrapped.

How to serve and cook with brick cheese

Brick cheese is served sliced for sandwiches, melted with polenta, or laid on pizza, according to Wisconsin Cheese. Young brick suits macaroni and potatoes au gratin, while mature brick is better on a hearty sandwich, for instance on rye with mustard, where its pungency has something to push against. Let aged pieces warm to room temperature to bring out the flavor. Because its moisture cap is higher than cheddar's, it melts evenly.

What to serve with brick cheese

What to serve with brick cheese follows its age: sweet and fruity for young brick, malty and savory for aged. The pairing guide covers more cheeses. For brick:

• Wine: Riesling, Zinfandel, Gewurztraminer
• Beer: amber ale, lager, brown ale
• Fruit: apple, pear, grape
• Extras: rye bread, mustard, pickles

Substitutes for brick cheese

Substitutes for brick cheese depend on the age you want. Havarti is mild and creamy, Muenster is another American semi-soft cheese with a mild, slightly nutty flavor and excellent melt, and Monterey Jack melts the same way but lacks the tang. The substitute finder lists more.

How to store brick cheese

Store brick cheese wrapped in wax or parchment paper in a container in the fridge, away from milder cheeses because aged brick is pungent. The storing cheese guide covers wrapping and what to do about mold.

What most brick cheese advice gets wrong

Most brick cheese advice talks about it as one cheese, but young and aged brick behave like two. Young brick is a mild, nutty, easy-melting cheese you can serve to anyone. Aged brick has been washed with bacteria on the rind, and it has the pungency and tang of a washed-rind cheese, so a sandwich built around it needs bold partners.

The other common mistake is judging it by the smell of the wrapper. Washed-rind cheeses often smell stronger than they taste, and a strong smell on a piece of aged brick is normal, not a sign of spoilage. Open it, let it warm, and taste a small piece before deciding. If the cheese is slimy, discolored in patches or smells like ammonia, USDA and FDA guidance on spoiled food applies and it should go in the trash.

Questions about brick cheese

These are the common questions about brick cheese.

Why is brick cheese called brick?

Brick cheese is called brick because bricks were used to press the curds, according to Wisconsin Cheese.

Is brick cheese the same as Muenster?

Brick cheese is not the same as Muenster. American Muenster began in Wisconsin in the 1800s as French immigrants imitated the Munster of their homeland, per Wisconsin Cheese, while brick was created by Jossi in 1877. Both are cow's milk, semi-soft and good melters.

Who invented brick cheese?

Brick cheese was invented by John Jossi, a Wisconsin cheesemaker, in 1877.

What does brick cheese taste like?

Brick cheese tastes mild and a little nutty when young and pungent and tangy when aged.

Does brick cheese melt well?

Brick cheese melts well, which is why it works on pizza, in polenta and in sandwiches.

Your first brick cheese

For your first brick cheese, buy a small young block, slice it on rye with mustard and try a little melted on top of polenta. Then buy an aged piece and taste the change.