Woombye Ash Brie: Sunshine Coast Cheese

Cheese Atlas — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 04:24:40 +0000

About Woombye Ash Brie

Woombye Ash Brie is a soft cheese made by Woombye Cheese Company in Queensland.

Woombye is situated in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast region approximately 1.5 hours drive north of Brisbane. Surrounded by beautiful agricultural and dairy country, it’s the perfect place to make cheese.

Happy cows make great milk

Unsurprisingly, this lush terrain makes for happy cows. And, as we all know, happy cows produce the highest quality milk.

Actually, Woombye Cheese Company’s local milk supplier collects fresh milk daily from small local farms, pasteurises it and delivers it to their factory. Furthermore, they handmake all of their cheeses using traditional methods and a mixture of care and experience.

Inspired by Will Studd

Woombye Cheese Company founders Karen and Graeme Paynter were living in Singapore when the idea of making cheese first dawned on them. Fondly, Karen recalls the moment Graeme suggested ditching his career in corporate marketing to become a cheesemaker.

“We were watching Will Studd Cheese Slices on TV, and that particular episode was of this lady in Ireland making cheese in this little tiny stone shed out the back of her house,”

Subsequently, one thing quickly led to another and the work-from-home corporate lawyer soon found herself on a property in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast hinterland.

From tractor shed to cheese factory

Incredibly, Graeme designed the factory and proceeded to convert an old tractor shed into their first cheesemaking facility.

Fast forward to July 2013 and the Woombye Cheese Company produced its first batch of hand-made Camembert.

Cheesemaker from New Zealand

Tellingly, they brought in an experienced cheesemaker from New Zealand called Stefan Wilson to lead their small team.

Every week, he transforms 5,000 litres of high quality hinterland milk into curd and pours them into moulds. Moreover, their team painstakingly turns each cheese daily to allow for a uniform texture.

Each soft cheese spends up to 10 days in the maturing rooms before they are wrapped and packed for delivery Australia-wide.

Rolled in charcoal

Currently, they make a large range of artisanal cheeses including a Camembert, Triple Cream Brie, Blackall Gold Washed Rind and the Woombye Ash Brie.

The latter is a decadent triple cream cheese that is gently rolled in vegetable ash before maturation. Overall, the ash produces a striking black rind which contrasts with white mould patches.

The Ash Brie has a tantalisingly creamy straw-coloured pâte and an earthy aroma that is reminiscent of wild mushrooms. Furthermore, its flavour is rich and buttery.

How to pair Woombye Ash Brie

Enjoy this unctuous beauty with a glass of Champagne!

Thank you for reading

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