Brick

Brik

Brick is a Wisconsin original, first made by John Jossi around 1877. Some brick cheeses resemble Germany's surface-ripened beer cheese or beer käse. Brick was named for its shape and because cheesemakers originally used bricks to press the moisture from the cheese. Wisconsin leads the nation in the production of brick and surface-ripened brick. The bacteria that cheesemakers apply to surface-ripened cheeses, known as a smear, helps to develop the full, earthy flavor that has just a touch of nuttiness when young but turns pungent and tangy when aged.

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Appearance

Ivory to creamy yellow

Texture

Smooth, open texture

Flavor

Mild: sweet, with a touch of nuttiness Aged: pungent, tangy Dry rind: mild to pungent, depending on age Washed rind: mild to pungent, depending on whether it is mild, medium or aged

Serve.

Mild brick makes excellent macaroni and cheese, potatoes au gratin or hash browns with cheese. Aged brick adds flavor to all types of sandwiches. Try mild brick with sautéed onions and stone ground mustard on rye bread, with pickled vegetables on the side. Top toasted Italian bread with asparagus, ham and Wisconsin brick; broil and serve open face.

Pair.

Beer: Bock, Stout, Pale Ale, Weiss Beer, Porter, Brown Ale, Lager, Belgian Ale

Wine: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Champagne, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Beaujolais, Pinot Gris, Gruner Veltliner

Exchanges

Muenster, Havarti, Fontina, Limburger

Performance Notes - This cheese should be well chilled before cutting into square or rectangular pieces. Score the foil of surface-ripened brick before cutting. Remove the rind from washed-rind brick; it is bitter and not intended to be eaten.