Grand Champion and Reserve Champion cheesemakers were selected on Thursday, July 17 at the 2025 Ohio State Fair Cheese Contest held at Miceli Dairy in Cleveland.
The American Dairy Association Mideast, who coordinated the event, is pleased to announce that Pearl Valley Cheese of Fresno took top honors, receiving the overall Grand Champion award for their Swiss cheese. Urban Stead Cheese of Cincinnati received the overall Reserve Champion award for their Gouda.
Participation was at an all-time high with 83 entries from cheesemakers across the state. Winners of the contest by classification are as follows:
Swiss Class
First Place: Pearl Valley Cheese, Fresno
Second Place: Pearl Valley Cheese, Fresno
Third Place: Guggisberg Cheese, Millersburg
Other Swiss Class
First Place: Urban Stead Cheese, Cincinnati – Gouda
Second Place: Guggisberg Cheese, Millersburg – Ziller
Third Place: Guggisberg Cheese, Millersburg – Baby Swiss
Mild Cheddar Class
First Place: Snowville Creamery, Pomeroy
Second Place: Middlefield Original Cheese, Middlefield
Third Place: Black Radish Creamery, Granville
Aged Cheddar Class
First Place: Middlefield Original Cheese, Middlefield
Second Place: Urban Stead Cheese, Cincinnati
Surface Mold Bloomy Class
First Place: Urban Stead Cheese, Cincinnati – Camembert
Second Place: Marchant Manor Cheese, Cleveland – Peppercorn Camembert
Third Place: Marchant Manor Cheese, Cleveland – Camembert
Bacteria Ripened Class
First Place: Marchant Manor Cheese, Cleveland – High Heaven Stout
Second Place: Black Radish Creamery, Granville – Pious
Spreadable Class
First Place: Turkeyfoot Creek Creamery, Wauseon – Strawberry Rhubarb Quark
Second Place: Blue Jacket Dairy, Bellefontaine – Lemon Quark
Third Place: Miceli Dairy Products, Cleveland – Ricotta Whole Milk
Cheese Curd Class
First Place: Tri-State Cheese, Hicksville – Muenster
Second Place: Tri-State Cheese, Hicksville – Garlic Dill Muenster
Third Place: Tri-State Cheese, Hicksville – Colby
Open Class – Traditional
First Place: Miceli Dairy Products, Cleveland – Mascarpone
Second Place: Miceli Dairy Products, Cleveland – Mozzarella
Third Place: Pearl Valley Cheese, Fresno – Colby
Open Class – Flavored
First Place: Pearl Valley Cheese, Fresno – Smoked Swiss
Second Place: Guggisberg Cheese, Millersburg – Smoked Swiss
Third Place: Guggisberg Cheese, Millersburg – Smoked Ziller
Open Class – Spicy
First Place: Pearl Valley Cheese, Fresno – Jumpin’ Jack
Second Place: Tri-State Cheese, Hicksville – Thunder Jack
Third Place: Biery Cheese Co., Louisville – Horseradish
Other Mammal Class
First Place: Blue Jacket Dairy, Bellefontaine – Feta
Second Place: Blue Jacket Dairy, Bellefontaine – Chevre
Third Place: Marchant Manor Cheese, Cleveland – Trafalgar
Judges for the contest included Steve Funk of Nelson-Jameson Inc, Aileen Kacvinsky of Schuman Cheese, Frank McWhirter of Great Lakes Cheese and Bill Rufenacht of the Dairy Connection.
Click here for a list of Ohio cheesemakers who offer their delicious products at their store or online.
