Flagship Reserve is a special version of Beecher's signature Flagship cheese. It is made only on days when the milk composition is just right. The last curds on the table from these makes are used to produce Flagship Reserve truckles as it allows for slightly lower moisture, higher salt content and thus a richer taste and texture while maintaining a clean, creamy finish. In addition to using this special raw material, Flagship Reserve is traditionally cloth-bound and open-air aged. This method allows a 14 to 16% moisture loss during aging, concentrating the already rich flavor and producing a long finish.
A cheese lover since childhood, Kurt Beecher Dammeier remembers encouraging his mother to buy premium cheese at a time when processed cheese was overtaking the market. He also recalls his great-grandfather, whose first name was Beecher, purchasing Stilton by the wheel. In his college years at Washington State University (which is well known for its agricultural programs), Kurt was able to learn about the process of making fine cheese. Then, in 2002, with a track record as a successful businessman and entrepreneur, he decided to combine his love of great cheese and passion for pure food, with inspiration and business savvy. He decided to become the only artisanal cheese producer in Seattle. The idea for Beecher's Handmade Cheese was born.
The first wheel of Flagship, Beecher's signature cheese, was handcrafted just as Beecher's Handmade Cheese opened its doors in Seattle's historic Pike Place Market in November of 2003. Flagship is a semi-hard cow's milk cheese with a uniquely robust, nutty flavor. It is carefully aged for one year under the watchful eye of the cheesemaker to fully develop its complex flavor and ever-so-slight crumble. A uniquely American cheese, enjoy Beecher's Flagship as a midday snack or as part of a cheese course.
Awarded 2nd Place in the American Cheese Society 2007 Awards in Best of Show, as well as 1st Place in the Aged Cheddar Category.
- Made from pasteurized cow's milk.
- Photo depicts whole 20 lb. form of cheese.
- We cut and wrap this item by hand.