What you need to know about our cheese and expiry dates

On the daily we’re asked about our cheeses and their best before dates. 

As handmade cheesemakers, our products vary from batch to batch. Winemakers have a vintage once per year - while cheesemakers have one every day!

For example, the camembert made today will ripen differently to one made next week - this is due to a range of factors including:

Temperature and humidity - how many times did someone open the cold room door that week?

Cheese composition - moisture content can be impacted based on who stirred the curd that day!

Did you know only 1 Milawa Cheese has a use by date? Our goat Curd is our only product that needs to be consumed prior to the date on the packaging.

The rest of our range has best before dates - meaning they are safe to consume after the date on the packaging. In fact, many people will argue that cheese is often best after the best before date as that is when cheese is at its peak and is full of flavour.

We recommend that when you pop your cheeses into the fridge, do an inspection, noting what the cheese looks and smells like - this is your reference point when opening the cheese to eat.

Tip: If you like your cheese milder, eat it soon after purchasing. Like a stronger cheese? Push it to the back of the fridge and wait it out.

After it's best before date? 

White moulds can have some white mould deterioration or begin to have a slight ammonia smell.

Washed rinds can become tacky or sticky around the washed rind and become more and more pungent. It will stink out the fridge!

Our cheeses are living breathing organisms, once cut they will try to regrow their protective rind across the cut surface.  This is easily fixed by cutting a thin slice off the cut surface to remove any white mould growing there.

Cheeses will continue to mature and change in flavour throughout their life.  Where along that life span you enjoy it most will depend on your own taste buds!