Winnimere is Jasper Hill Farm’s most lauded invention – a take on mountain classics like Forsterkase and Vacherin Mont d’Or. In keeping with tradition, this decadent cheese is made only during winter months from the farm’s herd of Ayrshire cows as their fresh, raw milk achieves peak richness.

The original concept for Winnimere is centered on capturing wild flora from the farm’s pasture and woodland, but also from its underground cave. Specially crafted beer is an ideal medium for harvesting rogue cultures; freshly brewed wort (sugary malt extract) is exposed within the vault as it cools, accumulating microflora that will serve as primary agents of fermentation. The ancient technique of washing young cheeses in beer-laden brine cultivates a living rind, which dramatically softens Winnimere’s interior during a 60-day period of affinage.

We are pleased to announce that the original brewer of Winni-beer, Shaun Hill, is the creator of this year’s wash. A near relative of the farm’s namesake, Jasper Hill, Shaun recently opened Hill Farmstead Brewery on his family’s ancestral farmland - the culmination of more than a decade spent brewing in Vermont and most recently in Denmark as Head Brewer at both Nørrebro Bryghus and the re-launched Fanø Bryghus. This long-awaited opening marks another step forward in the quest to preserve Vermont’s working landscape.

Hill’s creation, made exclusively for Winnimere, has low relative bitterness and high residual extract; sweetness helps the bold, pungent cheese maintain balance while accentuating the earthy aroma and smooth, milky core. A spruce bark wrap, cut from Jasper Hill Farm’s own woodlot, cinches the gooey package and lends a woodsy thrust to its overall character. To further evoke the aroma and influence of the beer treatment, pair Winnimere with a hearty, off-dry style like a Belgian Tripel.