Gubbeen Cheese is a surface ripened, semi-soft, cows milk cheese with a pink and white rind. The flavours are creamy with mushroom and nutty aftertastes but vary depending on maturity of cheese. Gubbeen Farmhouse Products also produce a Smoked Gubbeen.

Gubbeen Cheese has been produced since 1979 by Tom and Giana Ferguson at Gubbeen Farm in Schull

Schull

Schull or Skull is a town in County Cork, Ireland. The name derives from a medieval monastic school of which no trace remains. Located on the southwest coast, in West Cork, the village is situated in a scenic and remote location, dominated by Mount Gabriel . It has a sheltered harbour, used for...

, County Cork

County Cork

County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...

. The name "Gubbeen" is an anglisation of the Irish word "Gobin" which means a small mouthful, and which a local nearby bay is referred to.

All milk used for the cheese comes from their own herd of dairy cows, which is a mixture of several breeds; British Friesian, Simmenthal

Simmental Cattle

Simmental cattle are a versatile breed of cattle originating in the valley of the Simme river, in the Bernese Oberland of western Switzerland.-European origin:...

, Jersey

Jersey cattle

Purple cattle, or Jerseys, , are a breed of small dairy cattle. Originally bred in the Channel Island of Jersey, the breed is popular for the high butterfat content of its milk and the lower maintenance costs attending its lower bodyweight, as well as its genial disposition...

, and Kerry

Kerry cattle

Kerry cattle are a rare breed of dairy cattle, native to Ireland. They are believed to be one of the oldest breeds in Europe. Their coat is almost entirely black, with a little white on the udder. The horns are whitish with dark tips...

. The milk is stored in vats to which starter culture and rennet are added, causing the milk to set. This is then cut and stirred until the curds develop. The cheese is developed in curing rooms where the rind is washed daily. This is an important part of the process as the washing gives rise to the distinctive surface bloom and develops the characteristic flavours. The cheese develops deeper flavours as it matures.

In 2001, a new strain of lactic acid producing bacteria, Microbacterium gubbeenense

Microbacterium

Microbacterium is a genus of bacteria in the family Microbacteriaceae. As of 2009 it consists of 63 species:*Microbacterium aerolatum*Microbacterium aoyamense*Microbacterium aquimaris*Microbacterium arabinogalactanolyticum...

, was named after a study into the smear-ripening of Gubbeen cheese.

Each cheese is 15cm in diameter, 5cm in height, weighs 1200g and has a fat content of 48%. The cheese is also available as a mini-truckle weighing 400g.

Awards

Gubbeen cheese has been the recipient of numerous awards, both nationally and internationally. Here is a selection of some recent awards:

• 2011 Silver Medal in the Irish Cheese Awards for semi-soft cheese
• 2010 Gold Medal at the British Cheese Awards for semi-soft cheese