Béal Organic Cheese facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Béal Organic Cheese |
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| Country of origin | Ireland |
| Region | County Kerry |
| Town | Listowel |
| Source of milk | Cows |
Béal Organic Cheese is a special type of cheddar cheese made in Ireland. It comes from a small family farm called Béal Lodge Dairy Farm. This farm is located in Listowel, County Kerry, right by the mouth of the River Shannon. The cheese is made by hand using milk from Holstein cows. It's known for being the first Irish cheese made using organic farming methods.
Contents
The Story of Béal Cheese
How It All Started
Kate Carmody, who makes Béal Organic Cheese, started her cheese-making journey in 1987. Her mother gave her a cheese press and a book about making cheese as a gift. This gift inspired Kate to begin her own cheese-making adventure.
Becoming Organic
In 1997, Kate began changing her farm to use organic farming methods. This means growing food and raising animals without using artificial chemicals. By 2000, her farm was fully organic. This made Béal Organic Cheese the very first Irish Cheddar cheese to be made organically.
Getting Support
In 2010, Kate Carmody appeared on a TV show in Ireland called Dragons' Den. On the show, she successfully got an investment of €50,000. This money helped her grow her cheese business even more.
Different Kinds of Béal Cheese
Béal Organic Cheese offers three main types of cheese. Sometimes, the availability of these cheeses depends on the time of year.
- Béal Mild Organic Irish Cheddar: This cheese is made from milk that has been pasteurised. Pasteurisation is a process that heats milk to kill harmful germs. It also uses vegetarian rennet, which is a natural ingredient that helps milk turn into cheese.
- Béal Handmade Mature Organic Cheddar: This is another cheese made from pasteurised milk and vegetarian rennet. "Mature" means it has been aged for a longer time, giving it a stronger flavor.
- Béal Raw Milk Mature Organic Cheddar: This cheese is made from raw, unpasteurised milk. It also uses vegetarian rennet. This type of cheese takes up to nine months to fully mature and develop its rich taste.
Awards and Recognition
Béal Organic Cheese has won awards for its quality.
- In 2009, it won a Silver award at the World Cheese Awards.
