Brick Cheese vs Queso de Flor de Guía

Brick Cheese is a semi-hard, smear-ripened cow-milk cheese from United States, while Queso de Flor de Guía is dense, compact, pasty and made from cow, goat, and sheep milk.

What Is Brick Cheese?

Brick cheese is a Wisconsin cheese pressed into brick shape and ripened on the surface with Brevibacterium linens. Young, it is sweet, mild and melts well; aged, it smells stronger and tastes nuttier. It is the traditional cheese on Detroit-style pizza.

What Is Queso de Flor de Guía?

Queso de Flor de Guía is a full-fat or half-fat cheese from Spain, specifically produced in Gáldar, Moya, and Santa María de Guía in Gran Canaria. It is made primarily from Canary Island sheep’s milk, with up to 40% Canary Island cattle milk and up to 10% Canary Island goat milk. The milk is curdled exclusively using vegetable rennet derived from the dried flower heads of Cynara cardunculus var. ferocissima and Cynara scolymus. The cheese has a cylindrical shape and varies in size from 0.5 to 5 kg. Its texture is dense, compact, and pasty, with a very soft and creamy interior when semi-mature and a harder body when fully matured. The flavor is highly aromatic, acidic, and bitter, with mild burning and astringent sensations. It matures for at least 15 days for semi-mature cheese and over 60 days for mature cheese.

What's the Difference Between Brick Cheese and Queso de Flor de Guía?

• Milk type: Brick Cheese (Cow's milk), Queso de Flor de Guía (Sheep (Canary Island breed), with up to 40% cow and 10% goat milk)
• Texture: Brick Cheese (semi-hard, smear-ripened), Queso de Flor de Guía (Dense, compact, pasty)
• Rind: Brick Cheese (washed), Queso de Flor de Guía (Soft and elastic when young, dark brown and harder when mature)
• Aging: Brick Cheese (Best enjoyed at between 10 and 12 weeks), Queso de Flor de Guía (15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature))
• Taste: Brick Cheese (Sweet and mild when young, matures into strong, ripe cheese with age), Queso de Flor de Guía (Aromatic, acidic, and bitter)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Brick Cheese Taste Like Queso de Flor de Guía?

Brick Cheese reads as sweet and mild when young, matures into strong, ripe cheese with age, while Queso de Flor de Guía brings aromatic, acidic, and bitter character. On the nose, Brick Cheese offers pungent, rich, contrasted with Queso de Flor de Guía's medium intensity, with lactic and vegetal notes. More specifically, Brick Cheese shows sweet and mild when unaged, nuttier with a stronger smell after aging, while Queso de Flor de Guía leans toward lactic, vegetal (cardoon and nuts). Aging plays into this as well. Brick Cheese at best enjoyed at between 10 and 12 weeks develops a different profile than Queso de Flor de Guía at 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature).

Can You Substitute Brick Cheese for Queso de Flor de Guía?

Brick Cheese can stand in for Queso de Flor de Guía in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect semi-hard, smear-ripened bite and body where the recipe calls for dense, compact, pasty. Flavor-wise, Brick Cheese reads as sweet and mild when young, matures into strong, ripe cheese with age while Queso de Flor de Guía brings aromatic, acidic, and bitter notes.

Which Is Better, Brick Cheese or Queso de Flor de Guía?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a semi-hard, smear-ripened cheese, go with Brick Cheese. For a dense, compact, pasty profile, Queso de Flor de Guía is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Brick Cheese suits recipes that want sweet and mild when young, matures into strong, ripe cheese with age notes, while Queso de Flor de Guía fits dishes calling for aromatic, acidic, and bitter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Brick Cheese the same as Queso de Flor de Guía?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Brick Cheese is made from cow milk; Queso de Flor de Guía uses cow, goat, and sheep. Aging also differs: Brick Cheese is typically aged best enjoyed at between 10 and 12 weeks, Queso de Flor de Guía 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature).

Is Brick Cheese similar to Queso de Flor de Guía?

Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.

Can I substitute Brick Cheese for Queso de Flor de Guía?

You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.

Does Brick Cheese taste like Queso de Flor de Guía?

Brick Cheese reads as sweet and mild when young, matures into strong, ripe cheese with age, while Queso de Flor de Guía is aromatic, acidic, and bitter. Aromas also diverge. Brick Cheese leans pungent, rich, and Queso de Flor de Guía is closer to medium intensity, with lactic and vegetal notes.

What is Brick Cheese made of?

Brick Cheese is made from cow milk. It's typically aged best enjoyed at between 10 and 12 weeks. It originates in United States.

What is Queso de Flor de Guía made of?

Queso de Flor de Guía is made from cow, goat, and sheep milk, using vegetable (cynara cardunculus var. ferocissima, cynara scolymus) rennet. It's typically aged 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature).

Which should I choose, Brick Cheese or Queso de Flor de Guía?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Brick Cheese is semi-hard, smear-ripened, while Queso de Flor de Guía is dense, compact, pasty.