Brick Cheese vs Queso Los Beyos

Brick Cheese is a semi-hard, smear-ripened cow-milk cheese from United States, while Queso Los Beyos is hard to semi-hard, closed, friable, crumbly, minimal elasticity and made from cow, goat, or 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 Los Beyos?

Queso de Los Beyos is a protected geographical indication cheese from the Los Beyos gorge, shared by Ponga and Amieva in Asturias and Oseja de Sajambre in Leon, Spain. It is a small smoked cheese of cow, goat, or sheep milk, semi-hard to hard, with a mild acidic tang.

What's the Difference Between Brick Cheese and Queso Los Beyos?

• Milk type: Brick Cheese (Cow's milk), Queso Los Beyos (Cow’s, sheep’s, or goat’s milk (never mixed))
• Texture: Brick Cheese (semi-hard, smear-ripened), Queso Los Beyos (Hard to semi-hard, closed, friable, crumbly, minimal elasticity)
• Rind: Brick Cheese (washed), Queso Los Beyos (Thin, coarse, creamy yellow to light brown)
• Aging: Brick Cheese (Best enjoyed at between 10 and 12 weeks), Queso Los Beyos (Minimum 15 days, or 60 days if made from raw milk)
• Taste: Brick Cheese (Sweet and mild when young, matures into strong, ripe cheese with age), Queso Los Beyos (Mild (cow’s milk), more intense (sheep’s and goat’s milk))

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Brick Cheese Taste Like Queso Los Beyos?

Brick Cheese reads as sweet and mild when young, matures into strong, ripe cheese with age, while Queso Los Beyos brings mild (cow’s milk), more intense (sheep’s and goat’s milk) character. On the nose, Brick Cheese offers pungent, rich, contrasted with Queso Los Beyos's mild in cow’s milk cheese, stronger in sheep’s and goat’s cheese. More specifically, Brick Cheese shows sweet and mild when unaged, nuttier with a stronger smell after aging, while Queso Los Beyos leans toward slightly salty, lightly acidic, fresh milky aftertaste (cow’s), stronger and longer-lasting in sheep’s and goat’s versions. Aging plays into this as well. Brick Cheese at best enjoyed at between 10 and 12 weeks develops a different profile than Queso Los Beyos at minimum 15 days, or 60 days if made from raw milk.

Can You Substitute Brick Cheese for Queso Los Beyos?

Brick Cheese can stand in for Queso Los Beyos 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 hard to semi-hard, closed, friable, crumbly, minimal elasticity. Flavor-wise, Brick Cheese reads as sweet and mild when young, matures into strong, ripe cheese with age while Queso Los Beyos brings mild (cow’s milk), more intense (sheep’s and goat’s milk) notes.

Which Is Better, Brick Cheese or Queso Los Beyos?

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 hard to semi-hard, closed, friable, crumbly, minimal elasticity profile, Queso Los Beyos 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 Los Beyos fits dishes calling for mild (cow’s milk), more intense (sheep’s and goat’s milk).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Brick Cheese the same as Queso Los Beyos?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Brick Cheese is made from cow milk; Queso Los Beyos uses cow, goat, or sheep. Aging also differs: Brick Cheese is typically aged best enjoyed at between 10 and 12 weeks, Queso Los Beyos minimum 15 days, or 60 days if made from raw milk.

Is Brick Cheese similar to Queso Los Beyos?

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

Can I substitute Brick Cheese for Queso Los Beyos?

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

Does Brick Cheese taste like Queso Los Beyos?

Brick Cheese reads as sweet and mild when young, matures into strong, ripe cheese with age, while Queso Los Beyos is mild (cow’s milk), more intense (sheep’s and goat’s milk). Aromas also diverge. Brick Cheese leans pungent, rich, and Queso Los Beyos is closer to mild in cow’s milk cheese, stronger in sheep’s and goat’s cheese.

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 Los Beyos made of?

Queso Los Beyos is made from cow, goat, or sheep milk (raw or pasteurized), using animal rennet. It's typically aged minimum 15 days, or 60 days if made from raw milk.

Which should I choose, Brick Cheese or Queso Los Beyos?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Brick Cheese is semi-hard, smear-ripened, while Queso Los Beyos is hard to semi-hard, closed, friable, crumbly, minimal elasticity.