Brick
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.
Key Facts
| Country of Origin | United States |
| Specific Origin | Wisconsin |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk |
| Fat Content | Minimum fat and maximum moisture content regulated by US CFR |
| Rind | Washed |
| Texture | Semi-hard, smear-ripened |
| Flavor | Sweet and mild when young, matures into strong, ripe cheese with age |
| Aroma | Pungent, rich |
| Colors | Ivory |
| Forms | Brick-shaped |
| Age | Best enjoyed at between 10 and 12 weeks |
What is Brick Cheese?
Brick cheese comes from Wisconsin, where production began in 1877. The name is literal: bricks were used to press the curd into shape.
The method grew out of white American Cheddar, cultured at a slightly higher temperature. That small change raises the fat content a little, alters the protein structure, and leaves a softer cheese. Brevibacterium linens grows across the surface, the same bacterium that ripens Limburger and many French cheeses. Cheesemakers call that growth a smear, which is where the term smear-ripening comes from. Wheels rest on wooden shelves, get washed with a whey-and-water mixture, and are turned. The cheese is ready to eat after two weeks and can sit in cold storage for up to five months.
Color runs from pale yellow to white, with an orange rind. Unaged brick tastes sweet and mild and melts cleanly. With age, the smell sharpens and the flavor turns nutty.
It is the traditional cheese for Detroit-style pizza.
The US Code of Federal Regulations sets the fat and moisture content for brick cheese. That standard of identity says nothing about surface ripening with B. linens.
How Does Brick Cheese Compare?
The most relevant cheeses to compare Brick against.
