Meet the Cheesemaker Coolattin Cheddar, Sat July 18th 3pm – 5pm

Meet the Cheesemaker Coolattin Cheddar, Sat July 18th 3pm – 5pm

Join the Centre of Food Culture Ireland  on Saturday 18th July at 3pm for a farm walk, tour, and tasting with Tom Burgess of Coolattin Cheddar.

For over 20 years, Tom has been producing high-quality milk from his pasture-fed cows in West Wicklow. Determined to create a cheese that reflected the richness of this milk, Tom developed Coolattin Cheddar – a raw milk cheese crafted the very same day the cows are milked, staying true to his ethos: “Pasture to Cheddar the same day.”

What makes this cheese unique is not only the clover-rich summer pasture the cows graze on, but the use of early morning milk, naturally high in melatonin. The milk is pumped directly to the cheese vat – unpasteurised and unprocessed – preserving its full natural flavour.

Using a traditional method, the milk is gently transformed: curd is cut, scalded, drained and pitched, milled and salted by hand, before being pressed in 40lb moulds for two days. The cheese is then matured for over a year at 10°C, developing a full flavour that slowly evolves from sweet, fruity notes to a nutty, savoury finish.

This immersive event will include a guided farm walk, a visit to the maturing rooms, and a tasting led by Tom himself – an opportunity to experience the entire journey from land to cheese.

Whether you’re a food lover, chef, producer or simply curious about the story behind your cheese, this is a rare chance to engage directly with one of Ireland’s most thoughtful cheesemakers in the scenic setting of Knockeen House.

Proudly supported by Sheridans Cheesemongers.

Event Date: July 18th 2026

Event Time: 3pm – 5pm