As early as the 1950s the Grubb family were producing dairy based products (butter and potted cream) on their farm, Beechmount, in the heart of Co. Tipperary, Ireland. In 1978 Louis Grubb returned from working as an agricultural research worker in the west of Ireland to the farm where he was born and raised. Along with him came his wife, Jane, and their young daughter, Sarah.Louis established a commercial dairy farm at Beechmount, selling the milk to the local creamery. Farming soon became depressed, and the monotony of milking cows day in day out, encouraged Louis and Jane to look at ways of breaking from straight farming and to diversify Beechmount. Before meeting Louis, Jane had worked as a chef for several years and maintained a love of quality food. Therefore she suggested they look at the possibility of making cheese and, having researched various styles of cheese (and learning how to make them), Jane and Louis identified that there was a gap in the Irish market with relation to blue cheese. While Danish Blue sold well in Ireland, there was no native equivalent. Jane set about developing a blue cheese and, in 1984, two years after first looking at cheese as a way of diversifying the farm, Cashel Blue began.
Initially, on a very small scale, with 8 cheeses being produced a day, using an old brewer’s 90 litres (20 gallon) copper vat. The cheese was sold in the local Country Market in Fethard and to a few speciality shops in Dublin and Galway.Within its first year Cashel Blue’s reputation for high standards was established as a result of winning the Supreme Champion at Clones Agricultural show, (at the time the principle Irish cheese show). Starting from this small production base Cashel Blue has steadily grown and today has far flung markets with availability as far afield as Tokyo, The Napa Valley, California, Hawaii, and Melbourne, Australia.
Cashel Blue Today
All 200 tons of Cashel Blue Irish Farmhouse Cheese are solely produced by the Grubb family, helped by a team of ten local staff. A large part of the milk used in the production of Cashel Blue is supplied by Louis’ herd of Pedigree Holstein Friesan cows, while the remaining balance is bought in from local Tipperary farms. While a handmade product, consistency of style has been key to the growth of Cashel Blue and accordingly the milk supplied for the production of Cashel Blue is closely monitored. The Cashel Blue herd is fed a specific high protein based diet, together with the lush grass of Tipperary’s limestone pastures.In 2001 Sarah, Louis and Jane’s daughter returned to the family enterprise together with her husband Sergio Furno, following a time working for a French cheese-maker in the Alps and a wine maker in Piemonte. Sergio, originally of northern Italian origin, had met Sarah over exchanges of rice and cheese while in university in Wales. Following university they both worked in various angles of the wine industry in England, Ireland, France and Italy during which time they fine-tuned both their tasting skills and business acumen and nurtured their passion for food and wine in general.
Cashel Blue to this day is a handmade cheese, our 2273 litre (500 gallon) vats contain no paddles and all critical decisions are judged by the experience and sensory skills of our cheese-making team led by Geurt Van den Dikkenberg, our cheese-maker. The Grubb family stand firmly committed to the quality of their cheese. Cashel Blue is tasted on a regular basis with cheeses selected specifically to meet the requirements of their varied markets and aged accordingly.
