Learn about the different types of Colby cheese that you can look for in the grocery store from Longhorn to Aged Colby. Also what are the brands of Colby you can't miss.
📋 What's New In This Post (8/29/25) - Added a new photo and a story about eating Colby in Wisconsin.
My First Taste of True Colby Cheese
Memorial Day weekend 2010 brings back some of my favorite memories. It was my first out-of-state trip since I started this food blog, and I was excited to see what culinary discoveries awaited. We planned to drive through Wisconsin on our way to visit a friend on the Wisconsin-Michigan border in the Upper Peninsula.
Arriving in Madison in the mid-afternoon, we just caught the tail end of the farmers market, one I would return to many times over the years as it's the largest in the nation. I had one spot in mind: a charming little cheese shop called Fromagination. I grabbed some Colby cheese as a snack and snapped a picture of it on the table outside.
That first taste of high-quality Colby was eye-opening. I had always relied on store brands or Kraft, but this cheese was a whole new experience. It sparked my love for exploring cheeses and became a turning point for the blog. Today, I want to show you the different types of Colby cheese I've discovered on my travels, proving that Colby is far from boring and deserves its own spotlight, rather than being written off as just a cheddar wannabe.
This post is a part of my Cheese Series? featuring | Muenster | Brick | Gouda | Butterkase | Pinconning
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❔ What is Colby?
If you shop at any grocery store in America, you are sure to find a block of Colby cheese somewhere in the store. So what is Colby cheese all about? First, it is named after the town in which it was first created, Colby, Wisconsin. It is very similar to cheddar cheese, but it does not undergo the cheddaring process. It is made in much the same way that Monterey Jack cheese is made.
Colby is all about enjoying with your favorite cracker or other snack. It is mild in flavor, so it is not strong enough to use in cooking applications. During production for Colby, the whey is replaced by water. What this does is reduce the overall acidity of the final product.
📋 Ingredients in Colby
What are the common ingredients you can expect to find in a Colby cheese?
- Pasteurized milk
- Culture
- Salt
- Enzymes
- Annatto color
The annatto doesn't add any flavor to the cheese but it's what gives cheese it's bright orange color. Most Colby gets it but I have found some in the past that were just white like this one from Kentucky:
🐮 Longhorn Colby
I would say the most popular "type of Colby" cheese is Longhorn Colby. Longhorn is in the shape of a half circle. Is it cut from Colby cheese that is formed into a long cylinder shape. If you slice that cylinder in half and then cut off chunks from each half you have Colby cheese.
Does Longhorn Colby taste any different? No, it's just a shape. However, a lot of my favorite Colby cheeses are Longhorn. It is a great cheese for a cheeseboard as when you slice it, it will be a different shape than a square cheese. Any good cheeseboard will have slices of different shapes so guests can tell each cheese apart.
👴🏻 Aged Colby
Colby is normally sold without it being aged like Cheddar. However, I did discover that some places are selling an Aged Colby, which is quite sharp. When Colby ages it gets drier, so you will find that any Aged Colby is going to have a more crumbly texture. I did not care for it at all.
👶 Squeaky Green Colby
When I was in Shipshewana, Indiana I found some Colby cheese that was labeled as "squeaky green". This cheese was super fresh. It had just come from the factory. The cheese actually squeaked when I ate it and it was really moist. It was a nice treat to get cheese that fresh but very uncommon to find.
I want to share what someone said that also got to have this cheese in Shipshewana. Thanks Annie for your comment!
✍🏻 Featured Comment - Annie says "I just came back from Shipshewana, and purchased the squeeky green colby. Sooooo goood.!! It was briny, a little dry, but very flavorful. I wish I had bought more."
🥛 Raw Milk Colby
You can make Colby cheese with raw milk. I don't see it too often thought. There are some regulations on using raw milk for cheese. The government says the cheese has to be aged for 60 days before it can be sold. The reasoning is that this is more than enough time for anything that could be harmful in the raw milk itself to be broken down and not be a risk.
Raw milk cheeses tend to have a better flavor, so if you see a raw milk Colby, doesn't hesitate to buy it and try it.
RELATED - What is Raw Milk Cheddar Cheese and Where to Buy It
🚜 Organic Colby
For a Colby cheese to be classified as organic, here is what the USDA says about the milk used to make the cheese - "Before it can be turned into cheese, organic milk must come from a certified organic cow. The organic cow cannot be given growth hormones or antibiotics, and its feed must be 100 percent organic"
🧀 Colby Jack & Colby Swiss
Let's talk about a couple of blends I have discovered using Colby cheese. You often find Colby and Monterrey jack, swirled together in a mixture known as colby-jack or co-jack. It's a kid's favorite.
On occasion I have found Colby cheese mixed with other types of cheese like this Colby Swiss from the Mousehouse in Windsor, Wisconsin.
🏆 Favorite Colby
Next time your at the local mega mart, do some exploring. Don't just settle for the Kraft brand or store brand Colby. I find those lack the true Colby flavor and are hard to differentiate from a mild cheddar. See what else is out there. A good Colby is a treasure when you find it.
Here are my favorites:
- Widmer's
- Guggisberg
- Hook's
- Wilmot Farms
- Troyer
Have you tried any of the Colby cheese that I mentioned today? Let me know by leaving a comment below. I would love to hear from you. Or if you have a question about Colby cheese.
Roy Schmidt
You can buy aged Colby cheese, up to two years, and it's great stuff. I've only found it in Colby, Wisconsin, though, but it is worth the trip.
admin
I checked up on that and you are right, I did find some places that do sell aged Colby. It just isn't done very often.
Roy Schmidt
Well, feel free to post your sources. I drove through Colby yesterday (on holiday up North) and my source, the Colby Cheese House, has gone out of business. 🙁
admin
I just received a shipment that contains Aged Colby from Bass Lake Cheese Factory (http://www.blcheese.com/). They are in Somerset, Wisconsin. I will be writing a post on aged colby soon as well as my review of their particular aged colby. I am glad you pointed this out to me.
Annie
I just came back from Shipshewana, and purchased the squeeky green colby. Sooooo goood.!! It was briny, a little dry, but very flavorful. I wish I had bought more.
Eric Samuelson
Hey Annie! That's so great. Glad you go to try. Thanks for taking the time to make a comment.