Turophiles—those who fancy cheese more than most—have been eating, learning, and celebrating across downtown Denver this weekend at the American Cheese Society’s 34th annual conference, dubbed ‘Cheese with Altitude.’ Last night, at the ACS Judging & Competition, 2,024 cheeses and cultured dairy products (think: yogurt, kefir, crème fraiche, butter) from 281 companies competed to take home top honors. We’re proud (and hungry) to report that nine awards went to Colorado producers:

  • Fruition Farms Creamery won a first place ribbon for its sheep’s milk ricotta and second place for its sheep’s milk feta
  • Avalanche Cheese Company took home a first place award for its Hand Bandaged Goat Cheddar and second place for its Midnight Blue
  • Haystack Mountain Creamery earned the most glory with four winners in separate categories, including firsts for its Gold Hill and goat’s milk Queso de Mano and third prizes for its soft-ripened washed rind Funkmeister and aged washed rind Sunlight
  • Epicurean Butter won third place for its Organic Roasted Garlic Herb Butter

To find these incredible local products, check out our guide to some of the Front Range’s best cheese shops. Or head down to the ‘Festival of Cheese’ event tonight at the Colorado Convention Center from 7 to 9:30 p.m. There you can sample (and/or buy) cheeses from this year’s competition, as well as nosh on chocolate, charcuterie, and more. Tickets are $65 at the door.

Denise Mickelsen
Denise Mickelsen
Denise Mickelsen is 5280’s former food editor. She oversaw all of 5280’s food-related coverage from October 2016 to March 2021.