MINGER - Highland Fine Cheeses
MINGER - Highland Fine Cheeses
MINGER - Highland Fine Cheeses
MINGER - Highland Fine Cheeses

MINGER

A Brie-style cheese made in the Highlands of Scotland by us (The Stone family and our team), Minger is a delightful addition to any cheese lover's repertoire.

Orange annatto soft washed rind, Minger is a direct rip off from our friends across the channel, a mimic of Reblochon/Pont-l’Eveque – the desire is to produce a meaty protein substitute, unctuous in texture and taste.

BEWARE it's a wee stinker, the annatto wash creates a sticky bright orange rind, like a Scottish Munster or Epoisses.

Try with a dry crisp white wine.

A Minger should ming – in a good way!

250g square block

A deliciously soft, oozy, creamy paste, mildly nutty and lemony, hinting at flavours of the farmyard but becoming decadently pungent (a rather memorable aroma) and runny when ripe. Perfectly balances rich decadent butter and smooth earthy mushroom. The Annatto is a spice and food colouring derived from the seeds of the achiote tree, orange-red in colour and has its own nutty, floral aroma.

  • Soft
  • Creamy
  • Washed Rind

Milk

Keep refrigerated below 5°C and consume within 5 days of opening. Minger will remain fresh for around 4 weeks (refrigerated) and can also be frozen.

Minger is a very pungent cheese, so we advise keeping it wrapped it it's original wrapped and once opened, consider popping it in a ziplock bag in your refrigerator to keep the smell at bay. Lots more tips on storing cheese are within our cheese board article

£7.50

We ship across the UK each week. Selection of date is available at checkout. We mainly dispatch on a Wednesday for next day delivery via Royal Mail 24hr Tracked Service. Please find full details in our shipping policy - https://hf-cheeses.com/policies/shipping-policy

All about Minger

Yes, yes we are aware the name is a slightly controversial subject and there are many who really dislike our use of this word. What can we say.... It's a bit like Marmite!

The naming and the smell of Minger Cheese

The word 'ming' actually comes from the old Scottish English word for 'bad smell' - in Scotland that is more commonly how the word is used. Over the years it has come to mean 'ugly' or 'disgusting' and used as a derogatory term. Our cheesemaker Rory as described the smell "A pungent aroma of welly boot".... and we'd proud to confirm that researchers at Cranfield University once named our Minger cheese as 'the world's smelliest cheese'. Whilst the smell might not be for everyone, the taste is simply divine.

The making of Minger

Every cheese is crafted in Tain, Scotland
Pasteurising and Curdling the Milk

We collect milk from local farms around Tain. Once the milk is received in our dairy, the milk goes through the pasteurisation process and will then be placed in vats. Cultures are added to begin the process of acidification. After a time, depending on how much acidity is required, rennet is stirred in, and the milk coagulates.

 Cutting and Draining the Curd

Once a firm set has been achieved and depending upon how much moisture we wish to retain in any specific cheese style we will cut the curds. As a basic rule the smaller you cut the curd the more moisture you will release, so bigger pieces of curd will retain more moisture and will be perfect for our MINGER

 Shaping the cheese – Moulding

Once cut, stirred and drained the curd will be placed into moulds and will continue to acidify and drain but by removing most of the whey you steal the moisture, some warmth and a lot of lactose on which the cultures like to eat and develop, in this way you can stall the process so that you end up with the right moisture, size and texture depending upon cheese style.

Salting and Maturation

You can add salt to cheese in three ways. Salt needs to be added both to flavour and preserve the curd.

MINGER is then washed every other day with a brine of salt and Annatto and matured for 13 days. Once the rind has developed and a bit of ming then the cheese is wrapped and allowed to mature for another week.
Pasteurising and Curdling the Milk
Cutting and Draining the Curd
Shaping the cheese – Moulding
Salting and Maturation

Minger Stockists

Are you looking for your local stockist for Minger cheese?

We're always working on expanding our availability across the UK (and beyond one day too!). You can buy from us directly online, or check out our Stockist locations on our very handy little map. Did you know you can pick up a very handy 125g Minger from Aldi & Morrisons in Scotland?

We're always updating this, so if you are a stockist please get in touch and let us know so we can add you in!