State of Maine Cheese Company

Nestled in the heart of Midcoast Maine, State of Maine Cheese has been hand-crafting fine cheeses for over twenty-five years from local farms.

Our natural milk comes from Oakhurst Dairy in Portland, Maine and our MOFGA certified organic milk comes from Caldwell Farms in Turner, Maine. Both dairies choose not to use artificial bovine growth hormone in their milk production.

We are proud to be the home of the Rockport Marketplace where we carry many fine products made right here in Maine and beyond. From our store customers can watch cheese being made in our production room. We also offer tours of our production area on days when we are not making cheese, but we ask that you please call ahead to arrange a time first. You can also see how cheese is made at our "How do we make cheese?" page.

We also host our own Farmer's Market every Saturday year-round 9a-Noon.

Our Cheeses

Our cheeses include a mild and sharp Cheddar, Plain and flavored Jack (Monterey), Caerphilly, Colby, Derby, and Fresh Cheddar Cheese Curd. We also make on a more limited basis fresh Mozzarella and Yogurt.

Cheddar

Our Cheddar is made by hand using time-honored traditional methods. This creates a hard very creamy cheese that is great mild or aged.

We make a mild/medium cheddar - Penobscot Cheddar, a sharp cheddar - Katahdin Cheddar, and Fresh Cheddar Cheese Curd. Occasionally, we also have a very sharp Cheddar that we call Old Katahdin Cheddar.

Jack (Monterey)

Our Jack cheese is our variation on the well known cheese. This mild cheese is moderately firm and creamy and is available as plain - Aroostook Jack, and as flavored - Casco Bay Garlic, Kennebec Dill, Sabbathday Lake Garden Vegetable, Saint Croix Black Pepper, Saco Jalapeno, Port City Pesto, and Roaring Brook Sage.

Other Cheeses

Our Caerphilly (Mt. Kineo Caerphilly), is a traditionally Welsh cheese. It has a moist, slightly crumbly texture; and a creamy flavor with a hint of tanginess at the finish. Mt. Kineo Caerphilly is only available as a pasteurized natural cheese.

Our Colby (Coastal Colby) is the New England variety without the added coloring. It has a softer more open texture than the Jack with a mild, savory taste similar to a mild cheddar. Coastal Colby is available as a raw milk organic cheese or as a pasteurized natural cheese.

Our Derby (Downeast Derby) is a hard cheese with a mild taste and smooth texture when young and a more robust flavor as it ages. We sometimes offer this cheese with added sage. Downeast Derby is only available as a raw milk organic cheese.

In accordance with State and Federal regulations all of our raw milk cheeses are aged for at least 60 days.