We're excited to announce Rocky Butte received Bronze at the 2023 American Cheese Society (ACS) awards competition.
The ACS Judging and Competition is the largest event of its kind for American-made cheeses and took place May 15-19, 2023, at the Huntington Bank Stadium on the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis campus.
The 2023 event received 1,454 entries in 120 categories and awarded 370 medals. Rocky Butte received Bronze in the Farmstead Category – Aged 60 days or more – made from goat’s milk.
"Being awarded for a farmstead cheese is the ultimate validation for our whole team from the dairy, to the creamery, to marketing, our farmers market crew, and of course our goats," said Jack Rudolph, Stepladder Creamery co-owner. "We're so proud of everything they've accomplished, and to get awards in that category in back to back years for different cheeses is a dream come true."
"It is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day milking shifts, hoof trimming, equipment maintenance and all the cleaning that goes along with running a dairy," said Sophie Worthington, herd manager. "This, and our other awards, are a welcome reminder of why we do what we do and that we are really good at it. We have some amazing, hard-working goats and an incredible staff that goes to great lengths to ensure we are producing the highest quality milk and spoiling our goats in every way. We are all so grateful for this recognition!"
“I have a deep appreciation when I eat Rocky Butte", said Michelle Rudolph, creamery co-owner. "I always cherish the stewardship that goes into making this cheese. From the land, the goats, and the team. I’m stoked to get an award and that others can also taste the love that is put into this cheese.”
Stepladder Creamery was also honored to receive Gold in the same Farmstead Category at the 2022 ACS awards competition for Clothbound Goat Cheddar and Bronze for Ragged Point at the 2028 competition in the triple crème category.
"I think Jack summed it up quite nicely," said Ryan Aikens, creamery operations director. "The back-to-back awards are a true validation of the commitment and love the team puts into our cheeses."
Visit the Stepladder Creamery website to buy award-winning, seasonal and year-round cheeses online.
The ACS Competition shines the spotlight on American cheesemakers by showcasing their talents and work as leaders within the industry, both for their excellent cheesemaking and commitment to food safety. Growing from just 89 entries 37 years ago, the ACS J&C welcomed cheeses and cultured dairy products from 257 companies in 2019, when it was last held in Richmond, Virginia. Competing entries represented 35 U.S. states, 4 Canadian provinces, Mexico, and Brazil. The ACS awarded a total of 433 awards including 139 gold medals, 143 silver medals and 151 bronze medals. The 2022 event received nearly 1400 entries in 120 categories and awarded over 360 medals.
