Barista

Johan Deweer took over his family’s farm in 1987. The farm had traditionally been a mixed-use farm raising livestock and growing crops. After studying cheese making in New Zealand and Normandy Johan and his wife Dominique chose to focus on cheese making.

Kaasafineurs Van Tricht is run by father and son team, Michel and Frederic. Michel bought his father’s delicatessen in 1978. He began developing an interest in cheese and began working with local farmers on selection for the shop.

Two aging rooms were built on to the back of the shop in Berchem, a suburb of Antwerp, where Michel began providing affinage. Eventually he and Frederic took over the former bottling line inside the DeKoninck brewery, where they have expanded to eight different temperature and humidity-controlled rooms to age cheeses from all over Europe.

Barista starts off as a traditional, washed rind cheese, reminiscent of Abbey style cheeses commonly found throughout the history of Belgian. But a modern twist is applied, with the addition of locally roasted coffee grinds. Grinds are layered between the two halves of the paste, in homage to Morbier, as well as rubbed on the rind. This addition blends harmoniously with the rich, creamy paste, giving off notes of mocha, chocolate, and a juicy acidity.