2025-03-20
Here’s everything you need to know before visiting the São Jorge Cheese Factory in the Azores! Come and see how the famous matured PDO cheese is made, with a hard or semi-hard texture, an intense, slightly spicy flavor and a striking aroma.
You may not know it, but cheese making on the island of São Jorge dates back to the 15th century. In other words, cheese has been produced in the region since the beginning of the island’s settlement.
So I think it’s fair to say that São Jorge cheese is part of the island’s genesis and identity.
And if you’re visiting the region, it makes perfect sense to include a stop at the place where this precious delicacy is made in your itinerary.
So, to let you know what to expect on a visit to the São Jorge Cheese Factory, I’ve prepared this article telling you about my experience.
Believe me, in my opinion it’s well worth spending a couple of hours exploring the wonderful dairy world that goes by the name of Queijo São Jorge DOP.
👉Did you know that it takes 130 liters of milk to produce a 12 kg São Jorge cheese?😲
Visiting the São Jorge cheese factory
The visit to the São Jorge Cheese Factory began with a short briefing where our host, Norberto Andrade, who has worked at the factory for around 7 years, explained how the visit was going to take place and gave us some safety rules.
So, before entering, we put on protective equipment, which included a cape, face mask, hair cap and gloves.
Then the tour itself began, in other words, we went through the different rooms where the magic happens.
I learned that the São Jorge cheese factory receives around 20,000 liters of milk a day, directly from São Jorge producers, and has seven vats with a capacity for 5,000 liters of milk each.
They heat the raw milk, i.e. unpasteurized, to 36º, add the rennet and wait 4-6 hours for the milk to curdle.
The solid part is used to make cheese and the whey, i.e. the liquid part, goes to the farmers, who feed the young animals with this nutritious liquid.
They usually make 200 cheeses a day, but at peak production, which is in the middle of summer, they can make up to 600 cheeses a day!
After production, the cheese is aged for 2 to 4 weeks, being turned daily by hand.
During this time, it is coated with wax to protect the ripening process.
When it reaches the ideal point for sale, the wax and any traces of mold are removed, and the cheese goes to the cutting and packaging room, ready to reach the consumer.
What is the difference between Queijo São Joge PDO and Queijo Ilha?
Queijo São Jorge DOP and Queijo Ilha share the same ingredients and production method, but only the top quality cheeses receive the DOP certification.
In other words, all the cheese is produced in the same way at the factory, but only those that meet the highest standards become Queijo São Jorge DOP, while the rest are marketed as Queijo Ilha.
To obtain certification, and after two months of maturing, one cheese from each batch is selected for evaluation by the Confraria do Queijo São Jorge.
Five of its 20 members taste and analyze around 30 cheeses in one morning, assessing taste, aroma, texture and rind. Only cheeses that achieve 15 points are awarded the DOP seal. Otherwise, they are sold as Queijo Ilha.
Queijo São Jorge DOP continues to age for 3, 4, 7, 12 or 24 months, with a limited production of 40-month cheeses.
Queijo Ilha, on the other hand, is sold after 3 or 6 months of maturation.
Everything you need to know before visiting the São Jorge cheese factory
Where is the São Jorge cheese factory and how to get there?
The São Jorge cheese factory, run by the União de Cooperativas Agricolas de Lacticínios de São Jorge, is located at:
Canadinha Nova, Beira, 9800-501 Velas, São Jorge, Azores.
The Confraria do Queijo São Jorge is located in the building next door.
Does the visit include cheese tasting?
Yes, at the end of the visit to the cheese factory the group went to an area in the store and café, where we tasted three types of cheese, including pairings with honey and jam.
Is it worth visiting the São Jorge cheese factory?
Yes, it’s very worthwhile visiting the São Jorge cheese factory – in fact, I highly recommend it.
This is because as well as being an interesting experience to learn about the cheese production process, there is also a store, café and grocery store where you can buy cheeses and other typical products from the Azores.
Among the options that caught my eye were, for example, wines from Pico, Graciosa and Terceira, liqueurs, coffee, Santa Catarina canned tuna, Dulçores cookies and many other local products.
What are the visiting hours?
From Monday to Friday, visits to the cheese factory are from 9:00 – 11:30 and 13:00 – 16:00. You don’t need to make an appointment, but if you do, the telephone number is +351 295 438 274.
The store and café are open Monday to Friday from 9:00 – 17:30 and on Saturdays, but only from June to September from 9:00 – 13:00.
*I traveled to São Jorge at the invitation of Casas Açorianas – Associação de Turismo em Espaço Rural, sponsored by Grupo SATA.
You May Also Like:
- Discover São Jorge: Land of Fajãs and the Sleeping Dragon
- Unique Things to Do in Velas, The Cheese Capital of São Jorge
- Looking for hotels in São Jorge? I recommend Quinta da Magnólia!
We are a Portuguese Family traveling around the world and sharing our journey and experiences at passaportenobolso.com. Here you can find plenty of family budget travel tips as well as practical information about numerous destinations in Europe, Africa, Asia and America. We have visited 40+ countries and we don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. From time to time I travel alone… Follow everything on YouTube / Instagram / Facebook / TikTok / X / Pinterest.
