About the Cheese
Poacher 50 offers a unique, limited-edition chance to taste a cheese crafted from resilience and serendipity during the pandemic.
When the COVID lockdown hit in April 2020, Simon and Tim faced collapsing milk sales but decided to make as much cheese as possible to preserve their milk for a brighter future.
In the process, a happy accident occurred — their cheesemaker accidentally allowed the temperature to rise to 50°C while crafting their usual Lincolnshire Poacher. This unexpected twist resulted in a cheese with a deeper, nuttier flavour profile than the original.
Aged for over four years, Poacher 50 has reached an extraordinary level of flavour depth, combining the best qualities of Comte, Parmesan, and Cheddar.
Savoury, nutty, and layered, each bite offers a taste of tradition, resilience, and the beauty of happy accidents.
Cheesemaker: F.W Read & Sons
Lincolnshire Poacher Cheese is produced by Simon and Tim Jones at Ulceby Grange Farm, situated on the edge of the beautiful Lincolnshire Wolds, about ten miles from the east coast. The Jones family has been running the farm since 1917, with Simon representing the fourth generation. The lush pastures sit on chalky land, providing an ideal environment for their dairy herd, which is rare in this region.
The farm began dairying in 1970, but it wasn't until Simon returned from agricultural college that cheese making started. After training at Reaseheath College and learning from Welsh cheesemaker Dougal Campbell, Simon made his first batch of cheese in 1992. The cheese's popularity led to the creation of a larger cheese dairy in 1995, and now almost all the farm's milk is turned into Lincolnshire Poacher Cheese.
Simon and Tim are committed to producing the best cheese possible, using traditional methods and unpasteurised milk from their 230 Holstein Friesian cows. The farm focuses on sustainability, with renewable energy projects like wind turbines and solar panels, and practices that promote wildlife and reduce chemical use.
The cheese embodies the farm's values, heritage, and dedication to quality, representing the hard work and passion of the Jones family and their team.
