Small-Batch Handcrafted Alberta Cheese Made With Alberta Milk

Hailing from the cheese capital of Canada, Quebec, Patrick Dupuis, a former worker in the military, is the craftsperson behind The Old School Cheesery. It's an Alberta cheesery that creates small batches of cheese made with Alberta milk with an impressive flavour profile.

The farm sits on a 9-acre lot just south of Vermilion, well-divided with a beautiful red barn and a Quonset-converted cheesery. If you visit, you'll most likely find Patrick and Valerie, Patrick's eldest daughter who joined his father in 2017, turning milk into all kinds of beautiful cheeses on the farm.

It's much more than just a roadside cheese farm. The Old School Cheesery is actually the first Economusee in Alberta, opening its doors to visitors from around the world. A visit of the premises in the company of passionate artisans and cheese lovers will enable you to discover fresh products made on site and follow the journey of milk until its transformation into cheese.

Before it became one of the most renowned cheese manufacturers in Alberta, Patrick had to face immense challenges to get its name out and adjust to the milk price set by the industry. Back when he first opened up shop in 2016 after completing his MBA and the cheesemaker certificate program at Guelf University, there were only 4 cheeseries in Alberta. Ontario had 250 and Quebec had over 300. 

Yet good food speaks for itself. The Old School Cheesery soon gained popularity through its fun lineup of handmade artisanal cheeses that include fresh squeaky cheese curds, a variety of cheddars (our favourite is the applewood smoked cheddar!), classic bries and even a vegetable ash covered brie.

Being able to connect with consumers directly and effortlessly via platforms like CultivatR plays a huge role in the growth of the cheesery. Envisioning the future, Patrick is planning to take on a bigger project - food waste reduction. He's very excited to use bi-products of cheesemaking as foundational ingredients of a new product - vodka! With two brands of vodka on the market already using the bi-product of whey as the base, this is an ingenious use of something that would otherwise be waste.

The Old School Cheesery boasts a diverse portfolio of delicious cheeses that satisfy all types of cheese lovers.