MouCo Ashley – Award-Winning Colorado Ash-Rind Soft-Ripened Cheese

🖤 MouCo Ashley – Bold Looks, Gentle Heart

Some cheeses shout. Ashley doesn’t need to.

It draws you in with contrast—dark rind against a creamy white bloom, sharp lines framing soft edges. The kind of cheese you notice before you even realize what you’re looking at.

But that’s only the beginning.

Ashley opens with a bright, tangy core. With time, it softens into something lush and buttery, carrying a mellow sweetness and gentle earthiness in every bite. It’s a cheese that evolves slowly, leaving its impression long after the board is cleared.

It wasn’t easy to make. It wasn’t quick. But the best stories never are.

🖤 MouCo Ashley®

Ash-coated and soft-ripened, Ashley is a study in contrast. A dark, dramatic rind surrounds a smooth, creamy center that begins tart and firm, then ripens into buttery richness with hints of mellow sweetness and earth.

It’s complex but approachable—striking on a cheese board yet at ease with wine, fruit, bread, or whatever you pair it with. Big drama on the outside. Balanced, layered flavor within.

Built to impress, without ever trying too hard.

MouCo Ashley

Don’t let [the ash] scare you because this cheese is soft and mildly sweet, which is why when paired with a Brut Rosé [it] makes for a stunning combination.

MouCo Ashley

This cheese can be distinguished by its dark colored rind. The reason for the color is it’s covered in a thin layer of vegetable ash (which is edible!). This is a very tart cheese that grows more complex with age. The texture is smooth and creamy. I enjoy [it] with olives and crackers.

The Story Behind the Wheel

MouCo Ashley cheese with its dark ash-dusted rind and creamy center, shown against a bold blue background.

🖤 When ash changed everything...

“Sometimes the best flavor comes from getting out of the way.” – Robert, MouCo

We first made Ashley in 2012—partly because we loved the idea of that striking contrast on the plate. But it didn’t fully come together until we understood what the ash could actually do.

By raising the surface pH, we weren’t trying to control fermentation more tightly — we were making room for it to open up. That shift let us play within the fermentation, fostering flavor profiles we’d explored before but couldn’t fully express until now.

Ashley became a turning point. It reminded us that good fermentation isn’t always about complexity for its own sake. Sometimes it’s about creating the right conditions — and then stepping back.

🧀 Ash-Ripened, Soft-Ripened
⚫ Striking Dark Rind, Creamy Center
🐄 100% Local Cow’s Milk
🧼 No Additives or Preservatives

Learn How We Make It →

MouCo Ashley® – A Flavor Journey

Discover how texture, flavor, and aroma deepen as this ash-coated, soft-ripened cheese matures.

🟢 Structured and Striking

(0–3 weeks) Ashley begins with a firm center and a clean, cultured tang. The texture is stable and dense, offering a bright, refreshing bite. Even in its youngest stage, there’s a quiet balance to the flavor—dark rind framing a creamy core that’s just beginning to open up.

🟡 Creamy and Mellow

(3–7 weeks) As Ashley matures, the paste relaxes and the flavors round out. The tang softens into buttery richness, with mild earthiness and the first notes of sweetness. The texture stays table-ready—smooth, never runny—while gaining quiet depth.

🟠 Refined and Expressive