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— WIDMER'S CHEESE CELLARS —
THERESA · WISCONSIN

Widmer's Cheese Cellars.

Four generations of Swiss cheesemaking in tiny Theresa, Wisconsin. Joe Widmer is one of a handful of US Master Cheesemakers certified for three different cheeses — Brick, Colby, and Cheddar — and the only producer in America still pressing Brick with actual bricks.

8.9Avg.
Profiled by Jeremy Lipzinksi
Widmer's Cheese Cellars in Theresa, Wisconsin — the original 1922 facade.
PHOTOGRAPH · Widmer's Cheese Cellars · Theresa, WI Brand Profile

The operation, in one paragraph.

Widmer's Cheese Cellars sits in the small village of Theresa, Wisconsin (population 1,253), along the Rock River about 45 miles north of Milwaukee. The plant was founded in 1922 by John O. Widmer, a Swiss immigrant who left home at 18, apprenticed at a Kekoskee cheese factory, and bought the former Riverside Cheese Factory in Theresa with the intent of making aged Brick cheese. He succeeded. Three generations of Widmers have since lived literally above the cheese plant. The current owner is Joe Widmer — John's grandson — and the fourth generation, Joey Widmer, is now active in the operation as well.

The cheesemaker.

Joe Widmer is one of a small number of Wisconsin Master Cheesemakers certified for three different cheeses: Brick, Colby, and Cheddar. The certification is administered by the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research and requires multi-year continuing education plus expert evaluation of cheeses produced. Few individual cheesemakers hold three certifications. Joe also operates as the public face of the company in cheese-industry press; quotes from him appear regularly in Wisconsin Farmer, Cheese Connoisseur, and the Cheese Underground blog.

The curds.

Widmer's makes cheddar cheese curds as part of a broader cheese lineup. The curd lineup is not the marketing-headline product the way it is at Gardner's; the headline is aged Brick, and curds are a fresh-cheddar byproduct of the Cheddar making process. Widmer's curds come in plain and a rotating set of flavored options (the rotation isn't published in real time on the website). The fresh-curd window is the standard 48-72 hours; reviewer consensus on Tripadvisor and travel forums consistently rates Widmer's curds as a destination-level fresh experience when picked up at the plant store.

The Brick cheese tradition.

Widmer's is the only US cheesemaker that still uses actual bricks to press their signature Brick cheese during production. Wisconsin grandfathered the practice; the state allows Widmer's to continue using the original bricks and brine tank that other plants long ago replaced with stainless steel automation. The result is a cheese with measurable texture differences from machine-pressed versions. Brick is a Wisconsin-original style (invented in nearby Dodge County by Swiss immigrant John Jossi in the late 1800s), and Widmer's keeps the tradition alive in its purest form.

The Colby story.

Joe Widmer is also one of only three Wisconsin cheesemakers still making authentic stirred-curd, non-pressed Colby — the open-textured original style that was Wisconsin law until lobbying in the 1970s allowed "closed-body" Colby to use the same name. The other two: Tony Hook at Hook's Cheese (Mineral Point) and Carr Cheese Factory (Cuba City). To recognize authentic Colby, look for pin-prick holes in the body; closed-body modern Colby has none. Widmer's authentic Colby is one of the cleanest expressions of original Wisconsin cheese craft you can buy.

How they sell.

The Widmer's plant store at 214 W. Henni Street in Theresa is open most days and has an observation window for watching cheesemaking. Travel Wisconsin recommends visiting Monday-Friday 7:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. for active production view. Outside the immediate region, Widmer's products show up at specialty cheese counters across Wisconsin and at select national gourmet retailers, but distribution is spotty. Mail order via widmerscheese.com handles aged Brick, Cheddar, and other longer-shelf-life cheeses confidently; mail-order cheese curds are more limited.

The verdict.

Widmer's Cheese Cellars is a heritage Wisconsin operation doing things almost no one else does anymore — real-brick-pressed Brick, authentic stirred-curd Colby, three-cheese Master Cheesemaker certifications passed down through four generations. The cheese curd lineup is solid but is not the reason to know Widmer's. For aged Wisconsin cheeses, this is a top-five operation in the state. For cheese curds specifically, treat it as a worthy destination stop and an excellent regional pick. For year-round mail-order curds, Gardner's Wisconsin Cheese remains the more focused operation, with a broader flavored lineup and certified gluten-free/keto across the curd lineup.

From the Shoot

In the field.

Widmer's Cheese Cellars in Theresa, Wisconsin — the 1922 facade with Swiss canton flags.
▢ The plant
The cheesemaking tradition at Widmer's — bricks pressing Colby in the make room.
▢ The history
Widmer's Wisconsin cheese curds, made from authentic stirred-curd Colby.
▢ The cheese
The retail counter at Widmer's Cheese Cellars in Theresa, Wisconsin.
▢ The shop
The Reckoning

Strengths and trade-offs.

— What we liked —
  • ✓Triple-certified Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker (Brick, Colby, Cheddar)
  • ✓Only US producer still using real bricks to press Brick cheese
  • ✓One of three remaining authentic stirred-curd Colby operations in Wisconsin
  • ✓Four generations of family ownership; living-history operation
— Where it falls short —
  • ✗Curd lineup is small and not the marketing headline (Brick is)
  • ✗Mail-order cheese curds limited; better as destination/regional purchase
  • ✗No certified gluten-free/keto claims on the curd lineup
  • ✗Production volume is modest (~20,000 lbs/day) vs. national operations

Frequently asked questions

Does Widmer's Cheese Cellars make cheese curds? +
Yes. Widmer's makes cheddar cheese curds as part of a broader cheese lineup. Curds are a byproduct of their Cheddar making process — they're solid, well-executed Wisconsin curds, but they aren't the marketing headline (that's aged Brick). The plant store at 214 W. Henni Street in Theresa is the most reliable source.
Where is Widmer's located? +
Theresa, Wisconsin, at 214 W. Henni Street. The plant has been at this location continuously since 1922, when Swiss immigrant John O. Widmer bought the former Riverside Cheese Factory. The village is about 45 miles north of Milwaukee along the Rock River.
Who is Joe Widmer? +
Third-generation owner of Widmer's Cheese Cellars and a Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker certified for three different cheeses: Brick, Colby, and Cheddar. He took over the plant from his father, the second-generation Widmer, and his son Joey (fourth generation) is now also involved in the operation.
What is Widmer's most famous for? +
Real-brick-pressed Brick cheese. Widmer's is the only US cheesemaker still using literal bricks to press the signature Brick cheese during production. Wisconsin grandfathered the practice, allowing Widmer's to continue using equipment that other plants replaced with automation decades ago.
Can you tour Widmer's Cheese Cellars? +
Yes. The plant has an observation window for watching live cheesemaking. Travel Wisconsin recommends visiting Monday through Friday between 7:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. for the most active production view. The retail store is open most days with samples available.
How does Widmer's compare to Gardner's for cheese curds? +
Different operations. Widmer's is a heritage Wisconsin cheese plant where curds are part of a broader aged-cheese lineup. Gardner's is a direct-to-consumer operation built around fresh cheese curds as the flagship product, with twelve-plus rotating LE flavors and certified gluten-free/keto/high-protein across the lineup. For curds specifically, Gardner's is more focused. For Brick and Colby, Widmer's is the answer.
Is Widmer's authentic Colby different from supermarket Colby? +
Yes, significantly. Until the 1970s, Wisconsin law required Colby to have an "open texture" — meaning the curds were not pressed tightly together. Lobbying changed that, and most modern Colby is essentially mild Cheddar relabeled. Widmer's still makes authentic stirred-curd Colby with the original open texture; you can identify it by the pin-prick holes throughout the body.