Course Date: TBD
During registration you will be asked a few questions to help us prepare for this interactive course:
- If you have taken CDR's Cheese Grading & Evaluation short course in the past, or plan to in the future.
- If you would like to attend an (optional) session the day before the course at the judging event site (Monona Terrace) click here for details
- What cheese varieties you are most interesting in judging.
Course Fee: $475
Course Details: To make the most of the hands-on experience during this course, we will offer self-study materials for your review before the course. These education and resource materials will be provided via an online portal. You will receive an email after registration with log in details to access these materials. This online portal will be accessible by you until April 6, 2026. We will include these materials in a printed booklet the day of the course.
Course Description
This training course is designed to help you increase your confidence and focus your sensory and grading abilities to be an effective contest judge and understand the criteria against which cheeses are judged. Successful completion of the CDR Cheese Grading & Evaluation Workshop and/or experience as a cheese grader or sensory evaluator, is recommended prior to taking this course.
Learning Objectives
- Learn about the unique aspects of the different cheese contests in the industry, and the basics of how cheese is scored in each.
- Understand judging basics, universal skills and what to avoid when judging cheese.
- Gain insight from contest officials and volunteers on how samples are procured, organized, categorized and stored behind the scenes of a judging contest.
- Learn how to sample by cheese variety and format.
- Experience aesthetic judging and demonstrations of live judging and evaluation by industry experts.
- Test your knowledge and understanding during hands-on judging activities and evaluation practice with the opportunity to compare to industry judging results
Brandon Prochaska - CDR technical course contact
Contact with questions on course content or if this course is right for you.
Heather Cooper - CDR events coordinator
Contact with questions on registration, certificates, or other questions.
Course Instructors: Brandon Prochaska | CDR Cheese Graders & Judges | Industry Partners
Certificate of Completion
Certificates will be printed and issued in-person on the final day of each course for all in-person courses.