Crowley Cheese
Crowley Cheese
4
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
The public is welcome to visit the Crowley Cheese Factory, the country's oldest cheese factory to see award-winning all natural Crowley Cheese, made entirely by hand, the old-fashioned way. Though the factory shop is usually open 7 days, 10-4, we typically make cheese 3 weekdays (call for schedule). The factory was built in 1882 and is listed in the National Historic Register. You can purchase cheese, as well as other assorted Vermont products at the factory. Heads up: we are a TINY, old-fashioned operation that's a little off the beaten track in a beautiful, rural area. Please call first to make sure the factory is open before making the trek. Also, if you do manage to catch us on a cheesemaking day, we really appreciate your patience as our cheesemaking staff endeavors to make excellent cheese while providing an excellent customer service experience.
Duration: < 1 hour
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
74 reviews
Excellent
35
Very good
21
Average
10
Poor
3
Terrible
5
francaise
NY64 contributions
Oct 2021
Many years ago during a stay in Vermont, we had visited Crowley Cheese and loved the cheese and the fellow who described the process of making it.
Fast forward to a rainy day this past October, when we decided that one of the highlights of our trip to Vermont might be a revisiting Crowley Cheese.
What a disappointment. We had traveled about an hour to get there and were told there was no public bathroom. They were very short-staffed and a large family group was dominating the attention of the only staff person in the shop. (There were a couple of other people in the area that was off-limits to guests)
Unable to wait any longer, we left and ended up visiting the Vermont Country Store about 25 minutes away which mercifully had restrooms and plenty to see.
Much more touristy of course, but the hospitality was appreciated!
Fast forward to a rainy day this past October, when we decided that one of the highlights of our trip to Vermont might be a revisiting Crowley Cheese.
What a disappointment. We had traveled about an hour to get there and were told there was no public bathroom. They were very short-staffed and a large family group was dominating the attention of the only staff person in the shop. (There were a couple of other people in the area that was off-limits to guests)
Unable to wait any longer, we left and ended up visiting the Vermont Country Store about 25 minutes away which mercifully had restrooms and plenty to see.
Much more touristy of course, but the hospitality was appreciated!
Written November 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robin B
382 contributions
Jul 2015 • Couples
The Crowley Cheese Shop is not a destination in itself but part of the experience of visiting Southern Vermont. The visitor will find a cheese "factory" in the traditional sense - a building virtually unchanged since constructed by Winfield Crowley in 1882 - 58 years after the first Crowley began making cheese in his kitchen in 1824. The smooth, buttery cheese is still made by hand and many samples are available for tasting. In addition, several shelves are filled with local product offerings - most of which are unique and delicious. A visit to Crowley Cheese, the oldest continually operating cheese factory in the country, is a visit to the past with product offerings that represent the best of the present. Stop by to enjoy an authentic Vermont experience and while you are in the area, check out Buttermilk Falls, down the road towards Ludlow, or visit Belmont Village, its small museum and general store. Admire the charm of Star Lake and spend time wandering through the back roads of Vermont while enjoying some excellent cheese sandwiches.
Written August 6, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
beentheredonethat56
Long Island NY57 contributions
Jun 2015 • Couples
No factory to speak of (an empty room on display), just a decrepit building with some of their wares for sale (cheeses, mustards and a few other odds and ends. Not particularly friendly either.
Written June 22, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chriscarlspencer
Dutch John, UT191 contributions
Mar 2015 • Solo
Looking for something to do w my 89 year old mother in law we drove 1/2 hour to get cheese we could have purchased from local store, but place not accessible to person w a cane . I had seen cheese making here on "dirty jobs" so I thought it would be fun. I hate to be negative-but please don't come here for anything . Not even cheese . Stuff in freezer was from 2013. Maybe it takes along time for cheese to cure? Who knows ? No "tour" so I couldn't learn . I love the cheese. Especially ultra sharp it has a great bite. But the tour sucks
Written April 12, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TimOBoston_Mass
Andover, MA529 contributions
Mar 2018 • Couples
I’m so glad we kept going up Healdville road to find the Crowley cheese shop. The woman at the shop explained the entire process and was a real joy to talk to. They had ample samples and sell the cheese ends at a reduced rate. One of my favorites was the sage but we bought others as well. The shop is a short ride from Ludlow and worth it.
Written February 28, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
manchego1944
New York City, NY81 contributions
A gem of a place! See American cheese-making like it used to be. Absolutely fantastic Colby cheese made the old-fashioned way by people who take tremendous pride in their work. When we visited, the wonderful cheesemaker ("Hutch") took us on a guided tour of the factory. Crowley Cheese was founded in 1827 and has become a true American tradition. Call ahead to find out when cheese is being made. Don't miss a visit to America's oldest continuously operating cheese factory!
Written October 29, 2008
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
johnluriejr
Brooksville, FL258 contributions
Oct 2022
A nice place to come to to say you visited the oldest cheese making facility in America. They still make cheese there, but the owners currently are not part of the Crowley family; they all died off in 1962 without a contingency plan. The cheese selection is extensive and the small gift shop is a nice touch
Written October 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stan R
9 contributions
Aug 2019 • Friends
The oldest still operating cheese factory in North America! If you get a chance stop here. The cheese is still made by hand and is wonderful! My favorite is the smoked cheddar. They have samples of all their cheeses for you to try. All good. The building is the original 1824 cheese factory and is just real neat to see.
Written August 26, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
S W
West Hartford, CT34 contributions
Dec 2018 • Solo
Tiny little place that's off the beaten path. That being said, there were lots of samples to try and the woman behind the counter was telling me about the correlation between sharpness of cheddar and age (I'd never thought about it). I wish I bought more to bring home..we ate it in no time! I'd recommend the sharp.
Written December 26, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
richmonroe50
45 contributions
Oct 2018 • Couples
Plenty of samples and well made cheese. We enjoyed the rustic store area and being able to see where the cheese was made. We enjoyed this stop very much.
Written October 10, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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