It’s the same brand (in our grocery), so I imagine one is sharper than the other. In googling I can’t find a distinction between these precise phrasings. Anybody know?
Can you give us a taste test?
I don’t have either one available.
Qadgop will probably be around to give a definitive answer, if such is possible (I doubt either one has a strict definition.) but there should be a statement on the package saying how long each one was aged. More age equals sharper cheese. My guess is that it will be the New York sharp, but that’s just a hunch.
New York Sharp is aged in a New York Minute?
The wikipedia article on Cheddar cheese suggests that New york style is very sharp, but also a softer texture than most cheddar. It doesn’t say if it would be sharper than extra sharp. Does that help?
This has not been my experience. There are actually slightly different varieties of microbes involved. Just like different yeasts used to make Italian bread or sourdough. San Francisco sourdough is the very sourest, and New York sharp cheddar is the very sharpest.
But New York cheddar also has a different “tang” to it than most. It edges toward a bleu cheese flavor. And it’s not as dry as other sharp cheddars. I suspect there is more butter fat in the milk they start with.
New York Sharp: you make it there.
Sharp: you can make it anywhere.
It’s up to you.
When you try to bite into it, it shouts: I’m walkin’ here!!
Yeah, this. New York cheese should be made in the state of New York, using milk from New York State mammals.
I’ve never done a side-by-side tasting of New York cheddar, Vermont cheddar, Wisconsin cheddar, and Tillamook (Ore.) cheddar, but I don’t know why one would be sharper than another.
I’m going to need you to be more specific with the word, “mammals”.
+1 Good one! Post of the day. 
<adds Vinyl Turnip to The List.>
It’s a “New York” thing-it’s best you don’t ask.
I don’t believe I’ve ever seen sheep or goat milk cheddar. I’m not sure if I’ve even seen bison (buffalo) cheddar. But I’m fairly sure that cheddar could be produced from all 3 (well, maybe not goat, as I’ve never seen any cheese made from goats’ milk other than the eponymous ‘goat cheese’). But I’m fairly certain UI was referring to cow’s milk cheddar, and New York State has dairy farms and a thriving dairy industry.
You can generally make any style cheese from goat milk, but it always retains that barnyard funkiness that the milk has. We often get goat milk cheddar and my daughter’s favourite cheese, a goat milk brie.
As I don’t know goats’ milk fat content, I didn’t know if it would be sufficient (and I wasn’t in a mood to go googling it). Goats’ milk brie sounds delicious. I wonder how a hard cheese, like romano, might taste using goats’ milk?
But Vermont has Seriously Sharp Cheddar!
What is the difference between Vermont Sharp, Extra Sharp, and Seriously Sharp Cheddar?
Good question. The main difference between the three products is the amount of time they are aged. Cabot Vermont Sharp has a flavor that is reliable and consistent from batch to batch and is a customer favorite. Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar has a strong cheddar flavor that many cheddar fans specifically look for. Just like its younger sibling, Cabot Vermont Sharp Cheddar, it is consistent from batch to batch. You know what you are getting every time. Seriously Sharp is another story; it’s our “wild” cheddar. Its flavor is unpredictable, always earns a “puck,” and is usually even sharper than Extra Sharp. Seriously Sharp is a top of the line product that invites you to walk on the wild side, experiment with your taste buds, and treat yourself to a cheese sensation that differs from one batch to the next.
Start spreading the bleus…
I’ve had 30 year old cheddars in Wisconsin. WHOO. Does anyone else age their cheddar for that long, even in England?
Incidentally, this thread gave me a craving for Macaroni and Cheese. I’ve never been a big craver of mac and cheese, and I don’t have a favorite method, so I tried this one tonight.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Our-Favorite-Macaroni-and-Cheese-51255890
Jesus H. Christ, that was some damn fine mac and cheese. The dry mustard in the Bechamel and the fresh garlic in the panko topping made this recipe a keeper.