‘Melts into an oozy blob’: the best supermarket brie, tasted and rated
Which wedge is utterly brie-liant, and which stinks the place out? Let the tasting commence …
Brie and baguette is one of life’s simplest pleasures, to be enjoyed anywhere from a park bench to halfway up a mountain, and with no knife or kit required. It’s a soft, white, mould-ripened cheese made from raw or pasteurised cow’s milk, and has a characteristically soft texture.
Gently warmed milk is separated into curds with rennet, then inoculated with Penicillium candidum (sometimes called P camemberti), which gives it that characteristic flavour and white mould rind. It’s then transferred to moulds, salted and ripened for a month or longer. It originally hails from the Brie region in northern France.
I tasted each cheese at room temperature, after giving it at least an hour’s rest. That’s because packaging, long storage and refrigeration tend to intensify the natural farmyardy ammonia created by the ripening process, and by giving the cheese time to breathe, those intense aromas soften and dissipate.
It’s my ambition to judge the World Cheese Awards one day, but, until then, this test is the next best thing.
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The best supermarket brie
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Best overall:
M&S French mature ripening brie
£3.50 for 200g at Ocado (£1.75/100g) ★★★★☆
A well-aged wedge with a brown-and-white rind. Packed in a wooden carton to hold together its gooey form. A sweet and funky aroma, soft, and with an aerated centre that melts into an oozy blob. Floral sweetness with a sour twang. Utterly delicious.
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Best bargain:
Castello extra creamy brie
£2.62 for 200g at Asda (£1.31/100g) £2.80 for 200g at Sainsbury’s (£1.40/100g) ★★★★☆
A small, round cheese with a firm rind, a sweet, pleasant, yeasty aroma and a mild taste with notes of honey. Creamy throughout with a satisfying, buttery texture. Delicious, and brilliant value. The choice for anyone who prefers a milder, less funky brie.
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And the rest …
Baron Bigod
£10.50 for 250g at Ocado (£4.20/100g) £13.40 for 250g at the Fine Cheese Co (£5.36/100g)★★★★★
A whole world away from the other cheeses in this test, not least in complexity. A large, whole round brie-style cheese that’s oozy, complex and mature, with a pungent, earthy and vegetal rind. The golden, gooey interior is sweet and creamy. Made on the farm with raw milk from Fen Farm Dairy’s free-ranging Montbéliarde cows, and easily my best splurge.
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Waitrose British Somerset brie
£3.40 for 230g at Waitrose (£1.48/100g)★★★★☆
Pungent, farmyard aroma and a wonderfully sweet taste, especially for a young brie. Gooey at the outer edges, but set in the middle, giving this a pleasing contrast in texture. Creamy and rich, and incredible value.
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Brie de Rouzaire
£3 for 165g at Morrisons (£1.82/100g) £3.75 for 165g at Sainsbury’s (£2.27/100g)★★★★☆
The kind of oozy wedge you’d expect to find at a French farmers’ market. A mature and pungent rind with complex, earthy notes of farmyard, autumn leaves and honey. Gooey, ripe and mature – one for the avid cheese lover.
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Cornish Cheese Co Cornish brie
£4.50 for 200g at Morrisons (£2.25/100g) £4.95 for 200g at Ocado (£2.48/100g)★★★★☆
A small round with a bloomy, snow-white rind. Fresh and very mild, with a distinct mushroom note at the end. Young, firm in the middle, yet rich, golden and creamy with a buttery texture. A mild, crowd-pleasing, easy-going cheese.
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Tesco British brie
£2.30 for 160g at Tesco (£1.44/100g)★★★☆☆
A small wedge with a thick, white, blooming rind and a mild-to-medium-strength aroma. A consistent, creamy texture with a classic, sweet flavour and gentle, lactic tanginess. Top value.
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Président French brie
£2.95 for 200g at Tesco (£1.48/100g) £2.95 for 200g at Sainsbury’s (£1.48/100g)★★★☆☆
A decent-size wedge with a farmyard aroma and notes of honey and brassica, which clear after airing. Consistently creamy throughout, with a rich, indulgent, buttery texture. Really good value.
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Co-op Somerset brie
£2.60 for 160g at Co-op (£1.63/100g)★★★☆☆
A classic, mild wedge with a soft, farmy rind. A nicely mature, gooey texture and a sweet, nutty flavour that feels comforting and familiar. A reliable and well-made everyday cheese.
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Milbona French brie
£1.65 for 200g at Lidl (83p/100g), in store only★★☆☆☆
A thin wedge of young brie with an assertively pungent, blooming rind – though the odour softens post airing. Even so, the overall taste is sweet and the texture creamy and straightforward. Great value for a simple, everyday brie.
For more, read the best supermarket crackers for cheese and the best vegan cheese