An American classic, Colby was invented in Wisconsin in 1874 by Joseph Steinwand in the town of colby. Ironically, while Colby is widely available throughout Wisconsin, it is no longer produced in Colby. While the cheese is similar to cheddar in terms of its looks, Colby undergoes a different cheese making process that creates a softer texture with a higher moisture content. The biggest difference between Cheddar and Colby is that once the curds are coagulated, they do not undergo the "cheddaring" process but instead are manufactured with a washed curd process. The curds are cooled by adding water, which in turn, reduces the acid in the cheese, creating a cheese that is a bit sweeter and less tangy in flavor . The typical shape for Colby is in the cylindrical Longhorn shape, hence the name Longhorn Colby.
