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This might just be the most “Wisconsin” story in the history of…forever. Passengers had to wait in line at TSA thanks to a wheel of cheese too massive to fit through the x-ray machine. What’s even wilder is–judging by an official’s response–it wasn’t the first time this happened.

One poster on X (formerly Twitter) asked users to share their worst travel mishaps. These misadventures ranged from a kid attempting to fly with scissors because they were worried grandma wouldn’t have any at her house, to leaving a debit card in the airport and returning to find it had been destroyed–per protocol. But one user, named Johnny Carver, had one of hte most unique mishaps I’ve ever heard.

The story began at the Central Wisconsin Airport (CWA) which is in the town of Mosinee. Carver found the TSA line at a standstill and found a woman further upstream had tried to send something too large through the luggage x-ray machine. And it wasn’t any old oversized item: it was an entire wheel of cheese.

A quick aside: Wisconsin has a strong cheesemaking culture, dating back to the 1800s. Today, it is known for award winning Cheddar, Gouda, Colby, and many other varieties. Wisconsin’s cheese is so good, it even draws tourists. And apparently one woman couldn’t resist but bringing home an entire wheel.

Full wheel of cheese on a black background.
Cheese wheel | bhofack2 via iStockPhoto

One of the reasons that cheese is sold in “slices” in the store is that many varieties are aged in large, round, sealed wheels. These wheels can range in size from six pounds to 16, 22, or even 33 pounds. If you are a real cheese lover, you can also buy an aged wheel from a wholesaler. But there’s only one problem: if you’re flying home from Wisconsin, how do you get it home. Apparently it’s a common problem.

“A woman in front of me got a large wheel of cheese stuck in the security conveyer belt at the Central Wisconsin Airport and it held up the line. The TSA lady on duty said ‘oh no, not again’ That wasn’t my screw-up but I thought I would share.”

Johnny Carver (Twitter @CarverJohnny) January 2, 2018

I have so many questions. How often does this happen in Wisconsin? Can you just carry your 33-pound cheese wheel through the metal detector instead? If not, how does TSA manually inspect a wheel of cheese? Do they have to carve it up? Sample it?

Furthermore, you can’t bring liquids or gels through security. So obviously a block of hard Parmesan could fly. Cheese whiz couldn’t. But what about the softer cheeses in the middle? Brie? Feta? Does Wisconsin TSA have a standard operating procedure for cheese exports? Honestly, I’m glad Carver shared this story. But I need to know more.

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Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.