HERB CHEESE – lactose-free – Cheese Wheel
Made from natural cow’s milk with 45% fat in dry matter (F.i.T.) | whole cheese wheel | 8,1 kg weight
Herb Cheese, refined with real herbs, is trending. Our herb semi-hard cheese wheel stands out with its tender, smooth texture and delightful cheese aroma.
While cheese with herbs and spices is gaining popularity, our herb cheese adheres to a purist tradition, comparable to the “purity law of beer.”
Cheese varieties that have spices mixed into the cheese dough typically lack the flavor development of painstaking cheese aging. That’s why spice blends are used.
Our excellent semi-hard cheese wheel impresses with its tender, smooth texture and the delightful aroma reminiscent of a herb meadow with fragrant herbs.
The uniqueness of this cheese lies in its production: Only the edible cheese rind is carefully treated with a specially secret herb mixture. This rubbed mixture perfectly complements the fine cheese, giving it a tangy, aromatic flavor profile.
The cheese dough itself remains free from any additives or spices, preserving the pure, natural flavor of the high-quality alpine milk.
The result is a semi-hard cheese that stands out for its fine, harmonious composition. The herbs unfold their aroma in the rind, making the cheese smell like an “alpine meadow.” Its taste remains pleasant and balanced, without being overwhelmed by excessive flavors.
This cheese represents the highest quality and a conscious return to traditional cheesemaking, emphasizing natural taste. The result is a product that convinces not only with its fragrance but also with its purity and simplicity.
Lactose-free herb cheese: The natural milk sugar in our cheese made from hay milk or pasture milk is broken down by lactic acid bacteria. The result: lactic acid plus exceptional flavor and aroma formation.
The semi-hard cheese is also lactose-free, making it accessible for people with lactose intolerance without compromising on flavor.
The edible cheese rind of the herb cheese is refined with a special herb mixture – giving the cheese wheel an attractive appearance and a fine herbal taste.
Our Bregenz Forest herb semi-hard cheese is a delight for anyone who appreciates the pure taste of high-quality cheese. Its taste is mildly aromatic, with the herbs releasing their aroma, creating completely new flavor compositions.
With the herb cheese from cheesemaker Christof Schneider, you hold a very special cheese in your hands. The base of Berchtold’s herb cheese consists of the finest semi-hard cheese wheels from various, select Bregenz Forest dairies.
It then goes to the Berchtold family cheese cellar, where its further care and maturation begins.
Our herb cheese wheel develops a delightful flavor spectrum through manual care. Only the cheese rind is treated with the special herb mixture. Its cross-section is cream-white, beautifully holed, and made of firm dough.
Our herb cheese is part of our family of spicy cheese varieties in our shop overview.
Characteristics of the Herb Cheese Wheel
This fine cheese with well-melting, smooth dough and occasionally cherry-sized holes is a special treat. Its mildly spicy flavor and semi-firm dough make it increasingly the go-to cheese for locals and guests alike.
The characteristic properties of the herb cheese are largely influenced by the high-quality milk from the alpine region, its ingredients, flavor, and texture, as well as the Vorarlberg alpine flora. This results in the unique quality of alpine cheese.
A maturation period of 3 months brings out the full aroma.
Historical Background of Vorarlberg Cheese
Cheese has been produced and aged in Vorarlberg in alpine and valley dairies since the beginning of the last century.
The production method of “fat cheese” (as opposed to lean cheese like Sura Käs in Montafon) originated in Switzerland and quickly spread throughout the Bregenz Forest.
Semi-hard cheeses are made from natural (non-thermized, pasteurized, or centrifugally de-germed) raw milk (hay milk) with at least 45% F.i.T.
Through the small-scale farming operations that supply the raw material and the tradition of alpine dairies, the artisanal production and traditional care of high-quality cheeses have been preserved to this day.
More interesting details about semi-hard cheese can be found on Wikipedia.
Holes in the Herb Cheese Wheel
The tender, smooth dough of the herb cheese has cherry- to hazelnut-sized holes.
The Herb Cheese Rind
The herb cheese is a semi-hard cheese with an herb mixture on the cheese rind.
Storage and Aging of Herb Cheese
The semi-hard cheese is aged for approximately 10 weeks in the ripening cellar, where it is rubbed and turned. Afterwards, the herb mixture is applied to the cheese, allowing it to develop its full aroma.
Special Quality Features of Our Semi-Hard Cheeses and YES, the Rind is Spicy and Safe to Eat
- The rind of cheese forms when the cheese wheels are immersed in a iodine-free salt bath after molding.
- The salt bath promotes rind formation and acts against bacteria. Depending on the type of cheese, the wheels remain in such a bath for different lengths of time.
- The salt draws water from the cheese wheel. Subsequently, the cheese wheels are regularly cared for with iodine-free salt & brine until fully matured.
Magic for Your Taste Buds
The specialty of this semi-hard cheese lies in the herb mixture. It unfolds its full aroma, making the cheese truly extraordinary.
Herb Cheese Intensity
How mild or spicy is the cheese? We define intensity in 10 levels from 0 (mild) to 10 (spicy).
6/10
Herb Cheese Consistency
How firm is the cheese? We define firmness in 10 levels from 0 (soft) to 10 (firm).
6/10
Herb Cheese Wheel Aging Time
How long was the cheese aged? We define aging time between 1 and 12 months.
4/12
Additional Details About Herb Cheese from Hay Milk
Milk: | 100% from hay milk free of silage |
Type of Cheese: | Lactose-free semi-hard cheese (SHC) |
Aging Method: | Lactic acid and/or fermentation aging / surface aging in the cheese cellar with brine care + herb treatment |
Flavor Profile: | Spicy and aromatic |
Aging Duration: | 3 months fully aged |
F.i.T.: | Minimum 45% |
Absolute Fat: | Approx. 30% |
Allergens: | No other allergenic potential apart from milk components |
Lactose: | Not present |
Rennet: | Natural, animal rennet |
Salt: | Iodine-free table salt |
What defines the cheese – the character of herb cheese? | Cheese aroma paired with herbs. A unique flavor experience! |
How does the herb cheese taste? | The taste is spicy and aromatic, with the herb mixture releasing its aroma, making the cheese pleasantly intense in flavor. |
What is its texture and consistency? | The dough is firm yet smooth. |
What is the color of the herb cheese? | Light yellow to yellow – depending on the season. |
How does the cheese dough smell? | Cheese aroma paired with a herbal scent. |
What about the holes in the cheese? | Occasionally cherry- to hazelnut-sized holes. |
What is the best way to enjoy herb cheese? | Perfect for snack bread, breakfast, or sliced for supper.
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What indicates less-than-optimal aging or lower quality? | The cheese should be semi-firm, not sticky. |
If you plan to store large pieces or a whole cheese wheel for more than 2–3 weeks, we recommend using a tea towel.
Take a clean tea towel, soak it in saltwater (just add a little salt), wring it out, and wrap the cheese in the damp cloth. Ideally, repeat this process every 2–3 days.
If the cheese develops a slight white coating or spots, it’s usually salt or protein that crystallizes due to temperature differences. These spots can simply be wiped off.
Using aluminum foil is possible (though not recommended). If you do, make sure it has many small holes to allow airflow.
Avoid Bread Contact - Yeast Mold
Never store or cut cheese on boards, wooden surfaces, or bases that have previously held bread. The yeast residues from bread can cause the cheese to mold quickly.
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