CHILI CHEESE (Chili Cheese, Chilli Cheese) | Delightfully Spicy Chili Flavor Guaranteed | Lactose-Free Semi-Hard Cheese from Hay Milk | PREMIUM Cheese with 45% F.i.T., fresh from the cheese wheel, cut from the cheese cellar
Chili cheese, enhanced with real chilis, is a trendy choice. Our chili semi-hard cheese has a smooth, soft texture and an enticing cheese aroma.
While cheeses with herbs and spices are in vogue, our chili cheese remains true to a purist tradition, comparable to the “beer purity law.”
Cheeses with spices added directly to the cheese dough generally do not develop complex flavors through extensive aging, so spice blends are used.
Our excellent semi-hard cheese stands out with its smooth, soft texture and wonderful aroma.
The uniqueness of this cheese lies in its production: Only the edible cheese rind is carefully treated with a specially selected chili blend. This moderately spicy mixture pairs perfectly with the fine cheese, giving it a spicy, aromatic flavor profile.
The cheese itself remains free from any additives or spices, preserving the pure, natural taste of high-quality alpine milk.
The result is a semi-hard cheese with a refined, harmonious composition. The chili unfolds its flavor in the rind, creating a hint of “spice memory.” Its flavor remains pleasant and balanced, without being overwhelmed by too many aromas.
Lactose-free Chili Cheese: The natural milk sugar in our hay milk or pasture milk cheese is broken down by lactic acid bacteria, resulting in lactic acid plus extraordinary flavor and aroma development.
The semi-hard cheese is also lactose-free, making it accessible to people with lactose intolerance without sacrificing taste.
This cheese represents the highest quality and a mindful return to traditional cheese craftsmanship, focusing on natural flavor. It’s a product that impresses with its aroma and purity.
Our Bregenz Forest Chili Semi-Hard Cheese is a delight for anyone who values the pure taste of high-quality cheese. Its mildly aromatic flavor, enhanced by spices, brings forth completely new flavor compositions.
The edible cheese rind of the chili cheese is refined with a special chili spice blend, giving the cheese wheel an attractive appearance and a delicate, slightly spicy taste.
With the chili cheese by Senner Christof Schneider, you have a truly unique cheese variety. The basis of Berchtold’s chili cheese is the finest semi-hard cheese wheels from selected Bregenz Forest dairies.
The cheese is then transferred to the cheese cellar of the Berchtold family for further care and maturation.
Our chili cheese develops a wonderful flavor through careful manual care. Only the cheese rind is treated with the special spice mixture. The cheese has a creamy white interior, with beautiful holes and a firm texture.
Our chili cheese belongs to the family of our spicy cheese varieties in our shop overview.
Characteristics of Chili Cheese
This fine cheese with a delicately melting, smooth texture and occasional cherry-sized holes is a special delicacy. Its spicy, sharp flavor and semi-firm texture make it a favorite cheese among locals and guests.
The characteristic qualities of chili cheese are greatly influenced by the high-quality alpine milk, its nutrients, flavor, and texture, as well as the flora of the Vorarlberg Alps, giving Alpine cheese its unique quality.
The 3-month aging period allows the flavor to fully develop.
Historical Background of Vorarlberg Cheese
Cheese has been produced and aged in Vorarlberg’s alpine and valley dairies since the early 20th century.
The production method of “fat cheese” (as opposed to lean cheese, like Sura Käse in Montafon) originated in Switzerland and quickly spread in the Bregenz Forest.
Semi-hard cheeses are made from natural (non-thermized, non-pasteurized, or centrifuge-purified) raw milk (hay milk) with at least 45% F.i.T.
Thanks to small-scale farms supplying the raw materials and alpine dairy traditions, artisanal production and traditional care of high-quality cheese have been preserved to this day.
More interesting details about semi-hard cheese can be found on Wikipedia.
Holes in Chili Cheese
The smooth texture of chili cheese has cherry- to hazelnut-sized holes.
The Chili Cheese Rind
The chili cheese is a semi-hard cheese with a chili spice mixture on the edible rind.
Storage and Aging of Chili Cheese
The semi-hard cheese is aged for about 10 weeks in the cellar, where it is turned and brushed. After this process, the chili spice blend is added to the rind, and it is then packaged.
Special Quality Features of Our Semi-Hard Cheeses and YES, the Spicy Rind is Edible
- The rind of cheese forms when the wheels are dipped in an iodine-free salt bath after shaping.
- The salt bath promotes rind formation and protects against bacteria. Depending on the type of cheese, the wheels remain in such a salt bath for different lengths of time.
- The salt draws moisture out of the cheese. The wheels are then regularly treated with iodine-free salt & brine until they reach full maturity.
Taste Magic
The special feature of this chili semi-hard cheese is the spice blend, which fully unfolds its aroma, making the cheese truly exceptional.
Chili Cheese Intensity
How mild or spicy is the cheese? We rate on a scale from 0 (mild) to 10 (spicy).
7/10
Chili Cheese Texture
How firm is the cheese? We rate on a scale from 0 (soft) to 10 (firm).
6/10
Chili Cheese Aging Time
How long has the cheese aged? We define the aging time between 1 to 12 months.
4/12
Additional Details on Chili Cheese from Hay Milk
Milk: | 100% from silage-free hay milk |
Type of cheese: | Lactose-free semi-hard cheese (SH) |
Type of maturation: | Lactic acid and/or fermentation aging / surface aging in the cheese cellar with salt treatment + spice treatment |
Flavor profile: | spicy-aromatic-hot |
Aging period: | fully aged for 3 months |
F.i.T.: | minimum 45% |
Fat content: | approx. 30% |
Allergens: | No allergenic potential other than milk components |
Lactose: | not present |
Rennet: | natural animal rennet |
Salt: | iodine-free table salt |
What makes this cheese unique – the chili cheese character? | Cheese aroma paired with spices and chili. A unique taste experience! |
How does chili cheese taste? | The flavor is spicy and aromatic, the chilis unfold their heat, making the cheese intensely flavorful. |
What is the texture? | The texture is firm yet smooth |
What color is chili cheese? | Light yellow to yellow – depending on the season |
How does the cheese dough smell? | Pleasant cheese aroma with a hint of chili spice nuances |
What about the holes? | Occasional cherry- to hazelnut-sized holes |
How best to enjoy chili cheese? | Perfect for snack or breakfast sandwiches, or simply sliced as an evening snack.
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What indicates non-optimal aging – lower quality? | The cheese should be semi-firm, not mushy. |
If you wish to store large pieces or a whole cheese wheel for more than 2-3 weeks, we recommend using a kitchen towel.
Take a clean kitchen towel, soak it in salt water (just add a bit of salt), wring it out, and wrap the cheese with the damp towel. Ideally, repeat this process every 2-3 days.
If the cheese turns slightly white or develops spots, this is usually salt or protein crystallizing due to temperature differences. Simply wipe these spots off.
Using aluminum foil is possible (though not recommended); if used, add many small holes to allow airflow.
Avoid Bread Contact - Yeast Fungi
Please do not store or cut cheese on boards, woods, or surfaces where bread has previously been placed. Bread yeast residues can cause the cheese to mold quickly.
Alfred Harwöck (verified owner) –
A great yummy cheese.
cizek (verified owner) –
Not so good barely taste for chili!
Stephan –
Hello Mr. Cizek, thanks for your review. Cheese is always individual in taste. We do not add too much chilli – it’s all about chili. The most important thing for us is always to preserve the taste of the cheese dough – the most important quality feature – and not the spice. The cheese dough (this is the art of the dairyman) is therefore never “mixed” with spices – almost a purity requirement. Best regards from Vorarlberg – Your Alpen Sepp Team
Charles Löffler (verified owner) –
Very spicy
Wöhr (verified owner) –
very satisfied will order again
Habersack Reinhold (verified owner) –
It’s off again. Will order again.
Charles Löffler (verified owner) –
very tasty and spicy
rinaldo.mogyorosy (verified owner) –
The chili cheese impresses with a full-bodied and spicy, unique taste. Cheese enjoyment of the finest!
cizek (verified owner) –
too much garlic
Seibelwestphal (verified owner) –
Almost eaten – delicious
Dietmar –
Once tasted and immediately in love. Who likes a certain sharpness in the food and also loves cheese – a definite must. Immediately access!