SMELLY SPICY CHEESE, dry-aged | Lactose-free Austrian PREMIUM semi-hard cheese, directly from the cheese cellar | 100% extremely intense taste guarantee | Rässkäse – trockengereift

from:  36,96

(6 customer reviews)

Our lactose-free Rässkäse, dry-aged, gains its intense aroma through meticulous care and special storage.

Base price: € 24.65/kg

Fresh shipping | every tuesday

No artificial colors/flavors

No fillers

Gluten free

SMELLY SPICY CHEESE dry-aged | Lactose-free semi-hard cheese made from hay milk | PREMIUM cheese with 35% fat, freshly cut from the cheese wheel, aged in a cheese cellar | Intensely aromatic cheese enjoyment guaranteed

No original Vorarlberg cheese spaetzle dish is complete without it – that’s the secret.

The Vorarlberg Rässkäse (SMELLY SPICY CHEESE) – dry-aged is a true specialty known for its intense flavor and distinctive quality. In Vorarlberg, the term “räss” refers to spicy, sharp, and intense – exactly what makes this cheese so unique.

Made from high-quality hay milk from cows fed exclusively on fresh grass and hay in the Alps, this cheese embodies the essence of the region and its traditional craftsmanship.

The production of Rässkäse follows a unique method: The edible rind is treated with red smear bacteria and refined through a special salt treatment. This aging process, which takes place at higher temperatures, gives the cheese not only its characteristic orange color but also its intense aroma and strong, spicy flavor.

Rawmilk listing cheese
Lactose free icon

Lactose-free Rässkäse: The natural milk sugar in our hay milk cheese is broken down by lactic acid bacteria. Result: lactic acid plus exceptionally remarkable flavor and aroma development.

The semi-hard cheese is also lactose-free, making it accessible to people with lactose intolerance without compromising on flavor.
Rässkäse is essential in Vorarlberg, especially for the traditional cheese spaetzle dish, where it is the key to authentic taste. But it also shines as part of a hearty cheese platter, paired with an Enzian schnapps, providing a genuine pleasure for cheese lovers.

With its long tradition and careful production, Rässkäse is not just a taste experience but also a piece of culinary heritage that deserves a special place on any cheese board. Its intense aroma and high quality make it a delicacy that cheese enthusiasts should not miss.

Rässkäse has a long-standing tradition in Vorarlberg as a specialty that is indispensable in any cheese dumpling mix. For a hearty snack with Enzian (schnapps), Rässkäse is a delight.

SMELLY SPICY CHEESE, dry-aged | Lactose-free Austrian PREMIUM semi-hard cheese, directly from the cheese cellar | 100% extremely intense taste guarantee | Rässkäse - trockengereift

With Rässkäse from cheese maker Christof Schneider, you are holding a special type of cheese in your hands. Berchtold’s Rässkäse is made from the finest semi-hard cheese wheels sourced from selected Bregenzerwald dairies.

The cheese is then sent to the Berchtold family’s cheese cellar, where it undergoes further care and maturation.

The cheese is spicy and robust in flavor, becoming piquant and slightly sharp with age. The evenly distributed hole structure and reduced fat content are distinguishing characteristics of this cheese specialty.

Our Rässkäse is part of our spicy cheese varieties in our shop overview.

Characteristics of SMELLY SPICY CHEESE, dry-aged

The cheese is spicy and robust in flavor, becoming piquant and slightly sharp with age. The evenly distributed hole structure and reduced fat content are special characteristics of this cheese specialty.
The Cheese Secret: The distinctive qualities of Bregenzerwald Rässkäse are greatly influenced by the high-quality alpine milk, its composition, flavor, texture, and the alpine flora of Vorarlberg. This results in the unique quality of alpine cheese.

Further interesting details about Rässkäse can be found on Wikipedia.

SMELLY SPICY CHEESE, dry-aged | Lactose-free Austrian PREMIUM semi-hard cheese, directly from the cheese cellar | 100% extremely intense taste guarantee | Rässkäse - trockengereift

Historical Background of Vorarlberg Cheese

Typical dishes with Rässkäse include Vorarlberg cheese spaetzle or cheese flatbread.
No original Vorarlberg cheese spaetzle dish succeeds without it – that’s the secret. For many spicy cheese lovers, it is also excellent on a cheese platter, perfect for enjoying on its own.

Rässkäse has a long-standing tradition as a specialty in Vorarlberg, which should not be missing in any cheese dumpling mix. For a hearty snack with an Enzian schnapps, Rässkäse is a delight.

SMELLY SPICY CHEESE, dry-aged | Lactose-free Austrian PREMIUM semi-hard cheese, directly from the cheese cellar | 100% extremely intense taste guarantee | Rässkäse - trockengereift

Holes in smelly spicy cheese

Rässkäse has an evenly distributed hole structure.

SMELLY SPICY CHEESE, dry-aged | Lactose-free Austrian PREMIUM semi-hard cheese, directly from the cheese cellar | 100% extremely intense taste guarantee | Rässkäse - trockengereift

The smelly spicy cheese Rind

Typical rind formation through treatment with salt water and red smear bacteria.

SMELLY SPICY CHEESE, dry-aged | Lactose-free Austrian PREMIUM semi-hard cheese, directly from the cheese cellar | 100% extremely intense taste guarantee | Rässkäse - trockengereift

Storage and Maturation of smelly spicy cheese

Rässkäse is stored in a cheese cellar for around 4 months. The result is a cheese with a bold, spicy flavor that becomes piquant or slightly sharp with age.

General Quality Characteristics of Our Cheese

  • The rind of cheese forms when the cheese wheels are immersed in an iodine-free salt bath after shaping.
  • The salt bath promotes rind formation and acts against bacteria. Depending on the type of cheese, the wheels stay in such a salt bath for varying lengths of time.
  • The salt draws water out of the cheese wheel. Afterward, the wheels are regularly cared for with iodine-free salt & brine until fully matured.

A Treat for the Palate

The special feature of this Rässkäse is its extreme aroma and taste.

Rässkäse Intensity

How mild or spicy is the cheese? We rate it on a scale from 0 (mild) to 10 (spicy).

8/10

Rässkäse Consistency

How firm is the cheese? We rate it on a scale from 0 (soft) to 10 (hard).

6/10

Rässkäse Maturation

How long did the cheese mature? We define maturation time between 1 and 12 months.

4/12

Additional Details about Rässkäse from Hay Milk

Character of Rässkäse
Milk: 100% from hay milk without silage
Cheese Type: Lactose-free semi-hard cheese (SH)
Aging Method: Lactic acid and/or fermentation aging and surface aging with red culture
Cheese Flavor Profile: spicy and robust
Maturation Period: around 4 months
Fat in Dry Matter: at least 35%
Total Fat: around 25%
Allergens: No other allergenic potential apart from milk components
Lactose: not present
Rennet: natural animal rennet
Salt: iodine-free table salt
What makes the cheese – the Rässkäse character? Spicy, strongly aromatic cheese that cheese lovers adore.
How does the Rässkäse taste? Spicy, piquant to sharp – depending on age.
How is the texture, how does it feel? Less smooth, with a slightly crumbly cheese texture.
What is the color of Rässkäse? Light yellow, sometimes whitish near the edges
How does the cheese smell? Spicy, with a strong aroma due to intense aging and the prominent red smear.
What does the hole structure look like? Evenly distributed hole structure
Best way to enjoy Rässkäse? With a snack, as part of a cheese dumpling mixture, for gratinating, or other versatile uses
How to identify suboptimal aging – lower quality? Flavor defects
Storing Rässkäse

If you plan to store large pieces or a whole Rässkäse wheel for more than 2-3 weeks, we recommend using a dish towel.

Simply take a clean dish towel, soak it in salt water (just add a bit of salt), wring it out, and wrap the cheese in the moist cloth. Ideally, repeat this process every 2-3 days.

If the cheese becomes slightly white or develops spots, it is usually the salt or protein that crystallizes due to the temperature difference. Simply rub off these areas.

Using aluminum foil is possible (though not recommended); if you do, add many small holes for airflow.

More Cheese Delights from Europe?

Weight N/A
Brand

Alpen Sepp

GTIN

9120022282176

Country of origin

Austria

Weight

, ,

Type of cheese

Austrian semi-hard cheese made from thermized, silo-free hay milk

Ingredients

Cow's milk, cheese-making, natural lab, iodine-free table salt

Cheese maturing time

4 Months

Name of cheese

Smelly spicy cheese

Storage conditions

Store refrigerated at +4 ° C to +8 ° C

Taste Intensity

special spicy

Kind of cheese

Nutritional value artisan smelly-spicy cheese

Allergen labeling and nutritional value table – according to the LMIV (EU No. 1169/2011).
100 grams of cheese contain:

F.D.M. approx. 35 %
Energy value 303 kcal/1256 KJ
Fat 22 g
of it saturated 18 g
Carbohydrates 0 g
of which lactose <0,1 g*
Protein 24,8 g
Salt 1,25 g

*Cheeses containing less than 0.1% lactose are defined as lactose free!

Frequently asked questions from our customers

  • Do I get the fresh alpine cheese delivery to the gram exactly?
    Naturally. But as the cheese is freshly cut down for each delivery, it is often not possible to exactly match the desired amount of cheese to 100%. If we do not have enough weight, we just add the missing piece.
  • How is the Alpine cheese packaged and how is it with the cooling?
    The cheese is airtight vacuum-packed. If necessary, the packaging is added during the warmer seasons cooling elements.
  • How long is the durability of the premium cheese?
    ‘The decisive factor is above all the temperature. If it is too warm, the cheese matures too fast. If it is too cold, the aroma suffers. If it is too warm, the cheese starts to sweat and gradually dries up. The cheese is ideally stored refrigerated (at about 8-12 ° C) for about 3 months and longer.
  • How long will it take for the cheese to arrive?
    The cheese is shipped with DPD and should reach every destination in Europe –  at the latest after 3-4 days after shopping. To Germany 48 hours.
  • Is there a minimum order quantity when buying cheese?
    Yes, every cheese type have a minimum weight. You can select different weights of each cheese.
  • Is there a maximum order quantity?
    Of course not. If you need a very large amount of cheese, that is not a problem and we will discuss it with you.
  • How much are the delivery or shipping cost?
    DPD helped us a lot. For Germany and Austria we can therefore offer a cheap national lump sum. All other shipping cost you can find under delivery cost.
  • In which countries can be delivered?
    Currently the delivery in the shop is only possible to Austria and Germany. On request we also ship to other countries.

Customer questions and answers

There are no questions yet

Ask a question

Your question will be answered by a store representative or other customers.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for the question!

Your question has been received and will be answered soon. Please do not submit the same question again.

Error

Warning

An error occurred when saving your question. Please report it to the website administrator. Additional information:

Add an answer

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for the answer!

Your answer has been received and will be published soon. Please do not submit the same answer again.

Error

Warning

An error occurred when saving your answer. Please report it to the website administrator. Additional information:

6 reviews for SMELLY SPICY CHEESE, dry-aged | Lactose-free Austrian PREMIUM semi-hard cheese, directly from the cheese cellar | 100% extremely intense taste guarantee | Rässkäse – trockengereift

  1. Avatar of Petra

    Petra (verified owner)

    From my friend from Tyrol have learned that Käsknödl taste best with Raesskäs. But I can not get it in the Frankfurt area and we were not in Austria last year. Hence the online order. What can I say: they became the best cheese dumplings I’ve ever made! Of course I also tried a piece like this: delicious!

    (0) (0)
  2. Avatar of eveline

    eveline (verified owner)

    I was not cheese cheese, with this I got the taste!

    (0) (0)
  3. Avatar of Gerhard Emrich

    Gerhard Emrich (verified owner)

    What a delicacy, this cheese. Quality and taste, perfect. Was not my last order.

    (0) (0)
  4. Avatar of Kube

    Kube (verified owner)

    We liked it very much, we order again, also excellent: everything made without iodized feed

    (0) (0)
  5. Avatar of Spaeth

    Spaeth (verified owner)

    Dear Alps Sepp,
    the Rässkäse tastes great. Yesterday I rubbed it about my fried potatoes.
    I have also sent some of it to my brother-in-law, who recently spent his holiday in Tyrol. With him beautiful memories of spaetzle with rässkäse awake.
    Greetings from the Rhineland
    Fam. Spaeth

    (0) (0)
  6. Avatar of Daniel

    Daniel (verified owner)

    My expectations were fully met. The quality of the cheese is excellent.
    Highly recommended!

    (0) (0)
Add a review

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


You may also like…

HARD CHEESE
HARD CHEESE
Close Popup

We use cookies to give you the best online experience. By agreeing, you accept the use of cookies in accordance with our cookie policy. Further surfing in the web shop automatically leads to approval.

Close Popup
Privacy Settings saved!
Privacy Settings

When you visit any web site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Control your personal Cookie Services here.

These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems.

Technical Cookies
In order to use this website we use the following technically required cookies
  • wordpress_test_cookie
  • wordpress_logged_in_
  • wordpress_sec
  • tk_lr
  • tk_or
  • tk_r3d

Onlineshop
To use this online shop, i.e. for shopping cart and order processing, we use the following technically necessary cookies and services:
  • woocommerce_cart_hash
  • woocommerce_items_in_cart

GDPR
To enable the GDPR service on this website, we use the following technically necessary cookies:
  • wordpress_gdpr_allowed_services
  • wordpress_gdpr_cookies_declined
  • wordpress_gdpr_first_time
  • wordpress_gdpr_first_time_url

Decline all Services
Save
Accept all Services
SMELLY SPICY CHEESE, dry-aged | Lactose-free Austrian PREMIUM semi-hard cheese, directly from the cheese cellar | 100% extremely intense taste guarantee | Rässkäse - trockengereift
SMELLY SPICY CHEESE, dry-aged | Lactose-free Austrian PREMIUM semi-hard cheese, directly from the cheese cellar | 100% extremely intense taste guarantee | Rässkäse – trockengereift
from:  36,96 Select options