FORMAGGIO.IT

Il Portale del Formaggio

Vorarlberger Alpkáse

Hard cheese made from natural raw milk produced in areas of Alpine grassland in the Vorsáss and Maisáss regions, which has a dried-on, grainy rind ranging from yellowish-brown to brown in colour. It is not subject to heat treatment, bactofugation or pasteurization, and does not contain any preservatives, stabilizers, chemicab additives or genetically engineered rennet. The body ranges from firm to more supple and is ivoiy-coloured, generally with round pea-size eyes. The cheese contains more than 45% fat in the dry matter and each wheel weighs up to 35 kg. The flavour is mild and aromatic, becoming more piquant as the cheese ages.

The minimum ripening period is between three and six months, and there may be slight variation in the characteristics of the cheese (small slits, fewer eyes).

Produced in Alpine areas in the Vorsáss and Maisáss regions of the Austrian Land Vorarlberg.

Officially recognized Alpine farms lie around 1 000 to 1 800 m.

Documents show that the "Sà¼ss- bzw. Fettsennen" ( a process which remains the basis of Vorarlberger Alpkáse cheesemaking) was used as early as the time of the Thirty Years' War. In the 18th century a large proportion of Alpine milk was already used to produce Alpine cheese. The designation "Vorarlberger Alpkáse" has been used since then.

Raw milk suitable for making hard cheese is obtained from officially controlled herds that are not fed any silage fodder. It is processed on-site, rather than being transported elsewhere or put into interim storage. Neither does it undergo pasteurization, heat treatment or bactofugation. Milk yielded in the evening is immediately placed in small containers (wooden tubs or vats),to allow the cream to rise. The cream is separated the next day in order to obtain the desired fat content; this is done by skimming off the cream by hand (Alpine butter). The Alpine cheese is then produced in Sennkesseln (copper kettles) using this matured, skimmed milk together with whole milk yielded in the morning, lactic acid cultures and rennet. The curd is removed by hand using cheese cloths rather than cheesemaking machines. The curd is then heated up to between 51.5"C and 52.5"C, pressed and regularly treated with brine to form the rind. The cheesemaking process is restricted to the months of summer pasturing (i.e. herd fed exclusively on mountain grazing). The short summering period (3-4 months) means that the product is only available seasonally and in small quantities.