Cheese Database

Berner Alpkäse vs Emmental

Berner Alpkäse

Facts

Milk
Cow
Texture
Hard
Type
Pressed
Rind
Washed rind
Country
Switzerland
Place
Bern

Berner Alpkäse is a hard cow's milk cheese from the Bernese Alps in Switzerland. Herders make it on high pastures while the cows eat summer grass and alpine herbs. The milk is raw, and the wheels have no eyes, unlike many other Swiss cheeses. A younger wheel is firm and full. The very dry form, called Berner Hobelkäse, is shaved into thin curls because a knife will not cut it cleanly.

Emmental, field guide plate
Emmental, photographed

Emmental

Facts

Milk
Cow
Texture
Hard
Type
Pressed
Rind
Natural rind
Country
Switzerland
Place
Emmental
Status
AOP

Emmental is the Swiss cow's-milk cheese with large holes, from the Emmental valley in the canton of Bern. The holes are eyes, made by gas during aging. The Swiss cheese is protected.