Schlossberger

Schlossberger is a full flavoured hard cheese from Switzerland which is left to mature for a minimum of 18 months allowing its nutty flavour to develop.

Castle Schlossberger was built in 1283 on the slopes of the Jura Mountains. The castle had a much varied history and was at one point taken by the French during their invasion of Switzerland in 1798. In the 19th century the French sold the castle back to a private Swiss family and in 1933 the castle was given over to the people of the nearby town La Neuveville and the Canton of Bern.

Schlossberger Cheese is similar in production to its close cousin Gruyere. The raw cow’s milk is heated to 34 °C (93 °F) in a copper vat, and then curdled by the addition of liquid rennet. The curd is cut up into pea-sized pieces and stirred, releasing the whey. The whey is then strained and the curds placed into moulds to be pressed. After salting with brine and smearing with bacteria the cheeses are ripened for a minimum of 18 months at room temperature, turning every couple of days to ensure even moisture distribution.

The longer aging allows for mature and integrated flavour development, resulting in a well-balanced and flavourful cheese. It has many of the same characteristics as other wonderful mountain cheeses like Comté, offering a rich, broth-like, nutty, and buttery flavour profile.

Batches that are made during the winter months when the cows are eating hay, will exhibit a paler, brighter, and more crumbly character. The interplay of nuttiness and creaminess makes this cheese a match with a cooler-climate.

The 60-pound whole wheels of the cheeses are aged for 18-23 months in caves near the ruins of Schlossberger Castle in the valley of Emmental, Switzerland, hence the name of this wonderful cheese.