🧀 Sbrinz

Sbrinz is an extra-hard, full-fat Swiss cheese made from raw cow's milk, registered as a protected designation of origin (Sbrinz AOP).

Under the specification (Pflichtenheft) the area covers the cantons of Lucerne, Schwyz, Obwalden, Nidwalden and Zug, plus defined milk catchment areas in St. Gallen and Aargau. The milk must be raw, with no treatment other than cooling, and the farm may be at most 30 km from the dairy. The cows' ration is at least 70% roughage from the natural fodder of the area, and silage is banned on the farms.

The milk is processed in copper vats with specific, mostly thermophilic lactic cultures and rennet. The cut curd is heated to 54-57 °C and pressed for at least 10 hours; the wheels then stay in brine for at least 15 days, are dry-ripened at 12-20 °C for at least 15 days and finally matured standing in a cellar at 9-14 °C. The first 12 months must be spent in the area, and Sbrinz may be released for sale at 18 months at the earliest.

Sbrinz or Parmesan? Both are very hard, long-ripened cheeses, but Sbrinz is a Swiss cheese with its own protected name, Sbrinz AOP, and its own specification. It uses raw cow’s milk with no treatment other than cooling, copper vats and mostly thermophilic cultures. The cut curd is heated to 54–57 °C and pressed for at least 10 hours, then the wheels spend at least 15 days in brine and finally mature standing in a cellar. Sale is allowed at 18 months at the earliest. The paste is rather dry and slightly to moderately crumbly, with a fruity, spicy taste and light roasted notes.

Look for “Sbrinz AOP” (the Swiss protected designation of origin) on the label; the full name matters more than any picture of a wheel. A whole wheel is 50–62 cm across and weighs 35–48 kg, with a firm, dry, light to golden yellow rind and an ivory to light yellow paste. Because the cheese may be sold only at 18 months or older, pieces are sold as aged cheese. You will find it at a supermarket cheese counter or a delicatessen.

A wheel is 50-62 cm across and weighs 35-48 kg; fat in dry matter is at least 45%. The rind is firm, dry and light to golden yellow. The paste is ivory to light yellow, rather dry and slightly to moderately crumbly, with grainy crystals; the taste is fruity and spicy with light roasted notes. It belongs to Hard cheeses.