Best German Cheeses

Top 10 German Cheeses

1. 1 Holsteiner Tilsiter Holsteiner Tilsiter is the protected German name for Tilsiter, a pale yellow semi-hard smear-ripened cow's milk cheese from Schleswig-Holstein. It has a medium-firm paste with irregular holes and cracks, a dark yellow rind, and is often flavoured with caraway.
2. 2 Quark Quark is a fresh acid-set cheese made by souring milk with lactic acid bacteria and straining the curd. Soft, white, unaged and usually unsalted, it anchors German, Austrian and Slavic cooking, where the drier version goes by tvorog.
3. 3 Tilsit Tilsit, also spelled Tilsiter, is a pale yellow semihard smear-ripened cow's milk cheese created in the mid-19th century by Prussian-Swiss settlers in the East Prussian town of Tilsit. It is medium firm with irregular holes, and often flavoured with caraway seed.
5. 4 Brunost Brunost is a Norwegian whey product made by boiling whey with milk and cream until the milk sugars caramelize. It is brown, sweet and firm enough to slice, and it is eaten like cheese on sandwiches, crispbread and waffles.
6. 5 Bavarian Bergkase Bavarian Bergkase is a hard, artisan cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk in the Allgaeu Alps of Germany. It has a pale yellow color and a natural rind. The cheese is known for its full-flavored profile, offering nutty and spicy tastes. Its aroma is rich and aromatic, reflecting the traditional methods used in its production. With a high fat content of 62%, it provides a creamy mouthfeel despite its firm texture. Often referred to as Allgäuer Bergkäse DOP, it holds a special place in German cheesemaking traditions. This cheese pairs well with hearty breads and robust wines, enhancing its bold flavors.
7. 6 Butterkase Butterkase, or Butterkäse, is a semi-soft cow's milk cheese made mostly in Germany. It is known for a buttery, mild taste and a smooth creamy body that slices easily and melts well.
8. 7 Cambozola Cambozola is a German soft-ripened blue cheese made by Hofmeister-Champignon and sold since 1983. Extra cream gives it a triple creme consistency, and it is much milder than Gorgonzola piccante.
9. 8 Allgäuer Emmentaler Allgäuer Emmentaler is a raw-milk Emmental from the Allgäu region of Germany, protected as a designation of origin since January 1997. It ripens for at least three months and tastes clearly of hazelnut, milder than Swiss Emmentaler.
10. 9 Weichkaese Weichkaese is a soft, smear-ripened cheese from Germany, made from cow's milk that can be either pasteurized or unpasteurized. It has a fat content of 42%, contributing to its rich and creamy texture. The cheese has a pale yellow color and is mold-ripened, giving it a soft and edible rind. Its flavor is predominantly buttery and creamy, making it a smooth and mild choice for cheese lovers. Known also by the synonym Weichkäse, it is a popular option for those who enjoy soft cheeses with a gentle taste.
11. 10 Altenburger Ziegenkäse Altenburger Ziegenkäse is a German soft cheese from the Thuringian-Saxon border area, made from cow's milk with at least 15 percent goat's milk. It carries a protected designation of origin and is known for its white Camembert mould and clear caraway flavor.

More German Cheeses Worth Knowing

11. 11 Allgäuer Bergkäse Allgäuer Bergkäse is a German raw milk mountain cheese with a protected designation of origin. Loaves weigh 15 to 50 kg, ripen at least four months, and taste mild, aromatic and nutty, with more punch as the cheese ages.
12. 12 Bierkase Bierkase, better known as Weisslacker, is a salted, surface-ripened cow's milk cheese from Germany that ripens for seven months. It smells as powerful as Limburger but tastes mild, and it is usually eaten with beer.
13. 13 Nieheimer Käse Nieheimer Käse is a low-fat, high-protein sour milk cheese from Nieheim in eastern Westphalia. Its name has been a protected geographical indication since 2010, so only cheese made in the municipality of Nieheim may carry it.
14. 14 Milbenkäse Milbenkäse is a German speciality cheese from the village of Würchwitz, made by ripening salted, caraway-flavoured quark in a wooden box of rye flour full of live cheese mites. The mites left on the rind are eaten along with the cheese.
15. 15 Hessischer Handkäse / Hessischer Handkäs Hessischer Handkäse, also known as Hessischer Handkäs, is a traditional cheese from Germany. It is classified as a sour milk cheese, made primarily from sour milk quark through acidification without the use of rennet. The cheese is small, palm-sized, and typically weighs between 20 g and 125 g. It is produced in the low-fat category and can appear as a smeared acid curd cheese with or without lactic mould formation. The cheese has a smooth surface with a golden-yellow to red-brown appearance and a soft to firm consistency. It is known for its pure, spicy to piquant flavor. Hessischer Handkäse has been produced in the Hessen region for centuries and is a staple in local cuisine.
16. 16 Harzer Harzer is a German sour milk cheese from the Harz mountains, made from low fat curd cheese and usually seasoned with caraway. It is known for its strong smell and flavor, almost no fat, and about 30% protein.
17. 17 Montagnolo Montagnolo is a soft, blue-veined cheese from Germany made with pasteurized cow's milk. It features a creamy texture, making it smooth and easy to spread. The flavor is rich and creamy, providing a mild and pleasant taste experience. Its aroma is buttery and rich, enhancing its overall appeal. Montagnolo is often enjoyed on its own or paired with bread and fruit. Known also as Montagnolo Affine, this cheese is a great choice for those who appreciate a milder blue cheese.
18. 18 Handkäse Handkäse is a German sour milk cheese from southern Hesse, named for the way it was once shaped by hand. It is small, translucent and yellow, with a pungent aroma and a sour taste, and it is usually served topped with chopped onions.
19. 19 Allgäuer Sennalpkäse Allgäuer Sennalpkäse is a German pressed cooked-curd cheese made from raw cow's milk in the Allgäu, in southern Bavaria. It is produced on alpine pastures between May and October, and has held a European protected designation of origin since 2016.
20. 20 Doppelrahmstufe Cream cheese is a soft, light fresh cheese with a creamy taste and moderate acidity, usually made from fresh cheese with milk and cream added. It spreads easily, which is why it most often turns up on breakfast bread.
21. 21 Weißlacker / Allgäuer Weißlacker Weißlacker, also known as Allgäuer Weißlacker, is a semi-soft cheese from Germany. It is made from pasteurized cow's milk and is known for its spicy and slightly hot flavor. The cheese is rindless and has a whitish, varnish-like smear on its surface. It is typically cut into cubes weighing between
22. 22 Chiriboga Blue Chiriboga Blue is a semi-soft, artisan cheese from Germany, made with cow's milk. It is characterized by its blue veins running through a creamy base. The flavor is mild and sweet, which makes it approachable for those new to blue cheeses. Its texture is smooth and creamy, offering a pleasant mouthfeel. The cheese is cream-colored with the distinctive blue marbling typical of blue cheeses. Chiriboga Blue is often enjoyed on its own or paired with fresh bread and fruits. It can also be used to add a mild blue cheese flavor to salads and sauces.
23. 23 Odenwälder Frühstückskäse Odenwälder Frühstückskäse is a soft cow's milk cheese with a red smear rind from the Odenwald in Hesse, Germany. It comes in 100 g loaves, smells spicy to piquant, tastes strong, and carries a protected designation of origin.
24. 24 Heublumenkäse Heublumenkäse is a semi-hard, artisan cheese made from cow's milk, found in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. It can be crafted from either pasteurized or unpasteurized milk. This cheese offers a creamy and nutty flavor, making it a pleasant choice for many palates. Its aroma is floral and herbal, derived from the traditional practice of aging it in hay and herbs. This method not only influences the scent but also gives the cheese its characteristic appearance. Heublumenkäse pairs well with a variety of wines and is suitable for both snacking and culinary use.
25. 25 Edelpilz Edelpilz is a German blue-veined cheese made from cow's milk. With a fat content of 22%, it has a semi-hard texture that crumbles easily. The cheese is known for its spicy, strong flavor, which makes it stand out among other blue cheeses. Its bold taste pairs well with hearty breads and robust red wines. Edelpilz is often enjoyed as part of a cheese board or used to enhance the flavors of salads and sauces. Its blue mold is evenly distributed, adding both visual appeal and a punch of flavor. This cheese is a popular choice in Germany and appreciated by those who enjoy intense, savory cheeses.

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