Allgäuer Sennalpkäse

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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.

Key Facts

Country of Origin	Germany
Specific Origin	Allgäu region, Bavaria
Protection	PDO (2011)
Milk Type	Cow's milk
Milk Treatment	Unpasteurised
Fat Content	At least 45% in dry matter
Rind	Dried, yellowy-orange to brown
Texture	Firm to supple
Flavor	Nutty and spicy
Aroma	Delicate when young; more developed and intense as it ages
Colors	Ivory to yellowish
Forms	Cylindrical rounds weighing 5-35 kg, 30-70 cm in diameter, up to 15 cm in height
Age	At least 3 months for rounds weighing 5-15 kg; at least 4 months for rounds over 15 kg
Rennet Type	Natural rennet (not from genetically modified organisms)

What is Allgäuer Sennalpkäse Cheese?

Allgäuer Sennalpkäse comes from the Allgäu, in the south of Bavaria. The milk comes from cows raised in the districts of Ostallgäu, Oberallgäu and Lindau, in Swabia, and 60 percent of their feed comes from those same districts. The cheese has held a European protected designation of origin since 2016.

It is made up on the alpine pastures, and only from May to October, while the cows graze there. Raw milk is set with rennet. The curd is then cut and heated to 52 degrees C, and the cheese is pressed, moulded and aged.

Wheels run from 5 kg to 35 kg, measure 30 cm to 70 cm across and stand up to 15 cm high. The paste is ivory to yellow with small holes the size of a pea, and it ranges from supple to firm depending on how long it has aged. The rind is dry and yellow-orange to brown.

The taste recalls walnuts. Longer ageing brings smoky notes, and the oldest wheels turn sharp. Wheels under 15 kg can go to market after three months as "allgäuer sennalpkäse jeune", while heavier ones age at least four months.