Brick Cheese vs Sörmlands Ädel Cheese
Brick Cheese is a semi-hard, smear-ripened cow-milk cheese from United States, while Sörmlands Ädel Cheese is soft/semi-soft, elastic and made from cow milk.
What Is Brick Cheese?
Brick cheese is a Wisconsin cheese pressed into brick shape and ripened on the surface with Brevibacterium linens. Young, it is sweet, mild and melts well; aged, it smells stronger and tastes nuttier. It is the traditional cheese on Detroit-style pizza.
What Is Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?
Sörmlands Ädel is a soft, blue-veined cheese from Sweden, made with low-pasteurized organic whole cow’s milk. It is cylindrical, measuring 19–21 cm in diameter and 10–12 cm in height, with a weight of 2.8–3.0 kg. The cheese matures for 5–12 months and has a moisture content of 45–48%. It has a creamy, round, and complex flavor with acidic, umami, and caramel notes, and an aroma of sour cream butter, damp cellar, mushroom, and truffle. The cheese has a warm yellow surface with walnut brown and dark grey nuances and a homogeneous yellow interior with bluish-green veining. Its texture is soft to semi-soft with a slightly elastic consistency. The production follows traditional methods in Södermanland, Sweden, and uses a unique combination of Penicillium roqueforti strains.
What's the Difference Between Brick Cheese and Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?
- Texture: Brick Cheese (semi-hard, smear-ripened), Sörmlands Ädel Cheese (Soft/semi-soft, elastic)
- Rind: Brick Cheese (washed), Sörmlands Ädel Cheese (Flowery, warm yellow with walnut brown and dark grey nuances)
- Aging: Brick Cheese (Best enjoyed at between 10 and 12 weeks), Sörmlands Ädel Cheese (5–12 months)
- Taste: Brick Cheese (Sweet and mild when young, matures into strong, ripe cheese with age), Sörmlands Ädel Cheese (Wide, round, creamy, and complex)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Brick Cheese | Sörmlands Ädel Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | United States | — |
| Specific Origin | Wisconsin | Södermanland |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk | Cow |
| Milk Treatment | — | Low-pasteurized |
| Texture | Semi-hard, smear-ripened | Soft/semi-soft, elastic |
| Rind | Washed | Flowery, warm yellow with walnut brown and dark grey nuances |
| Aging | Best enjoyed at between 10 and 12 weeks | 5–12 months |
| Taste | Sweet and mild when young, matures into strong, ripe cheese with age | Wide, round, creamy, and complex |
Taste Comparison: Does Brick Cheese Taste Like Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?
Brick Cheese reads as sweet and mild when young, matures into strong, ripe cheese with age, while Sörmlands Ädel Cheese brings wide, round, creamy, and complex character. On the nose, Brick Cheese offers pungent, rich, contrasted with Sörmlands Ädel Cheese's sour cream butter, damp cellar, mushroom, truffle, mild bitter orange. More specifically, Brick Cheese shows sweet and mild when unaged, nuttier with a stronger smell after aging, while Sörmlands Ädel Cheese leans toward acidic, umami, cellar, stable, caramel. Aging plays into this as well. Brick Cheese at best enjoyed at between 10 and 12 weeks develops a different profile than Sörmlands Ädel Cheese at 5–12 months.
Can You Substitute Brick Cheese for Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?
In most recipes, Brick Cheese and Sörmlands Ädel Cheese can be swapped with reasonable results. Both are cow-milk cheeses, so the base character carries over. Expect semi-hard, smear-ripened bite and body where the recipe calls for soft/semi-soft, elastic. Flavor-wise, Brick Cheese reads as sweet and mild when young, matures into strong, ripe cheese with age while Sörmlands Ädel Cheese brings wide, round, creamy, and complex notes.
Which Is Better, Brick Cheese or Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a semi-hard, smear-ripened cheese, go with Brick Cheese. For a soft/semi-soft, elastic profile, Sörmlands Ädel Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Brick Cheese suits recipes that want sweet and mild when young, matures into strong, ripe cheese with age notes, while Sörmlands Ädel Cheese fits dishes calling for wide, round, creamy, and complex.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Brick Cheese the same as Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Aging also differs: Brick Cheese is typically aged best enjoyed at between 10 and 12 weeks, Sörmlands Ädel Cheese 5–12 months.
Is Brick Cheese similar to Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?
Somewhat. They share a cow-milk base but diverge in texture and flavor.
Can I substitute Brick Cheese for Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in bite and mouthfeel.
Does Brick Cheese taste like Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?
Brick Cheese reads as sweet and mild when young, matures into strong, ripe cheese with age, while Sörmlands Ädel Cheese is wide, round, creamy, and complex. Aromas also diverge. Brick Cheese leans pungent, rich, and Sörmlands Ädel Cheese is closer to sour cream butter, damp cellar, mushroom, truffle, mild bitter orange.
What is Brick Cheese made of?
Brick Cheese is made from cow milk. It's typically aged best enjoyed at between 10 and 12 weeks. It originates in United States.
What is Sörmlands Ädel Cheese made of?
Sörmlands Ädel Cheese is made from cow milk (low-pasteurized), using natural rennet. It's typically aged 5–12 months.
Which should I choose, Brick Cheese or Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Brick Cheese is semi-hard, smear-ripened, while Sörmlands Ädel Cheese is soft/semi-soft, elastic.