Cabrales Cheese vs Chimay Cheese
Cabrales Cheese is a unctuous, compact, no eyes cow-milk cheese from Spain, while Chimay Cheese is soft to hard depending on variety, creamy, originating in Belgium.
What Is Cabrales Cheese?
Cabrales is a blue cheese made by rural dairy farmers in the Asturias mountains of Spain, from raw cow's milk alone or blended with goat and sheep milk. It is known for its strong, sometimes sharply acidic flavor and for ripening in limestone caves.
What Is Chimay Cheese?
Chimay is a Belgian Trappist cheese made at Baileux, near the Abbey of Notre-Dame de Scourmont in Hainaut. It comes in several styles, including soft versions washed with Chimay Rouge or Bleue beer and a hard Vieux Chimay aged at least six months.
What's the Difference Between Cabrales Cheese and Chimay Cheese?
- Origin: Cabrales Cheese (Spain), Chimay Cheese (Belgium)
- Milk treatment: Cabrales Cheese (unpasteurized), Chimay Cheese (pasteurized)
- Texture: Cabrales Cheese (unctuous, compact, no eyes), Chimay Cheese (soft to hard depending on variety, creamy)
- Rind: Cabrales Cheese (Natural), Chimay Cheese (washed, some varieties covered with a fine white bloom)
- Aging: Cabrales Cheese (2 to 3 months), Chimay Cheese (2 weeks to 6 months)
- Taste: Cabrales Cheese (Intense, piquant), Chimay Cheese (slightly bitter from the beer hops, nutty in aged versions)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Cabrales Cheese | Chimay Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Spain | Belgium |
| Specific Origin | Asturias | Baileux, Hainaut, Belgium |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk | — |
| Milk Treatment | Unpasteurized | Pasteurized |
| Texture | Unctuous, compact, no eyes | Soft to hard depending on variety, creamy |
| Rind | Natural | Washed, some varieties covered with a fine white bloom |
| Aging | 2 to 3 months | 2 weeks to 6 months |
| Taste | Intense, piquant | Slightly bitter from the beer hops, nutty in aged versions |
Taste Comparison: Does Cabrales Cheese Taste Like Chimay Cheese?
Cabrales Cheese reads as intense, piquant, while Chimay Cheese brings slightly bitter from the beer hops, nutty in aged versions character. More specifically, Cabrales Cheese shows hints of hazelnuts, dark cocoa, sharp, metallic finish; intensely acid curd, while Chimay Cheese leans toward dried fruit and nuts with a light bitter edge in vieux chimay, similar to aged gouda. Aging plays into this as well. Cabrales Cheese at 2 to 3 months develops a different profile than Chimay Cheese at 2 weeks to 6 months.
Can You Substitute Cabrales Cheese for Chimay Cheese?
Cabrales Cheese can stand in for Chimay Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect unctuous, compact, no eyes bite and body where the recipe calls for soft to hard depending on variety, creamy. Flavor-wise, Cabrales Cheese reads as intense, piquant while Chimay Cheese brings slightly bitter from the beer hops, nutty in aged versions notes.
Which Is Better, Cabrales Cheese or Chimay Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a unctuous, compact, no eyes cheese, go with Cabrales Cheese. For a soft to hard depending on variety, creamy profile, Chimay Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Cabrales Cheese suits recipes that want intense, piquant notes, while Chimay Cheese fits dishes calling for slightly bitter from the beer hops, nutty in aged versions.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cabrales Cheese the same as Chimay Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Cabrales Cheese originates in Spain, while Chimay Cheese comes from Belgium. Aging also differs: Cabrales Cheese is typically aged 2 to 3 months, Chimay Cheese 2 weeks to 6 months.
Is Cabrales Cheese similar to Chimay Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Cabrales Cheese for Chimay Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in bite and mouthfeel.
Does Cabrales Cheese taste like Chimay Cheese?
Cabrales Cheese reads as intense, piquant, while Chimay Cheese is slightly bitter from the beer hops, nutty in aged versions.
What is Cabrales Cheese made of?
Cabrales Cheese is made from cow milk (unpasteurized), using kid rennet. It's typically aged 2 to 3 months. It originates in Spain.
What is Chimay Cheese made of?
Chimay Cheese is made from milk (pasteurized). It's typically aged 2 weeks to 6 months. It originates in Belgium.
Which should I choose, Cabrales Cheese or Chimay Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Cabrales Cheese is unctuous, compact, no eyes, while Chimay Cheese is soft to hard depending on variety, creamy.