Urner Alpkäse
Urner Alpkäse is a full-fat, semi-hard cheese made from raw cow’s milk. Produced only in summer on over 60 alpine farms, it follows strict Swiss alpine cheese regulations, ensuring milk is sourced and processed exclusively in the Alps.
Each wheel weighs 6-8 kg, with a 30 cm diameter and a firm, nearly hole-free texture. It is available in mild, spicy, and tart varieties, depending on aging. First referenced in 1479, it was originally a soft, sour-milk cheese, transitioning to fatty rennet cheeses by the 17th century.
By the 18th and 19th centuries, it was linked to Sbrinz cheese, with some variants exported via the Gotthard Pass to Northern Italy. Since 1996, a cooperative has helped market the cheese while allowing producers to maintain traditional methods. The cheese is made from evening and morning milk, curdled with rennet at 32°C, then cut, heated to 45-47°C, and pressed for 24 hours. Read more
It is salted in brine for 1-2 days and aged for at least 2-3 months in humid alpine cellars. During aging, it is brushed with salted water, forming a natural bacterial rind that enhances flavor. Urner Alpkäse is eaten for breakfast, dinner, or as a dessert cheese with wine.
Production reaches 200 tons annually, with half distributed across Switzerland. Historically stored in underground "Nidler" huts before refrigeration, it was praised by Goethe in 1775 as "excellent cheese." Rich in tradition, craftsmanship, and alpine flavors, Urner Alpkäse remains Uri’s most important cheese.
