This is a lovely cheese that is made in Bavaria.
I know:
It differs from Emmental by not having many eyes, and from better milk only from cows up in the high Alps
It has a higher fat content
It's aged for at least four months
Washed rind
But I'd more than anything love to reproduce this thing, as it is above all my favorite cheese I've ever had.
Do you all have any ideas?
EDIT:Found this poorly translated document which still tells a lot...
Allgäu mountain cheese is produced from morning and evening milk. The evening milk is left standing overnight then skimmed in the morning and the morning milk added and mixed. Then the milk is warmed to 30 -32 °C with cultures and rennet added. Starting after about half an hour, the milk thickens and is then cut into pea to hazelnut sized curds with the cheese harp. This preliminary cheese making stage lasts around 30 to 40 minutes. Afterwards, depending on the amount of milk and the degree of ripening, it is reheated over about ½ hour up to 50 °C then stirred for 20 to 40 minutes. Finally, the cheese is removed from the kettle in a cloth and pressed over a whole day with an increasing pressure of from 5 to 8 kg per kg cheese, whereby it is also turned three times. On the following morning the cheese is immersed in a 20% brine bath for at least one day. Subsequently it is cellar-matured for two months at 16 °C during which time the cheese round is washed with brine and turned two to three times per week. After maturing for a month at 12 °C the cheese has reached the correct maturity for consumption. Minimum age for Allgäu mountain cheese is four months.
So maybe 1 gallon whole, 1 2% or 1%...
This looks pretty much identical to Berner Alpkäse, or at least very very similar.
So you could look at my instructions for that cheese and go from there.
Ah, thank you. :D
Questions:
Whole milk? 50% 2 or 1%?
Could it be made in a brick shape, or is it better just to do a wheel?
Make it whatever shape you want
i'd personally go with reduced fat, about 50% or a little more
So all 2% or so?
2% milk is 36%. Sounds silly but it's a fact. It's on the label (http://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/generic/milk-cows-fluid-2%25-fat?portionid=18&portionamount=1.000) of the milk.
Okay. Soooo the ratio you decided on in your Emmental.
A half gallon whole and three half gallons 2%?
I actually used a gallon of whole milk to three gallons of 2%.
Yes, but I have little molds.
Your ratio would be the same as mine with half the volume.
Sooo what you're saying is the ratio I posted is correct... ???
Yes
Also, Alp, should I use a small amount of PS but not ripen it in the warm phase? Unlike the Alpkäse, this is definitely sold with small holes in.
Could I age it for shorter because it's smaller?
How much wine do you use in your wash?
Going to make this tomorrow. Let's see. :)