Chällerhocker is a traditional rustic alpine cheese from Switzerland, where you can taste the wonderfully multi-layered flavors of toasted butter and citrus.

Founded in 1987, the Tufertschwil cheese dairy is a family business run by cheesemaker Walter Räss. Together with his wife and one part-time employee, Räss makes 60 cheese wheels a day, a fraction of which are our unpasteurized cheese.

After years of working as a cheesemaker in Appenzeller, Walter became tired of making commercial cheeses and decided to create his own: Chällerhocker. Originally, there was only a pasteurized version of the cheese, which was a great success, especially in the United States.

But Räss also wanted to create a raw milk version of Chällehocker that would offer a whole new kind of nuance. This version Räss only makes in small quantities.

Chällerhocker is made from whole milk. Rennet is only added to milk from grass-fed cows. Coagulation is followed by cutting the curd. The curd is then heated to 45-50 °C. The curd is then pressed into moulds before the young cheeses are salted before maturing.

During the ripening process, the rind is washed regularly and the cheeses are turned. The cheese is ready after at least 8 months of ripening.

Chällerhocker is an excellent addition to a cheese platter. Its light citrus nuances also make it a great match for toasted cremant or white wine.