Sélection Rolf Beeler Alp Sbrinz AOP

(2 customer reviews)

$108.95 kg

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The Sbrinz is produced with the utmost care and matured for at least 36 months making it a true raw milk specialty for the connoisseur. This full-bodied, brittle variety contains a wonderful aroma, as rich as the lush alpine meadows with their wild herbs.

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Description

The Sélection Beeler Sbrinz is produced with the utmost care. It is stored for at least 36 months and is a true raw milk specialty for the connoisseur. This full-bodied, brittle variety from central Switzerland is one of the most famous icons in of the region alongside William Tell. Each wheel contains a wonderful aroma, as rich as the high-altitude, lush alpine meadows with their wild herbs. An incomparable “something special“ can be found in the wonderfully brittle and delicate paste. Produced during the summer months only, careful handling and storage contribute further to its outstanding quality.

American author and artisanal cheese advocate Max McCalman rated 186 cheese in his book “Cheese: A Connoisseur’s Guide to the World’s Best”, 17 of the top 30 are from Rolf Beeler with the top spot going to Beeler’s Sbrinz. Sbrinz is claimed to be the oldest European cheese. The Celtic ancestors of the Swiss were making cheese centuries before the recorded birth of Christ. Swiss Sbrinz officials claim that the cheese was first mentioned in 70 AD, but do not give any details. Other sources claim that the cheese is mentioned in contracts dated around 1200. It seems certain, however, that it is mentioned in documents dating from 1530, which are kept in the state archive in Bern.

While there is no village or region that was known as Sbrinz, there are two possible origins of the name. The name may come from the village of Brienz in the Canton of Berne. In the 16th and 17th centuries Brienz was a transportation hub for cheeses from the Bernese Oberland and Central Switzerland, from which they would be transported over the Alps. The Italian purchasers called the Swiss cheeses Sbrinz after the origin of the pack trains, and the name spread into Switzerland. A second origin for the name comes from the Lombard word sbrinzo which means any hard cheese.

Since 2001, Sbrinz has been listed as a “controlled term of origin” (AOP) under the Bundesamt für Landwirtschaft (Federal Office for Agriculture). The AOP provides specifications for the origin of the milk and the processes that must be followed in order for the cheese to labeled as Sbrinz AOP.

How we wrap your cheese

Freshness of your cheese is important to us. That’s why – unless noted differently in the description – we package all of our cheese in vacuum bags to help minimize travel impacts. However, we understand that some of you prefer cheese being wrapped in cheese wrap. This option is available to you for a small fee (it takes more time to package the cheese this way, that’s why we charge you a little bit more). Unless specifically noted in the description, all cheese will generally have a best before date of at least 14 days, vacuum packed cheese generally about 2 months. Please note that with cheese this is often only a guidance date and does not necessarily mean the cheese will be of lesser quality beyond that date. In fact many soft(er) cheeses are best kept close to or until after that date for maximum ripeness.

How the cheese gets to you

All Alpine Express cheese are shipped in environmentally friendlier, insulated cardboard boxes. The cheese is bolstered with recycled packing paper & kept cold with food grade ice gel pack(s). It is shipped the fastest possible service, usually Australia Post Express. See Australia Post’s Express Delivery Estimator (origin is ‘Brisbane Metro’). From time to time we may choose a different shipping provider depending on speed of service, costs and other factors.

Unless noted otherwise, all cheese boxes are sent on Mondays with an order cut-off time at 9am (Sydney time) that day. You will get a tracking number to follow your parcel’s progress.

Do you have any other questions? Check our FAQs for additional information or write to us via our contact form.

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2 reviews for Sélection Rolf Beeler Alp Sbrinz AOP

  1. Andrew Sheppard Terroir Member (verified owner)

    A bit like Swiss Parmesan or Grana this is hard and full of flavour but doesn’t have the complex nuttiness I like in other matured mountain cheeses

  2. Yuchun Kung Terroir Member (verified owner)

    Recently I bought raw milk cheese, my family and kids(5yo & 1.5yo) love it.

    • Tom Merkli

      Thank you, Yuchun, we’re happy you and your family liked the cheese!

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