British and German cheesemakers combine to create pioneering AlpenCheddar

In a partnership that has broken the cheese mould, Devon-based cheesemaker Quicke’s, has collaborated with Bavarian cheesemaker, Hofkäserei Kraus to produce a hybrid cheese like no other. Blending clothbound cheddar with Alpine cheese, AlpenCheddar brings together centuries of British and German cheesemaking tradition, with the first wedges available in the UK from Tuesday 28 July.

Made using a rare and highly experimental technique, Quicke’s Mature Cheddar is added to the curds during Hofkäserei Kraus’ traditional Alpine cheesemaking process, before the wheels are pressed into moulds. Following countless months of tweaking, testing and maturation, the AlpenCheddar is now ready to shake up cheeseboards across Europe, with its unique texture, sweet aroma and flavour notes starting with hazelnut, moving through sweetness and acidity, before ending with a bright apricot finish.

Fusing the terroir of two celebrated cheesemaking regions, AlpenCheddar brings the best of Devon into Alpine cheesemaking for the first time, as Quicke’s Cheddar comes together with Algäu milk from within 5km of the Bavarian dairy, before being matured for 3 months in the home village of cheesemaker, Albert Kraus. Semi-hard with an orangey-brown natural rind and a smattering of air holes, the cheese’s traditional appearance gives nothing of its ground-breaking story away.

AlpenCheddar will be on sale from Tuesday 28 July at www.quickes.co.uk, priced at £7 per 200g wedge and available for next day delivery. Additionally, the AlpenCheddar Story Box will be available exclusively from the Quicke’s website, priced at £30 including delivery, containing 200g wedges of AlpenCheddar, Quicke’s Mature Clothbound Cheddar and Alp Blossom, the flower-coated flagship cheese of Hofkäserei Kraus that forms the base of AlpenCheddar.