Do you remember our blog post about the "Chästeilete" in Justistal? The cheese wheels were brought down from the alp to the valley and stored in the various cheese cellars. Including Daniel Eschmann's cellar. He shares it with three friends.

A brief word about Daniel Eschmann: as he says himself, he is a so-called sofa farmer. In his everyday life, he is not a farmer, but a member of the management of the Hauenstein Group, which also owns the Hauenstein Hotels. He inherited the cow rights in Justitstal from his grandfather 26 years ago and has been fulfilling his duties as a sofa farmer ever since. Together with his friends, he cultivates the alpine and sliced cheese in the cheese cellar of his house.

It's Wednesday evening when I set off from the office in Gunten in the direction of Sigriswil. I park my car in front of the garage at 6.30 pm. Daniel has just come out of his house and greets me warmly. "Well, let's go then," he says and we enter his house. We go down the stairs one floor, through the hallway and straight into a fantastic wine cellar. Are we in the right place? Of course we are! Behind the camouflaged door, it smells of cheese - lots of cheese. Some are lying flat on wooden boards, while others are lined up vertically. For cheese lovers like me, the sight is seductively wonderful.

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What kind of cheese is stored in this cellar?

All horizontal cheeses are from last summer's production. All the cheeses in the upright position are from 2022 or earlier. The oldest cheese in the cellar was produced in 2011. The cheeses all bear the Berner Alpkäse AOP or Berner Hobelkäse AOP seal. This is a protected title and this alpine cheese can only be produced in the summer months between 100 and 120 days according to strict guidelines. "During the summer, the herdsmen, the cheesemaker and the salter produce and care for our cheese on the alp. After the "Chästeilet", the cheese goes into the care of us four cheese boys," Daniel explains to me. The salter soaks the fresh cheese in salt water on the alp for two days. After these two days, he uses a brush to brush the brine around the cheese every day.

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If you look at the cheese up close, you will see various numbers. On the one hand, the cheeses have the black casein mark, with which the original origin of the cheese can be traced. Each alp in Switzerland has its own number for identification. The green number with a letter, here in the example: 12.S.23, is the production date. So the cheese was produced on September 12, 2023. The top cheese has a B. But there is no month with a B, is there? The B stands for Brachet and it is the month of June, while an H stands for Heuet and the month of July. The handwritten black number shows the weight in pounds, which was weighed shortly before the "Chästeilet". This number is washed off over time by the cheese care.

Cheese care

Cheese care during the ripening process is essential for rind formation and is also responsible for the taste and texture. In the final stage of cheese production, the cheese is allowed to rest. During the maturing process in the cellar, the cheese wheels are regularly turned and brushed or grated by the cheese makers. During this time of refining and refining, the cheese acquires its very special character. The older the alpine cheese is, the stronger its aroma becomes.

What utensils are needed for cheese care?

Water: A bucket of water and a cloth are available for washing the cheeses. However, this is not often necessary.

The brush: Use the brush to rub the brawn/brine around the cheese.

The cheese rubbing cloth: The cloth is made of jute and is used for rubbing the cheese.

The brawn/brine: This is rubbed into the cheese and gives the cheese its flavor.

In this cheese cellar, the cheese boys have different needs for brawn and cheese care. Two of them want the cheese to be rubbed exclusively with salt water and the cloth. The other two, including Daniel, treat their cheese with a special mixture of water, white wine, apple juice, sea salt, dried herbs and dried vegetables. They use the brush to rub the cheese and then rub it with the cloth.

To check that each of the loaves has been cared for, they look at the writing. The fonts are all the right way up that evening. At the end of the evening, they all have to be upside down. This way Daniel knows that he has swept every cheese and rubbed the brawn.

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How often is the cheese cared for?

The four cheese boys take turns every week. This means that each of them takes care of the cheese once a month for one week. From the "Chästeilet" in September until around April of the following year, the cheese is cared for twice a week. After that, care is reduced to once a week. After about a year, the cheese enters the maturing process and is rubbed once a month. However, some of the wheels are also cut before this and sold at the "Chästeilet", for example. After the maturing process, it is a matter of judgment when further care is required.

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The cheese care process

The process is relatively simple. Daniel takes a wheel of cheese, turns it over in the air and places it on the work surface. The brush is dipped into the brine and then rubbed over the cheese. Inside, Daniel gives the cheeses a good talking to so that they feel particularly good and can develop their flavor *wink*. After rubbing the brawn with the brush, it is important to rub and clean the edges with the cloth. This prevents the brine from running under the cheese and causing it to go moldy. When cleaning with the cloth, the brush is omitted and the brine is rubbed in with the jute cloth only. After rubbing, the cheese wheel is placed back on the wooden shelf - the writing is now upside down. For an even better mood, "lüpfige" music is often listened to while the cheese is being treated.

After cheese care and what else there is to say

After around 1.5 hours, all the loaves are neatly laid out in their places. Of course there is also a quality control. As there are several people caring for the cheese, there is a list in which the cheese makers have to sign after their work is done. This gives them an overview of when and by whom the cheese was cared for. The room is also equipped with sensors that monitor the temperature and humidity in the cellar. The data can be accessed digitally. Daniel also checks every morning before work via tablet whether everything is in order. If not, he takes measures to remedy the problem. In this way, the climate can be kept as constant as possible. "Cheese care is a very relaxing job after a hard day at the office," Daniel concludes.

Many thanks, dear Daniel, for the open and cordial insight into your cheese cellar and the delicious aperitif platter, which was a perfect end to the relaxing work of cheese care.

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