Name: Cheese with character: Swiss Emmental
Uploaded: 2026-01-19T13:06:07.269Z
Duration: 4 min 27 s
Description: The holes are the trademark of Emmental cheese, making it synonymous with Swiss cheese worldwide. But are the holes in danger of disappearing?

The holes are the trademark of Emmental cheese, making it synonymous with Swiss cheese worldwide. But are the holes in danger of disappearing?

Swiss Emmental cheese is renowned for its distinctive holes and nutty, sweet flavor. The article details the traditional production methods in Switzerland, including the strict requirements for origin, the use of specific bacterial cultures, and the unique process that forms the cheese's characteristic holes.

Recent challenges in maintaining these holes are discussed, such as the impact of cleaner barns reducing hay particles in milk, and the solution of adding hay flour powder to restore the signature appearance. The cheese is aged for up to two years, and large wheels are sliced for global export, ensuring Emmental's continued presence on tables worldwide.

Cheese with character: Swiss Emmental

It's only the real deal with holes in it. An Emmental is the quintessential Swiss cheese. It's nice and elastic, with that nutty, sweet Emmental flavor. Discover how this classic cheese is traditionally made in Switzerland and learn about the process that forms its distinctive holes. The sound I hear when tapping lets me know if there are enough holes and if the holes are big enough to remove the cheese later, otherwise the cheese would explode. And we explain why these holes were at risk of disappearing. Emmental is protected designation of origin, meaning it is subject to strict requirements. The farm supplying the dairy must be located within a 20-kilometer radius of the cheese factory. Industrial farming is prohibited, and the cows are only allowed to graze on fresh grass and hay. Equally important are the bacterial cultures, as they determine the taste and consistency of the cheese. Master cheesemaker Christoph Hofer cultivates the right mixture in skimmed milk, and each master cheesemaker has their own unique recipe for it. The bacterial cultures and the enzyme rennet curdle the milk, resulting in a mass cut into curd. It is then poured into huge Emmental molds. Now the typical labels are being placed on top of each cheese. The wheels are then left to set for 20 hours. The cheese is initially pressed with a pressure of about 100 kilograms, which gradually increases to 1200 kilograms. This process helps the individual curds bind together effectively, while allowing the whey to drain off. The pressed Emmental cheeses are soaked in a salt bath for two days, which is essential not only for forming the rind, but also for enhancing the flavor. Large wheels are a characteristic of Emmental cheese, which can weigh up to 120 kilograms each at the Eiwei cheese dairy. The large size of cheeses dates back to when customs duties were assessed per wheel instead of by weight, which led producers to think, yeah, I'll just make the cheese bigger. Very clever. The cheeses are placed in a fermentation cellar at 22 degrees Celsius for 60 days. During this time, holes begin to form. Carbon dioxide gas builds up inside the cheese, creating the holes since the gas cannot escape. Christoph taps the cheese to check its progress. Tiny impurities in the milk, specifically hay particles from barns, are essential for the formation of holes in Emmental cheese. But as barns have become cleaner in recent decades, the presence of these hay particles in the milk has diminished. As a result, Emmental cheese has faced a significant challenge. There are issues with the holes in the cheese, as there are currently just too few of them. One way to address this problem has involved adding hay flour powder to the milk. This creates more holes in the Emmental cheese. So in the end, just an easy fix was needed to solve the problem. The Emmental cheeses are aged in storage cellars for three to twenty-four months. The longer Emmental cheese matures, the stronger its flavor. Standing in this cellar fills me with pride. All the effort that goes into it pays off when I see the result. These lovely Emmental cheeses, it's a very good feeling. Since very few people need 120 kilograms of cheese in a single piece, the cheese wheels are sliced up for export around the world. Artisanal Emmental cheese from Switzerland, easily recognizable by its holes. Does it matter to you where your cheese comes from?

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