Hofkäserei Krau Alex Brown Swiss Cheese, 22-Pound Wheel

What do trains, Germany and cheese have in common? Not much, but here's a delicious German cheese named for a train.

Quick Facts

Country of Origin: Allgau, Germany
Milk Type/Treatment: Raw Cow
Rennet Type: Animal

The Flavor Experience

ALEX is destined to be your best new cheese friend. Produced from entirely the hay-fed milk of Brown Swiss cows, ALEX is an herbaceous semi firm cheese that's faintly washed in local herbs, which make the rind smell great and deepen the complexity of the toothsome paste. It's a firm cheese, not a soft and stinky one, with meaty flavors and a little hint of fruit.

The Story

Cheesemaker Albert Kraus uses milk from a few herds of traditional Brown Swiss cows, whose milk is rich and perfect for these 25-lb wheels of cheese.

The name ALEX is a combination of Allgau Express - this is the train that connects the southern countryside where this cheese is made, to Munich and the rest of Germany, and ultimately, to export to the wider world.

Usage Tips

Mix up your fondue rotation, or use this cheese to start one! Bread is a significant player in German cuisine, so cut up and toast a few slices of your favorite loaf and melt a bit off ALEX on top. Top with cornichons for perfect pop of pickle-ey acid.