Limburger (German)

Producer

Zurwies Cooperative Dairy

Region

Bavaria

Size

5 ins long, 2.5 ins wide, 2 ins high

Weight

8oz

Website

Milk

Cow

Classification

Soft

Rennet

Animal

Rind

Washed

Early production of Limburger was established in the Limburg region of Belgium during the 19th century when it was created by an enterprising group of Trappist monks. The cheese quickly became popular and was copied shortly afterwards by the Germans, who began production of the cheese in 1830 in the Allgäu region and swiftly adopted it as their own. Germany is now the leading producer of Limburger although variations of the cheese can be found in the USA, Belgium and the Netherlands. Although there are few artisanal producers of Limburger left, Bavaria is considered by many to produce some of the best and, specifically, the Zurwies Cooperative Dairy where the cheese is made under the direction of Anton Holzinger. Milk for production is sourced from local, organic farms and comes from cows that are guaranteed not to have consumed silage. (Silage is often considered to adversly affect milk flavors.) Upon arrival at the Zurwies Cooperative Dairy, the milk is pasteurized. Consequently, the cheese has a relatively mild flavor despite its slightly pungent aroma. The exterior rind is pale orange-brown in color and quite thin, a result of the regular washings the cheeses receive during their maturation. The interior paste is a pale straw color and the texture soft and yielding, becoming runnier with age. Flavors are mild, grassy and mushroomy with a delicate tang on the finish. Limburger pairs very well with Belgian style ales.