A guide to German cheese — from Allgäuer Emmentaler and Bergkäse to Limburger, quark, and Cambozola. An underrated European cheese tradition.
Germany is rarely the first country that comes to mind for cheese, yet it's one of Europe's largest producers and home to a genuinely rich and varied tradition. From Alpine wheels to pungent washed-rind cheeses and the ubiquitous quark, German cheese deserves more attention.
An Underrated Cheese Nation
Germany produces and consumes huge quantities of cheese, and while it borrowed and adapted many styles from neighbors, it has developed distinctive cheeses of its own. The tradition spans fresh cheeses eaten daily, Alpine cheeses from the Bavarian mountains, pungent specialties, and modern creations. It's a practical, everyday cheese culture with some real gems.
Alpine and Mountain Cheeses
Southern Germany, especially the Allgäu region in Bavaria, produces excellent Alpine-style cheeses. Allgäuer Emmentaler and Allgäuer Bergkäse ("mountain cheese") are firm, nutty, Swiss-influenced wheels made from the milk of Alpine pastures. These are among Germany's finest cheeses, comparable to their Swiss and Austrian neighbors.
Pungent Specialties
Germany has its share of bold cheeses. Limburger, with its notoriously pungent washed rind, is strongly associated with Germany (and a famous Wisconsin version). Other washed-rind and strong cheeses, including Romadur and Weisslacker (a tangy "beer cheese"), reflect a taste for assertive, aromatic cheeses, often eaten with dark bread, onions, and beer.
Fresh Cheeses: Quark and More
Quark — a soft, fresh, mild cheese between yogurt and cream cheese — is a German staple, eaten daily in both sweet and savory dishes and central to German cheesecake (Käsekuchen). Fresh cheeses like these are an everyday part of German eating, valued for their versatility and, often, their high protein and low fat.
Modern and Flavored Cheeses
Germany also produces modern cheeses, including the popular Cambozola — a creamy hybrid of brie and gorgonzola invented in Bavaria — and Tilsit (Tilsiter), a tangy, holey washed-curd cheese. Spiced and herbed cheeses, smoked cheeses, and a range of supermarket favorites round out the tradition.
How to Enjoy German Cheese
A German cheese experience might pair Allgäuer Bergkäse with dark bread, a pungent Limburger with onions and mustard, and a sweet quark dish for dessert — all washed down with beer, the natural German pairing. For something gentler, a creamy Cambozola with fruit makes an easy crowd-pleaser.
Pairings
German cheeses pair naturally with beer, from crisp lagers to dark ales, as well as with German white wines like Riesling. Dark rye bread, onions, mustard, pickles, and pretzels are classic accompaniments to the savory and pungent cheeses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Germany known for cheese?
It's underrated but is one of Europe's largest cheese producers, with Alpine cheeses, pungent specialties, fresh quark, and modern creations.
What is quark?
A soft, fresh, mild German cheese between yogurt and cream cheese, eaten daily in sweet and savory dishes and used in German cheesecake.
What German cheese is most pungent?
Limburger, with its notoriously strong washed rind, is the most famous pungent German cheese.