Gruyere Cheese and Mountains…. Who Could Ask For More?

Imagine beautiful Swiss mountains.  Now, imagine the sound of cows mooing in the distance from up on the mountains.  Finally, imagine a cheese factory.  This is what the town of Gruyere is like.  We had the chance to visit the factory and watch the entire process of cheese making which was amazing.

The cheese making process starts with the cows that are milked in the mountains. The fresh milk is sent to the factory twice a day, where it is poured into a big, copper vat. The milk is then heated for 20 minutes before the rennet is added. Rennet is a natural enzyme extracted from the stomach of a milk-fed calf which makes the milk coagulate. The cheese maker waits for the curds to form before attaching three wire cutters, or curd knives, to the machine above the vat which slice up the curds into pieces the size of rice grains. The cheese maker then tests the consistency of the curds to see if they are ready. This is a crucial part in the cheese making process because if the curds aren’t right and the process is continued, 12 big rounds of cheese will be lost and the cheese maker would have to start all over again.

A vat full of milk

Adding the rennet

Using the curd knives

The wire cutters

Checking the consistency of the curds

The forming curds

Curds

When the consistency is right, the curds and whey are pumped into stainless steel moulds where the whey is drained into a large basin. Once the curds are drained, the cheese maker puts an identification stamp on it with the day it was made and the name of the factory. The curds are sealed in the moulds and are put in saltwater for 20 hours. Then they are put on shelves to age where they are sprayed with saltwater daily. The older the cheese is, the saltier it tastes.

The stainless steel moulds

The curds and whey being pumped into the mould

The curds and whey in the mould

The extra froth being scooped off the surface

The curds with the stamps

The identification stamps

The moulds being sealed

It was incredible being able to see the process right from the beginning. There are four times a day when the public can watch the cheese being made, which makes for a lot of cheese! We were able to see how sanitary the whole process was, how the floor was hosed off after every step and while one vat was being used, the other three were being cleaned.

After watching this process, I have a much better appreciation for cheese after seeing how much hard work and education/expertise goes into it’s creation.  Now I can see more connections between the foods we have tried.  For example, chocolate, wine, and cheese all have ways to try them to get the full taste experience and they each have a science involved in them.  To see an example of a cheese tasting chart, click here.

We got the chance to sample three pieces of cheese that were different ages.  There was a 6 month piece, an 8 month piece, and a 10 month piece.  My favourite was the 8 month piece because it wasn’t too salty but it still had a nice flavour.  It is a truly amazing experience and if you are ever in the area, I would definitely recommend that you go and see it.

Fun Facts About Gruyere Cheese Making

– One round of cheese (35 kg) uses 400 litres of milk.

– The room where all the cheese sits to age can hold 7,344 rounds.

– While on the shelves, the rounds are sprayed with saltwater by a robot that can spray 110 rounds per hour.

– Each vat contains 4,800 litres of milk and can produce 12 rounds of Gruyere cheese.

– 5.7 million litres of milk are turned into cheese every year in Gruyere.

– There is a taxation criteria for the cheeses. They are taxed based on the openings (holes), the quality and colour, taste and aroma, appearance (the shape), and how long it’s been on the shelf, or it’s shelf life.