Paznauner Almkäse

 
Record Number: 53
 
Disclosure Date
A document in the Tyrolean Provincial Archives (Urbar 93/5, 1544, Fo. 47 to 49) from the year 1544 attests the traditional production of a cheese of good keeping-quality in the region.
 
 
 

Photo: BM...

Title
Paznauner Almkäse
(Paznauner alp cheese)
 
 
 
Abstract or claim
The milk used for the production of Paznauner Almkäse imparts a particular flavour due to the alpine vegetation and the altitude of the production region (high-alpine production area) as well as due to the fact that the cows are exclusively grass-fed or hay-fed. This, together with the traditional hand production method, gives the cheese its particular character. Cheese production makes an essential contribution to maintaining mountain farming in the Paznaun and is vital for the ecological variety and stability of the agricultural and cultural landscape of the alpine area.
 
Name of product, Product class
Cheese, milk products
 
Name of region
Paznaun valley, Tyrol, Austria
 
Field of search
Food and Agriculture
 
Name of information provider
Landwirtschaftskammer Tirol (Chamber of Agriculture Tyrol)
Dipl. Ing. Stefan Hörtnagl
Expert for dairy farming and feeding
 
Name of applicant for title
Verband der Tiroler Käserei- und Molkereifachleute
(Association of Tyrolean cheese and dairy experts)
6020 Innsbruck, Brixner Straße 1
 
Holder of knowledge or associated resources
Alpine dairies and dairies in the Paznaun valley and its side valleys
 
Grantee(s), holder(s),
assignee(s) or owner(s) of title, if any
Verband der Tiroler Käserei- und Molkereifachleute
(Association of Tyrolean cheese and dairy experts)
6020 Innsbruck, Brixner Straße 1
 
Descriptors
- History:
In sources from the high and late Middle Ages cheese produced in alpine areas is named “casei alpine” or “alpchaese” (Stolz, 1930).
 
A document from the year 1544 in the Tyrolean Provincial Archives (Urbar 93/5, 1544, Fo. 47 to 49) attests the traditional production of a cheese of good keeping-quality in the region. In 1558, the upper Inn valley (Pitz valley) is mentioned as cheese production area in the Tiroler Landreim.
Since the second half of the 19^th  century, numerous alpine dairies have existed in Tyrol.
 
- Region:
The Paznaun is a valley in Tyrol, Austria, leading south-west from Pians (850 m) to the Bielerhöhe (2036 m), a mountain pass at the border of Vorarlberg and Tyrol.
The Paznaun valley, 30 kilometers in length, is flown through by the river Trisanna and surrounded by the mountain ranges Verwall in the north, Samnaun in the south-east and Silvretta in the south-west.
 
Paznauner Almkäse is exclusively produced in the Paznaun valley and its side valleys.
The mountain pastures used for cheese production are independent beef or dairy production units which are either registered in the Tiroler Almkataster (Tyrolean mountain pasture register) or recorded and approved by AMA (Austria Agrar Marketing) according to sec. 15 of the Austrian Milk Quotas Ordinance (Milchgarantiemengen-Verordnung), Federal Law Gazette No 225/1999.
Mountain pastures used for the production of Paznauner Almkäse lie above the normal habitation altitudes and are used for dairy farming up to an altitude of around 2500 m above sea level.
 
- Paznauner alp cheese:
The milk used for the production of Paznauner Almkäse imparts a particular flavour due to the alpine vegetation and the altitude of the production region (high-alpine production area) as well as due to the fact that the cows are exclusively grass-fed and hay-fed. This, together with the traditional hand production method, gives the cheese its particular character. Cheese production makes an essential contribution to maintaining mountain farming in the Paznaun and is vital for the ecological variety and stability of alpine mountain and cultural landscapes.
 
Paznauner Almkäse is produced exclusively in loaf form (never a block) from raw milk suitable for hard-cheese production with the addition of lactic acid bacteria and calf rennet.
 
The rind is firm to the touch, yellow to brownish in colour and without cracks, and is sometimes covered with a thin dry smear.
The cheese has a firm to soft texture with a uniform ivory to light-yellow colour and a few well defined, pea-sized eyes.
 
The taste of the cheese is aromatic and piquant.
 
The minimum fat content is 25% fat in dry matter, but medium-fat to full-fat cheeses may also be produced. The ripening period is at least 6 weeks. The loaves weigh between 3.5 kg and 5 kg.
 
Paznauner Almkäse is a semi-hard cheese with round eyes. Although the Austrian Codex Alimentarius requires that the term “Alp” or “Alm” within a designation is to be used only for hard cheeses, the producers regard the use of the term Paznauner Almkas as justified for the following reasons: The milk is produced from cattle grazing on alpine pastures and is processed in a traditional and artisanal manner on the Alps (“Alm”). Moreover, during the curd processing the cheese is heated to temperatures applied typically to hard cheeses. Only the ripening and storage time is shorter than for hard cheeses.
 
Paznauner Almkäse is produced exclusively during the 90 – 120 days’ growing period of alpine pastures.
In traditional production, the cow is milked by hand and the milk is placed into wooden “Stotzen” (cylindric container with low walls) or wooden bowls. The wooden bowls are often made on-farm by unskilled wood turners using Swiss pine (Pinus cembra).
 
Production:
- The raw milk is usually skimmed by hand and the fat content is
  adjusted,
- then it is coagulated with calf-rennet and lactic bacteria.
- The curd is heated to approximately 35-52 °C.The high
  temperature range ensures safe hygienic conditions similar to
  hard cheeses.
- After pressing the cheese is soaked in brine or salted in dry form
  and then
- the cheese is ripened for at least 6 weeks in natural cellars under
  high relative humidity and fluctuating temperatures.
- During ripening the cheese loafs are treated with brine. Initially,
  red-smear cultures may be added to the brine to enhance flavour.
  At the beginning, the smear treatments are carried out at shorter
  intervals. However, cheese varieties are also produced with dry
  smears.
 
It is not allowed to use additives such as antioxidants, preservatives, emulsifiers, stabilizers, thickeners, gelling agents, colours, peroxides, nitrates or flavours. Also the use of calf-rennet substitutes and genetically engineered rennet is not permitted.
 
Distinct quality linked to origin and Traditional Knowledge:
- Specific soil and climate conditions in the alpine region of paznaun valley result in a richness of
  native alpine flora which enables extensive management of milk cows on alpine pastures.
- Strong link with the area: Milk cows are grazed on alpine plants and herbs and/or are fed with
  grass and hay produced on the holdings.
- The special, unique flavour and the spicy aroma of Paznauner Almkäse are directly related to the
  local alpine flora fed to the dairy cows.
- Traditional artisanal cheese production in small-scale cheese dairies.
- The production of Paznauner Almkäse is the result of Traditional Knowledge passed on from
  generation to generation: The Traditional Knowledge and expertise of dairy cow farmers (adapting
  the management of herds to environmental constraints, methods of keeping dairy cows in
  mountain areas, methods of hay making, methods of feeding with green fodder and hay, avoiding
  silage fodder) and of alpine dairies (production, ripening and storage of cheese).
 
- Marketing: 
Paznauner Almkäse is retailed as loafs, parts of loafs (“cheese-gussets”) or in sliced form. It may be sold unpacked, vacuum-packed or packed in controlled atmosphere.
 
Additionally to Paznauner Almkäse there is a cheese on the market which is designated Paznauner Käse. The major difference is the production site. Paznauner Almkäse is produced on the alpine pasture, while Paznauner Käse is produced on-farm beyond the short growing period of alpine pastures.
 
For the production of Paznauner Almkäse, the cattle are fed in compliance with the stringent provisions of the “Regulativ für Heumilch” (Regulation for hay-milk), which ensures the high quality of the cheese.
 
- Protection:
-
 
Key Words
Food and Agriculture, Traditional Knowledge, Austria, Tyrol, region, Paznaun, Paznauntal, Paznaun valley, cheese, alp cheese, raw milk cheese, milk, Paznauner Almkäse, Paznauner Kas, Paznauner Almkas, Paznauner alp cheese
 
Bibliography / References
- Codex Alimentarius Austriacus, Codex Chapter B 32 ”Milch und Milchprodukte” Sub-chapter “Käse”,
  B I 1.3. (Decree BMSG GZ 32.032/4-VII/13/02 com 22.7.2002).
- Die neuen Tiroler Genussregionen
  http://www.amtirol.at/index.php?id=7&archivId=4&detail=253
- Ischgl
  http://www.geschichte-tirol.com/ortsgeschichte/bezirk-landeck/ischgl-27.html 
- KIRNBAUER F. Der Tiroler Landreim 1558. Leobener Grüne Hefte 75, Wien, Montan-Verlag,
  1964, p. 71.
- Milch-Garantiemengenverordnung, BGBl. (Austrian Federal Law Gazette) No 225/1995.
- MOLLING A. Die Alpbewirtschaftung im obersten Inntal, in: Tiroler Heimat 5/5, Innsbruck,
  1932, p. 12-19.
- ÖLMB 3rd edition, Chapter B32 “Milch- und Milcherzeugnisse”, Subchapter “Hartkäse”,
  “Produktionsbestimmungen für hartkäsereitaugliche Milch”- Communique of the Milchwirtschafts-
  fonds of 29
  March1993, Issue 4, No 37
- Paznaun
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paznaun
- Paznaun
  http://paznaun.blogspot.com/2007/10/zwei-neue-genussregionen-in-tirol.html
- Paznauner Almkäse
  www.genuss-region.at
- Paznauner Almkäse- Heimat des Paznauner Almkäse
  http://www.amtirol.at/index.php?id=361&topId=7
- Regulativ für Heumilch 
  http://www.heumilch.at/die-arge/heumilchregulativ 
- STOLZ O. Die Schwaighöfe in Tirol. Ein Beitrag zur Siedlungs- und Wirtschaftsgeschichte der
  Hochalpentäler. Wissenschaftliche Veröffentlichungen des Deutschen und Österreichischen
  Alpenvereins 5. Innsbruck, 1930, p. 197.
- Urbar 93/5 1544, Fo. 47 to 49 document in the Tyrolean Provincial Archives
- WOPFNER H. Bergbauernbuch. Von der Arbeit und Leben des Tiroler Bergbauern. 3rd volume:
  Wirtschaftliches Leben. VII-XII. Hauptstück. Published posthumously by Nikolaus Grass (Schlern-
  Schriften 298) (Tiroler Wirtschaftsstudien 49) Innsbruck: Universitätsverlag Wagner, 1997, p. 722.
 
All internet references last accessed on 5 May 2008.
 
Language Code
German
 
Product of www.genuss-region.at
Yes
 
Regional contact
Association of Tyrolean cheese and dairy experts
Brixner Straße 1, 6020 Innsbruck
Phone: +43 (0) 592 92/1810
Fax: +43 (0) 592 92/1899
e-mail: milchwirtschaft@lk-tirol.at 
 
Tourism Association Paznaun-Ischgl
Mr. Dietmar Walser
No 320
A-6561 Ischgl
Phone: +43 (0) 50990-114
Fax +43 (0) 50990-199
e-mail: dietmar@paznaun-ischgl.com
 
Mr. Josef Kurz
No 39
A-6563 Galtür
Phone: +43 (0) 50990-212
Fax +43 (0) 50990-299
e-mail: office@galtuer.com
www.paznaun-ischgl.com
 
Authors: Mag. Eva Sommer, Dr. Erhard Höbaus
 

05.04.2011, Lebensministerium III/4