''Weisslacker'' (or ''Weißlacker'', ; , due to the rind color), also known as ''bierkäse'' and beer cheese, is a type of cow's milk

cheese Cheese is a type of dairy product produced in a range of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk (usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats or sheep). During prod ...

that originated in

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

, but is now known worldwide. Also produced in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, mostly in

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

, it is a pungent and salted surface-ripened cheese that starts out much like

brick cheese Brick cheese is a cheese originating in Wisconsin, United States, made in brick-shaped form due to (originally) using actual bricks to form the shape. The color ranges from pale yellow to white with an orange rind. When unaged, this cheese has a ...

. It ripens for seven months in highly humid conditions and is related to

Limburger Limburger (in southern Dutch contexts Rommedoe, and in Belgium Herve cheese) is a cheese that originated in the Herve area of the historical Duchy of Limburg, which had its capital in Limbourg-sur-Vesdre, now in the French-speaking Belgian pr ...

cheese, and has a similarly powerful smell, but paradoxically mild taste. Connoisseurs of this delicacy often take it with beer (sometimes dipping the cheese directly in their drinks), hence the name. Many find it too overpowering to serve with wine. This cheese is also served on small slices of

rye Rye (''Secale cereale'') is a grass grown extensively as a grain, a cover crop and a forage crop. It is grown principally in an area from Eastern and Northern Europe into Russia. It is much more tolerant of cold weather and poor soil than o ...

pumpernickel Pumpernickel (; ) is a typically dense, slightly sweet rye bread traditionally made with sourdough starter and coarsely ground rye. It is sometimes made with a combination of rye flour and whole rye grains ("rye berries"). At one time, it w ...

bread often with some sliced onion. It is a common item on pub and restaurant menus in the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...

, the country with the highest per-capita beer consumption in the world.Per Capita Beer Consumption by Country (2004)
. Kirin Holdings Company. This cheeseReview of Weisslacker
The Nibble. is a common ingredient in various breads, soups, and dips. In the EU as of 2015, ''Weißlacker'' and Allgäuer Weißlacker are protected with a

protected designation of origin The protected designation of origin (PDO) is a type of geographical indication of the European Union aimed at preserving the designations of origin of food-related products. The designation was created in 1992 and its main purpose is to designat ...

indication.EU PDO Registration information (accessed 28/10/2015)
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References

German cheeses Cow's-milk cheeses {{cheese-stub