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Fermentation Atlas

Cheese from Switzerland, Vaud Alps

L'Etivaz

L'Etivaz is a Gruyère-type cheese made only on summer alpine pastures, from raw milk heated in copper cauldrons over an open wood fire. The curd is cut to wheat-grain size, cooked at up to 57 °C, pressed at least 20 hours and brined. It ripens until at least day 135 in the cooperative's cellars; selected wheels are dried for 30 months or more into hard, shaving-thin à rebibes cheese. Made in 9 steps over 2.9 years. The longest step, dry into à rebibes (selected wheels), takes at least 2.5 years (Office fédéral de l'agriculture (OFAG) 1999). Lactic acid bacteria from the farm whey starter or approved cultures and Smear (morge) flora on the rind, which ripens the cheese with production of ammonia do most of the fermenting.

Key numbers
Main stepat least 2.5 yearsSet[cdc-etivaz]Dry into à rebibes (selected wheels)
Temperatureup to 18 °CSet[cdc-etivaz]Let the evening milk cream naturally

Recipe

No fixed amounts recordedThe specification fixes limits, not a recipe. Wheels weigh 10–38 kg (10–20 kg for à rebibes).
Raw cow milk · Milked twice a day on the alp where it is made; the evening milk is skimmed only by letting the cream rise; kept at most 18 h; no pumping or centrifuging[cdc-etivaz]
Farm whey starter (levain d'exploitation) · Selected lactic cultures approved by the producers' cooperative are also allowed[cdc-etivaz]
Calf rennet · Non-GMO calf rennet only[cdc-etivaz]
Non-iodised salt from the area · For brining, rubbing and the light brine used in the cellar[cdc-etivaz]
Starter: farm whey starters (levains d'exploitation); approved selected lactic cultures allowed

Total time across the recorded steps: 2.9 years

Start
Drag the bar or press Play
up to 18 °C

What changes: Cream rises on the evening milk in tubs overnight before it joins the morning milk

Step 1 of 9
Let the evening milk cream naturally
Time
up to 18 h
Set
Temperature
up to 18 °C
Set
Salt
None given
Acidity
Not documented
Which microbes the steps name, step by step
Lactic acid bacteria

The cream rises naturally from the evening milk overnight and is skimmed off with a wooden scoop; the milk is mixed with the whole morning milk. Pumps and centrifuges are not allowed.

Flavour
Not documented
Texture
Not documented
Colour
Not documented

Microbes at work in this step

Not documented for this step.

Method

Measured measured in a studySet fixed by a specification or tested recipeReported one source reports itTypical a general value, not sourced for this fermentUnconfirmed not yet checked against a source

What makes this one different

L'Etivaz is a Gruyère-type cheese made only on summer pastures, on the alp where the cows are milked, and cooked in copper over an open wood fire, which leaves a light smoky taste. Its à rebibes form is dried for at least 30 months into a very hard cheese shaved into curls.

Milk
Raw milk from the alp's own summer pasture; whole morning milk plus naturally skimmed evening milk; no silage
Cooking
Copper cauldron over a direct wood fire, curd cooked at up to 57 °C
Ripening
Until at least day 135; à rebibes at least 30 months more
Rind
Slightly moist, evenly brownish smear (morge); à rebibes: smear removed, smooth, dry, yellowish
Size
10–38 kg; 30–65 cm across, 8–11 cm high; 490–549 g fat per kg of dry matter

Related ferments

Variants

  • L'EtivazRipened until at least day 135; 10–38 kg; made in summer (10 May to 10 October in the 1999 application)
  • L'Etivaz à rebibesSelected in December and January, smear removed, oiled and dried upright at least 30 months in an unheated loft; 10–20 kg; shaved into curls

Safety

This is a raw-milk cheese, but its curd is cooked at up to 57 °C and it is hard. ANSES's advice to pregnant women, young children, people over 65 and people with weak immunity excepts cooked pressed cheeses such as Gruyère and Comté.

History and sources

Every number is labelled with how it is known. How this atlas is made

Rennet cheese making in the Pays-d'Enhaut is documented from the 12th century, and by the 18th century the region made cheese to sell elsewhere. In 1934 the alpine producers founded their own ripening and selling cooperative, and in 1945 it was freed from having to deliver to the Swiss cheese union in Bern. Their voluntary strict rules led to the AOC application, registered on 24 September 1999. The name comes from estivage, the summer grazing season. A 1995 study at alps of 1300–2100 m found more intense flavours than in lowland Gruyère, and smoke compounds from the open fire.

  1. [cdc-etivaz] Office fédéral de l'agriculture (OFAG), Cahier des charges L'Etivaz (AOP), registered 24 September 1999, amended 17 November 2004 and 22 November 2024spec
  2. [foag-etivaz1999] Office fédéral de l'agriculture, Registre des appellations d'origine, Résumé de la demande d'enregistrement du L'Etivaz, Berne, 24 September 1999archive
  3. [bosset1999] Bosset J.O., Jeangros B., Berger T. et al. 1999, Comparaison de fromage à pâte dure de type Gruyère produits en région de montagne et de plaine, Revue suisse d'agriculture 31(1):17–22 (abstract, Agroscope)paper
  4. [anses2022] ANSES 2022, Fromages au lait cru, quels risques pour la santé et comment mieux les prévenir (8 April 2022)gov