Washed-rind cheese

Washed-rind cheese is characterized by its reddish rind, strong smell and mild flavor. The best-known Tine cheese with red putty ripening is the semi-firm Ridderost, while Munkeby is a softer variety. There is a lot of creativity in this category, so here you can taste a lot of exciting cheeses.

Washed-rind cheeses are washed during ripening to promote good micro-organisms (curd) on the rind. The dominant bacterium in the red putty is Brevibacterium linens. There are different strains of this bacteria that give the cheese its reddish tones: from light pink to deep orange.

Common to the washed-rind cheese's complex rind flora is a high tolerance for salt and moisture. This is precisely why the cheese is washed during ripening. The brine can consist of pure water, or have ingredients such as salt, liqueur and beer added to it. The latter plays an important role in, among other things, the Norwegian washed-rind cheese Konrad from Stavanger Ysteri, which was named the best Norwegian cheese during the NM in 2021.