Alsace / Lorraine · France
Munster.
Munster announces itself with an assertive, funky aroma that promises bold flavor—and delivers. Beneath its burnished, sticky rind lies a yielding paste that melts across your palate with notes of fermented cream, beef stock, and orchard fruit, finishing with a mineral-salted warmth. This is a cheese that doesn't whisper; it declares itself with the confidence of centuries.
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The story
How it's made.
Why it tastes that way.
Munster cheese traces to Benedictine and Premonstratensian monks who settled the Vosges in the 7th century, making cheese to supplement their vegetarian diet. The town of Munster in Alsace gave the cheese its name, derived from the Latin 'monasterium. ' The Géromé variant, from the Lorraine side of the Vosges (centered on Gérardmer), is a closely related style.
Both received joint AOC recognition in 1969. The cheese is washed with brine or weak alcohol throughout its ripening, developing the characteristic orange rind from Brevibacterium linens bacteria. Alsatian tradition calls for scattering caraway seeds on top.
Production · spec
- Milk
- Cow · pasteurised
- Family
- Washed-rind
- Rind
- washed
- Age
Tasting profile
What it tastes like.
Caseo's flavour axes are calibrated against reference cheeses. This is Munster's fingerprint.
Aroma
Nutrition · per 100g serving
What's in a wedge.
A 100g serving — about a finger-thick wedge. Daily values use the FDA 2020 reference of 2,000 kcal. Expect ±5% variation between wheels.
Estimated values — based on similar cheese family data
Pairings · Caseo curated
What goes with Munster.
49 pairings across 8 categories.
Wine
Beer & Cider
Spirits
Where to find it
Cheese counters.
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