A hop-flavored cheese made from sour cow's milk. It comes from northwest Germany in the same area famous for westphalian ham. The texture of Hopfenkäse ranges from soft to medium firm. It gains its pleasantly-bitter flavor as it dries between layers of hops; it's sometimes flavored with caraway seeds or cumin. Hopfenkäse is a natural companion to full-bodied beer. Nieheimer is a German cheese made in a fashion similar to Hopfenkäse, and has a comparable flavor. See also cheese.