Wiki: Ripening Containers

Ripening Container - Small, Manufactured Sistema Klip It Brand Deli Storer Plus Model With Propped Tray, Closed - CheeseForum.org
Ripening Container - Small, Manufactured Sistema Klip It Brand Deli Storer Plus Model With Propped Tray, Closed - CheeseForum.org
Ripening Container – Small, Manufactured Sistema Klip It Brand Deli Storer Plus Model With Propped Tray, Closed – CheeseForum.org

This Wiki Article discusses Ripening Containers which are normally used in small hobby scale cheese making to provide high humidity environments for ripening certain cheese types. This article is divided into the following sections:

Need For Ripening Containers

Ripening or aging of cheeses is normally at certain small temperature and humidity range which depends on cheese type and ripening stage. Temperature range is normally provided from a Cheese Cave, a term used to describe a device in which to age cheeses, information is available in the Wiki: Cheese Cave Requirements and Wiki: Example Cheese Caves. The problem with many cheese caves is that many are refrigerators which while having good temperature control but poor humidity control and often very low humidity as the fridge dehydrates the air as part of it’s refrigeration. A Ripening Container is a term used to describe a device normally smaller than a Cheese Cave which fits inside the cave to provide a higher humidity environment “micro-climate” required by the cheese inside during the different stages of it’s aging.

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Ripening Container - Small, Manufactured Sistema Klip It Brand Deli Storer Plus Model With Propped Tray, Apart - CheeseForum.org
Ripening Container – Small, Manufactured Sistema Klip It Brand Deli Storer Plus Model With Propped Tray, Apart – CheeseForum.org

Key Requirements

  • Large enough to fit the number of cheeses, or multiple containers.
  • Fits inside cheese cave without wasting space (for other cheeses).
  • Lid can be left ajar to regulate the humidity as whey – moisture is given off of the cheeses.
  • Raised mat at bottom to enable cheese to be up out of drained whey vs sitting in whey and possibly getting yeast infection, and so that air can circulate across bottom of cheese.
  • Food grade material.

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Example Uses

  • Surface ripened white bloomy Penicillium candidum cheeses like Brie, Camembert, and Saint-Marcellin.
  • Blue Penicillium roqueforti cheeses like Danablu, Gorgonzola, Roquefort, and Stilton.
  • White & blue mold cheeses like Bleu de Bresse and Cambozola.
  • Washed rind – smear ripened cheeses such as Époisses, Limberger, Munster, Port Salut, and Taleggio.

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Ceiling Fluorescent Light Egg Crate Screen - Cheese Forum.org
Ceiling Fluorescent Light Egg Crate Screen – Cheese Forum.org

Example Containers

  • New Zealand based Sistema’s Klip It brand small Deli Storer Plus model food container, ones in picture were purchased from large US-Canada “The Container Store” chain store and fit two standard Camembert cheeses but are not tall enough for many other style cheeses.
  • Large food grade containers from large supply stores like WalMart with mats cut to fit the container and spacer to raise mat cut with wire pliers from 2 ft x 4 ft sheet of hung ceiling fluorescent light fixture “egg crate” screen material. Material in picture was found at large North American Home Depot store. Fits any size cheese but is not space in refrigerator efficient.
  • Click on picture to enlarge and click on picture again if want full size.

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Large Ripening Container With Cut Whey Storage & Bottom Ventilation Egg Crate Liner - CheeseForum.org
Large Ripening Container With Cut Whey Storage & Bottom Ventilation Egg Crate Liner – CheeseForum.org
Large Ripening Container With Egg Crate Liner & Mat - CheeseForum.org
Large Ripening Container With Egg Crate Liner & Mat – CheeseForum.org

Wiki: Thermometers

Cheap Uncalibratable Kitchen Digital Thermometer - CheeseForum.org

Kitchen Meat Thermometer - CheeseForum.org
Kitchen Meat Thermometer - CheeseForum.org
This Wiki Article discusses thermometers used in making and ripening cheese. Thermometers are used continuously during making, forming, and aging cheese, depending on cheese type. Historically artisan cheese makers of old did not have thermometers, thus even while through repetition they knew how to recognize their curds and subsequent cheeses development, their results varied significantly. Today a wide range of commercially made low cost thermometers are available, but which ones are best and why? It depends on their use, and while selection is a personal choice, the following is a guide to help your selection. This article is divided into the following sections:

Cheese Making Thermometers – Minimum Requirements

  • Will measure in common ~0-50 C/30-125 F range within 1-2 degrees accuracy.
  • Will stabilize reading quickly.
  • Can be immersed in liquid (milk, curds, whey, and brine or vat water jacket if using one) to a reasonably deep depth to obtain a representative reading and have a visible readout above the fluid.
  • Can be easily cleaned.
  • Are robust, not fragile (ie not glass).
  • Can be easily calibrated.

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Kitchen Glass & Mercury Candy & Frying Thermometer - CheeseForum.org
Kitchen Glass & Mercury Candy & Frying Thermometer - CheeseForum.org

Cheese Making Thermometers – Not Recommended

  • Most standard kitchen cooking thermometers are not recommended as they do not measure cool enough or with optimal accuracy and sadly are often only initially factory calibrated. Examples are:
    • Analog meat cooking probe type thermometers which while robust, do not read accurately enough at cooler temperatures, are slow to stabilize, and if used on meat, hard to get clean enough for cheese making.
    • Kitchen candy & frying analog glass & mercury type thermometers as they do not read accurately enough at cooler temperatures, are slow to stabilize, often fragile, and normally need to be withdrawn from the milk to read the hard to read gauge.
  • Remote infrared reading thermometers as only read the surface temperature of liquid and are often not highly accurate. You can vigorously stir the liquid to get an average temperature but often you do not want to do that such as with milk that is forming a curd or has been freshly cut.

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Cheap Uncalibratable Kitchen Digital Thermometer - CheeseForum.org
Cheap Uncalibratable Kitchen Digital Thermometer - CheeseForum.org

Cheese Making Thermometers – Recommended

  • Kitchen type instant read digital thermometer if it has calibration function.
  • Can read low required temperature range accurately.
  • Has a long probe for reading middle of the milk in vat’s temperature.
  • Stabilizes it’s temperature reading in a few seconds.
  • Easy to read, has long lasting batteries, and has beneficial features such as switch to toggle between C and F (for use with different recipes), button to memorize/hold the last reading, and auto-power off to save batteries.
  • Note, expensive thermometers with remote from readout via a cable probes(s)and have high/low audible alarms are not required.

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Cheese Aging Thermometers – Minimum Requirements

  • Will measure in common 10-15 C/50-60 F range within 1-2 degrees accuracy.
  • Are robust, not fragile.
  • Can be easily calibrated.
  • Are not prone to rust as often in high humidity environments.
  • Can be easily calibrated.

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Cheese Aging Thermometers – Not Recommended

  • Standard semi-permanent metal oven type thermometers as cannot go low enough.
  • As high humidity, non-sealed ones whose sensor is made from corrodible material.

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Cheese Aging Thermometers – Recommended

  • Analog if can be calibrated.
  • Digital if can be calibrated.

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Tricks & Traps

  • Ensure you regularly calibrate your thermometer, this cannot be stated enough, it can be devastating that after several cheese making batches and months of aging it is found that the cause of problems was an uncalibrated cheap thermometer. Calibration methods are easily found on the internet.
  • Always have a backup, calibrated, as they do break and/or batteries can go dead.
  • If buying a digital one, choose one with standard size batteries and order spares (LR44 is standard watch battery size).
  • A clip on the thermometer so that it can see hands free on the side of your vat is useful.

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Wiki: Hygrometers

HTC-1 Brand Combination Digital Hygrometer, Thermometer, Alarm Clock - CheeseForum.org

Honeywell brand model TM005X digital Hygrometer - Thermometer with wireless remote sensor, different readings due to different response speed from opening fridge door to take picture. Note poor mat material selection and surface stress cracks on 1 lb cheese after rapid surface dehydration in very low humdity kitchen fridge - CheeseForum.org
Honeywell brand model TM005X digital Hygrometer - Thermometer with wireless remote sensor, different readings due to different response speed from opening fridge door to take picture. Note poor mat material selection and surface stress cracks on 1 lb cheese after rapid surface dehydration in very low humdity kitchen fridge - CheeseForum.org
This Wiki Article discusses Hygrometers which are used to measure humidity levels in air ranging from 0% to 100% relative humidity, abbreviated RH. This article is divided into the following sections:

Uses

  • Humdity is not an issue in coagulation or cheese forming stages or for fresh unaged cheeses but is a key parameter for the aging phase, for cheeses that are aged.
  • Most aged cheeses after air drying are are initially aged with a natural rind or partially sealed rind i.e. by oiling the rind and then either continued aging in that fashion or sealed with wax or vaccuum bags for longer term aging. During the natural or partially sealed aging, if the humidity is excessive, unwanted molds can result on cheese surfaces, conversely, too low a humidity can result in unwanted dehydration of the cheese. Extreme low humidity, for young moist cheeses, will rapidly dehydrate their surfaces resulting in surface cracks or fissures from the uneven dehydration of the cheese.
  • Thus accurate humidity levels are critical, old cheese makers can sense the aging environment’s humidity level based on experience, for new cheese makers it is recommended that a Hygrometer be used.

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Nexxtech Brand Digital Hygrometer-Thermometer With Wired Thermometer Only Remote - CheeseForum.org
Nexxtech Brand Digital Hygrometer-Thermometer With Wired Thermometer Only Remote - CheeseForum.org

Preferred Requirements

  • Small if small cave, to minimize space consumption.
  • Accurate at high humidity.
  • Does not corrode at very high humidities.
  • Includes a thermometer as temperature is another important parameter in the art of affinage.
  • Can be calibrated for both humidity and temperature.
  • Remote readout if small cave such as a small refigerators as opening the door to take a meausurement can result in rapid humidity and temperature changes before the hygrometer – thermometer stabilizes resulting an incorrect readings.

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Availability

Hygrometers are available from Cheese, Wine and beer making supply stores, hardware type stores, and large supply stores like Wal-Mart, Tesco’s, Amazon, or eBay. If buying in physical store (versus from webstore) and for digital units if working, compare units to choose the one with the average reading which is probably best initialy calibrated.

HTC-1 Brand Combination Digital Hygrometer, Thermometer, Alarm Clock - CheeseForum.org
HTC-1 Brand Combination Digital Hygrometer, Thermometer, Alarm Clock - CheeseForum.org

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Wiki: Example Cheese Caves

Small chest freezer for cheese cave, freezing mode, note frost buildup.

Cheese Cave is the slang term for the storage system in which aged cheeses are ripened. This wiki article discusses several examples of different Cheese Cave systems, Cheese Cave requirements are discussed in the Wiki: Cheese Cave Requirements article.

No manufactures make purpose-built small cheese caves and no one cheese cave system fits all. Thus all are built from different systems and  while the range of solutions is infinite, the following are common examples of hobby and artisan cheese caves, their descriptions, temperature and humidity systems, and their pros & cons starting from small/cheap through large/expensive:

Small Cooler Box

Two 0.5 kg cumin & plain Gouda's aging in small drinks cooler on ice block.
Two 0.5 kg cumin & plain Gouda's aging in small drinks cooler on ice block.

Description

  • Small retail box often used to hold cool drinks or hot food for picnic or party.
  • Commonly made out of styrofoam or dual layer plastic with insulation in between.

Cooling

  • Ice or retail plastic and gel freezer block in bottom changed twice per day.

Humidity

  • Normally excessively provided by melting ice or sweating/condensation on freezer block while melting and by drying cheese.
  • Commonly have to crack lid on box and mop out puddled water at bottom of box to keep humidity below 100%.

Pros & Cons

  • Hard to control temperature and humidity.
  • Cheese is in close contact with very cold ice or freezer block.
  • Labor intensive to maintain long-term.
  • Provides little spare physical room.

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Large Cooler Box

Most Of Two 0.5 kg Cumin & Plain Gouda's Aging In Medium Drinks Cooler With Large Ice Block On Side
Most Of Two 0.5 kg Cumin & Plain Gouda's Aging In Medium Drinks Cooler With Large Ice Block On Side

Description

  • Large retail box often used to hold cool drinks or hot food for picnic or party.
  • Commonly made out of styrofoam or dual layer plastic with insulation in between.

Cooling

  • Ice or freezer blocks in side changed once per day.

Humidity

  • Normally adequately provided by melting ice or sweating/condensation on freezer block while melting and by drying cheese.
  • Commonly have to mop out puddled water at bottom of box to keep humidity below 100%.

Pros & Cons

  • More room than small cooler box to locate ice and perspiration away from cheese.
  • Can house more cheeses.
  • Labor intensive to maintain long-term.

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Small Food Fridge (& Freezer)

Pre-Wired Johnson Controls Brand Model A19 Analog Thermostat.
Pre-Wired Johnson Controls Brand Model A19 Analog Thermostat.

Description

  • Small less than 0.75 m / 30 in high sealed electric fridge sometimes with mini freezer compartment at top.
  • Smaller ones often used by college kids in dormitory rooms, larger ones for small households to store food and drink.
  • Cooling either by heat exchange pump transmitted to fridge by radiant cooling plate at back of fridge, sometimes augmented by small fan, or by small compressor transmitted to mini freezer compartment which provides radiant cooling to fridge area, normally without fan.

Cooling

  • Thermostat normally does not allow fridge to go warm enough and thus have to either:
    • Cut foam sheet to shape, install in front of or under cooling device and temperature sensor to trick internal thermostat to thinking it has cooled enough. Have to adjust air flow between refrigerated side and cheese cave side to regulate cheese cave temperature.
    • Purchase and use external override thermostat from Johnson Controls, Ranco, or other manufacturer.

Humidity

Four 4 lb Gouda's Aging In Small Fridge With External Thermostat
Four 4 lb Gouda's Aging In Small Fridge With External Thermostat
  • If unit is fully sealed, no condensation drip line to outside, then humidity normally builds to excessive 100% with free water dripping from freezer compartment onto plastic drip tray requiring toweling out daily or twice daily.
  • If unit is fully sealed except for drip line to outside, then natural humidity is often insufficient and can be added by:
    • Bowl of water to which water is added as evaporated.
    • Bowl of water and a small towel draped in and out of water to act as a wick.
    • Small electric humidifier with soda/pop bottle periodically filled with water.

Pros

  • If shelves are plastic or chrome coated wire then will enable good air circulation from bottom of cheese.
  • Units with drip line require water bowl and thus reduce space available for cheese.

Cons

  • If shelves are solid glass then will provide poor air circulation from bottom of ripening cheeses and have to install ventilating matting.
  • Units without condensation drip lines are labor intensive to towel mop out excessive moisture.
  • Either fiddly to install space reducing foam thermal barrier or added cost from external thermostat.
  • Often minimal shelf height adjustment results in less cheeses fitting in cave.
  • Inside of door is often molded plastic shaped to house drinks etc which erodes useable space for ripening cheeses.
  • If freezer compartment, then that column is unusable for cheeses.

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Wine Bottle Cooler Fridge

Pre-Wired Johnson Controls Brand Model A419 NEMA 1 Digital Thermostat.
Pre-Wired Johnson Controls Brand Model A419 NEMA 1 Digital Thermostat.

Description

  • Sealed electric fridge (nor freezer) purpose-built to store wine bottles horizontally, often with glass door to enable viewing of bottles.
  • Range in size from small holding six standard 0.75 liter wine bottles to very large holding 100’s.
  • Cooling for small units is normally provided by heat exchanger metal plate at back inside of unit or by compressor and fan for larger units.

Cooling

  • Thermostat normally does allow fridge to go warm enough for cheese cave temperatures and thus do not need to install foam sheet to isolate cooling device and temperature sensor or purchase external override thermostat.

Humidity

  • Same as above for small fridges.

Pros

  • Shelves are commonly chrome or plastic coated wire which would offer good air circulation from bottom of cheese.
  • Unlike conventional food fridges, door does not have space wasting food container holders.
  • Unlike conventional food fridges, does not require making and installing thermal barrier to trick thermostat or purchase of external thermostat.
  • More useable space for cheeses as no freezer and door does not have space wasting plastic shelving for food or drinks.
  • Can see your cheeses through glass door.

Cons

  • Shelves are often curved shape to hold wine bottles and thus not suitable for cheeses and have to be replaced.
  • Units with drip line require device to add humidity reducing space available for cheeses.
  • Often more expensive to purchase than conventional food fridges, sometimes reviewed as less mechanically reliable than standard food fridge.
  • Larger space than picnic coolers although often minimal shelf height adjustment results in less cheeses fitting in cave.

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Chest Style Food Freezers

Small Chest Freezer For Cheese Cave.
Small Chest Freezer For Cheese Cave.

Description

  • Sealed electric chest shaped freezer (no fridge) purpose-built to freeze and store large volume of food frozen.
  • Normally a rectangular box with small section at one end boxed out for external compressor, cooling wires built into walls, no shelving, sometimes sold with hanging plastic coated wire baskets, normally flat – no storage devices in vertical opening horizontal lid.
  • Range in size from small holding ~0.5 m3 to 3 m3 of frozen food.

Cooling

  • Thermostat normally does allow freezer to go warm enough for cheese cave temperatures and need to purchase and install external override thermostat from Johnson Controls, Ranco, or other manufacturer.

Humidity

Small chest freezer for cheese cave, freezing mode, note frost buildup.
Small chest freezer for cheese cave, freezing mode, note frost buildup.
  • As unit is normally fully sealed, no condensation drip line to outside, then humidity builds to excessive 100% with free water dripping down walls and building into puddles on bottom of freezer requiring toweling out daily or twice daily to maintain reasonable cheese cave humidity.

Pros

  • Large flexible volume in which to ripen many cheeses.

Cons

  • Have to make own shelving system.
  • Top only access thus need space for door to open up and awkward to reach cheeses at bottom of chest freezer.
  • Labor intensive to remove free water to try to maintain humidity at cheese cave required level.

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Vertical Style Food Freezers

Several Cheeses Aging In Sealed Chest Type Freezer With External Thermostat
Several Cheeses Aging In Sealed Chest Type Freezer With External Thermostat

Description

  • Sealed electric vertical shaped freezer (no fridge) purpose-built to freeze and store large volumes of food frozen.
  • Normally a rectangular box with small section boxed out at bottom for external compressor, cooling wires built into shelves, sometimes with pull out drawers, normally flat – no storage devices in side opening vertical door.
  • Range in size from small holding ~0.5 m3 to 2 m3 of frozen food.

Cooling

  • Thermostat normally does allow freezer to go warm enough for cheese cave temperatures and need to purchase and install external override thermostat from Johnson Controls, Ranco, or other manufacturer.

Humidity

  • As unit is normally fully sealed, no condensation drip line to outside, then humidity builds on cooling wire shelves to excessive 100% free water which drips down on top of ripening cheeses resulting in locations for molds or yeast to grow and eventual puddling of water in base of unit requiring toweling out daily or twice daily to maintain reasonable cheese cave humidity.

Pros

  • Large volume in which to ripen many cheeses.
  • Shelves and if drawers provide easy access to cheeses.

Cons

  • Shelving or drawer system is normally not flexible in height reducing amount of cheeses that can be stored.
  • Liquid water dripping on ripening cheeses results in defects.
  • Labor intensive to remove free water to try to maintain humidity at cheese cave required level.

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Vertical Style Food Fridges (& Freezers)

Description

  • Common kitchen sealed electric vertical shaped fridge, sometimes with connected freezer at top, sometimes with separate freezer at top or more recently on bottom purpose-built to keep large volumes of food and drink cool and if freezer then frozen.
  • Normally a rectangular box with small section boxed out at bottom for external compressor, cooling provided by fan circulating air over external cooling coils, several adjustable shelves, sometimes with pull out vegetable higher humidity storage drawers, normally plastic molded food containers in vertical side opening door to hold bottles and small items.
  • Range in size from small holding ~1 m3 to 3 m3 of storage space.

Cooling

  • Thermostat normally does now allow fridge to go warm enough for cheese cave temperatures and need to purchase and install external override thermostat from Johnson Controls, Ranco, or other manufacturer.

Humidity

  • As air is blown by fan over cooling coils, humidity in air condenses on cooling coils which trickles down and out of fridge on to an evaporation pan at bottom of fridge resulting in very low ~30% humidity.
  • If unit is fully sealed except for drip line to outside, then natural humidity is often insufficient and can be added by:
    • Bowl of water to which water is added as evaporated.
    • Bowl of water or water in drawer and a small towel draped in and out of water to act as a wick. If large fridge then drape wick across forced air vent to increase moisture vaporization.
    • Small electric humidifier with soda/pop bottle periodically filled with water.

Pros

  • Large volume in which to ripen many cheeses.
  • Shelves provide easy access to cheeses.
  • Shelves if chrome or plastic metal wires allow air circulation below bottom of cheeses.
  • Shelves often height adjustable increasing usable space.
  • Easier to increase humidity than to decrease as with some of the examples listed.

Cons

  • If unit includes freezer then that section is largely unusable for ripening cheese.
  • If shelves are solid glass then will provide poor air circulation from bottom of ripening cheeses and have to install ventilating matting.
  • If unit includes drawers, then normally a poor use of space.
  • Humidity providing system takes up usable space.
  • Inside of door is often molded plastic shaped to house drinks etc which erodes useable space for ripening cheeses.

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Wiki: Mats & Boards

3 Weave Sized Food Grade Mats, Demonstrating Capilliary Forces Holding Whey

Cheese making requires highly permeable mats or low permeable boards to go beneath cheeses at their draining, air drying, and aging steps, depending on the type of cheese being made and method. This article discusses mat or board requirements and gives recommended and non-recommended examples for these three different steps.

Mats For Draining Cheeses

Rennet Coagulated Cheese Under Light Pressing On Board With Holes Drilled Through
Rennet Coagulated Cheese Under Light Pressing On Board With Holes Drilled Through

Mats are used beneath cheeses when draining whey from curds in hoops, either unpressed by gravity or while being pressed. An example of mats commonly used in gravity draining are in making Camembert where the curds are drained in a small hoop and frequently turned onto another mat to develop their typical short cylinder shape. An example of mats used in pressing cheeses like Gouda and Cheddar are those used under the heavy duty hoops and as followers.

Two 1.5-2 kg Kadova Brand Gouda Shape Molds With Built In Mesh Net & Mesh Lid
Two 1.5-2 kg Kadova Brand Gouda Shape Molds With Built In Mesh Net & Mesh Lid

Curds can also be drained in molds with bottoms and thus do not need a mat during draining. Examples of gravity draining molds are closed bottom pyramid shapes for Valencay and closed bottom and top Kadova Brand molds for pressed Goudas.

Note, the mat needs to sit on a device such as a wire rack to allow the free drainage of whey. Placing on a solid surface causes the whey filling the porosity of the mat resulting in inadequate expulsion of the whey and possibly a location for unwanted micro-organisms to grow.

Minimum Requirements

9x9 in Bamboo Sushi Mats, Not Good For Cheese As Retain Micro-Organisms
9x9 in Bamboo Sushi Mats, Not Good For Cheese As Retain Micro-Organisms

Made from reusable food grade very low porosity hygienic material so that they minimally harbour micro-organisms.

  • Highly permeable weave to easily dispel large rates of whey.
  • Tight enough weave to support curds so that they are not expelled through the mat.
  • Does not impart flavor to cheese (unless wanted).
  • Cut larger than the hoop placed on top.

Examples

  • Recommended is food grade matting commonly available from commercial kitchen and cheese making supply stores.
  • Not recommended are sushi making bamboo mats or soft foamy gripy type mats used to line shelves as they easily harbor micro-organisms even after heavy cleaning.

Mats & Boards For Air Drying Cheeses

Foam Gripy Mat, Not Good For Cheese Making As Harbours Micro-Organisms
Foam Gripy Mat, Not Good For Cheese Making As Harbours Micro-Organisms

Cheeses fresh from being whey drained, either by gravity or by pressing, still often have moist surfaces and through ongoing acid and or rennet induced syneresis are still expelling whey and thus are frequently air dried at room conditions for a few days before being moved to an aging environment. During this air drying period they sit on a mat or board where all surfaces are dried by initially by draining and then by evaporation of excess moisture into the air.

Note, similar to draining whey from formed cheeses, the mat needs to sit on a device such as a wire rack to allow the free drainage of whey. Placing on a solid surface causes the whey filling the porosity of the mat resulting in inadequate expulsion of the whey and possibly a location for unwanted micro-organisms to grow.

Minimum Requirements

3 Weave Sized Food Grade Mats, Demonstrating Capilliary Forces Holding Whey
3 Weave Sized Food Grade Mats, Demonstrating Capilliary Forces Holding Whey
  • Made from reusable food grade very low porosity hygienic material so that they minimally harbour micro-organisms.
  • Highly permeable weave to easily dispel large rates of whey.
  • Course enough weave to stop water holding in-between strands due to capillary forces resulting in wet bottoms, poor drying, and a location for unwanted micro-organisms to grow, yet close enough to support the cheese with minimal deformation, which is dependent on the cheeses rigidity. Note, many cheeses are intentionally made with a surface imprint such as Manchego.
  • Does not impart flavor to cheese (unless wanted).
  • Cut larger than the cheese placed on top.

Examples

4 lb Goudas Air Drying, Course Weave Food Grade Mat Holding Water Due To Capilliary Forces
4 lb Goudas Air Drying, Course Weave Food Grade Mat Holding Water Due To Capilliary Forces
  • Recommended for moist cheeses is food grade matting, some is available with bumps on one side to aid in standoff from the next side to aid in drainage and air ventilation.
  • Recommended for drier normally hard pressed cheeses is food grade matting or a low permeable material like naturally antiseptic and low flavor imparting wood.
  • Not recommended are sushi making bamboo mats or soft foamy gripy type mats used to line shelves or non-antiseptic type or flavor imparting wood as they easily harbor micro-organisms even after heavy cleaning.

Mats & Boards For Air Aging Cheeses

2 kg Gouda With Oil, Cocoa, & Pepper Rind @ 31 Days, Turned Cheese, Unwanted Blue Mold On Bottom Due To Poor Air Circulation Below Mat
2 kg Gouda With Oil, Cocoa, & Pepper Rind @ 31 Days, Turned Cheese, Unwanted Blue Mold On Bottom Due To Poor Air Circulation Below Mat

Cheeses after air drying such as pressed cheeses are normally aged in air to develop a natural rind or in oiled semi-sealed rinds or in highly impermeable vacuum bags or wax.

For vacuum bags and wax, any reasonable board or flat surface will work; mats will also work as long as not very wide weave which could leave an aesthetically unpleasing imprint.

For natural and oiled rinds, while past the high air drying stage, are still expelling small amounts of moisture, thus still need a high or low permeable material to sit on. A very low permeable material will result in a wet bottom and a location for yeasts or other unwanted micro-organisms to grow.

Minimum Requirements For Natural & Oiled Rinds

  • Made from reusable food grade very low porosity hygienic material so that they minimally harbour micro-organisms.
  • Low or higher permeable weave to dispel whey via evaporation from moving air.
  • Does not impart flavor to cheese (unless wanted).
  • Sized larger than the cheese placed on top.

Examples For Natural & Oiled Rinds

  • Recommended is food grade matting, some is available with bumps on one side to aid in standoff from the next side to aid in air ventilation or low permeable material like naturally antiseptic and low flavor imparting wood.
  • Not recommended are porous materials that can soak up moisture and oils resulting in a location for unwanted micro-organisms even after heavy cleaning or rancid oil if oiling rinds.

Non-Reusable Mats

A very traditional French mat for white bloomy cheese like Camembert & Brie is to use single use a straw mat. The straw i) helps wick out moisture, ii) helps the P. candidum mold to grow, and iii) gives the cheese a rich grassy aroma and a bit of color.

Wiki: Cheese Cave Requirements

Four 4 lb Gouda's Aging In Small Fridge With External Thermostat

Making and forming aged cheese are often the easiest stages and ripening or aging cheeses from days to weeks to months or years is often the hardest part. This wiki article discusses aging equipment minimum and preferred requirements. Examples of Cheese Cave systems are discussed in the Wiki: Example Cheese Caves article.

Two 0.5 kg cumin & plain Gouda's aging in small drinks cooler on ice block.
Two 0.5 kg cumin & plain Gouda's aging in small drinks cooler on ice block.

Most cheese making recipes or methods require aging at steady temperatures and humidity levels to minimize shocks to the cheeses. The actual temperatures and humidity levels are dependent on the cheese type and method and are typically at a temperature of 10-13 C/50-55 F and at a relative humidity or 80-95%. The art of aging is called affinage in French and historically it was performed by a separate person called, again in French, an Affineur.

No one has this magic stable “Cheese Cave” conditions year round let alone within a 24 hour period thus unless you have ready access to an underground cave the hobby and artisan cheese maker will have to create this environment as do commercial cheese manufacturers, albeit on a larger scale. Note, if cheeses are highly impermeable sealed such as by vacuum bags or waxing, then external to the cheese humidity is no longer an issue.

Both the temperature and humidity are critical, in general:

  • Temperature too low and the cheese will ripen too slowly.
  • Temperature too high and the cheese will ripen too quickly and can go rancid.
  • Humidity too low and the cheese will dry out and potential crack from uneven quick drying.
  • Humidity too high and unwanted mold can quickly take root, often on the cheese surfaces.

The external environment to where you want to place your cheese cave and the type of cave dictates your heating/cooling and humidity add/remove requirements. For examples for temperature control, locating one in an uninsulated garage in Northern Canada would require heating most of the year and cooling for a short period in summer. Conversely locating one inside a heated and air-conditioned house with year round roughly stable temperatures of 72F / 21C or in a garage in the stable warm tropics of Brunei would result cooling being required all year round. For examples for humidity control, most systems require adding humidity as cooling normally dehydrates air, but some systems like a closed sealed freezer or fridge use indirect radiant cooling which as sealed can over time if located in an external medium-high humidity environment build up humidity to 100% resulting in water puddles inside the freezer which are a location for unwanted micro-organisms to grow.

Minimum Requirements

Most Of Two 0.5 kg Cumin & Plain Gouda's Aging In Medium Drinks Cooler With Large Ice Block On Side
Most Of Two 0.5 kg Cumin & Plain Gouda's Aging In Medium Drinks Cooler With Large Ice Block On Side
  • Made from easily cleanable low porosity food grade hygienic material so that they minimally harbour micro-organisms.
  • Reasonably sealed to stop unwanted entrance of insects or animals yet allow some air movement in an out of the cave to allow the cheese to breath.
  • A means of providing cooling or heating or both depending on the cheese caves external environment.
  • A means of adding or removing excess humidity depending on the cheese caves external environment and how sealed the cave is.
  • Large enough to house your cheeses for the planned length of time and any special ripening containers for surface mold type cheeses.
  • Large enough to house your humidity control system, such as adjusting lids daily on food grade plastic containers, or having a bowl of water in your cave to add humidity, or having a bowl with a cloth towel wick draped over side or across fan, or for larger caves, having a humidifier inside your cave.
  • How much energy you want to exert on maintaining your cheese cave’s temperature and humidity over days to weeks to months or years.
  • Your finances.

Preferable Requirements

Several Cheeses Aging In Sealed Chest Type Freezer With External Thermostat
Several Cheeses Aging In Sealed Chest Type Freezer With External Thermostat
  • Different cheese caves for cheeses that have different temperature and humidity aging requirements and if white or blue molds are intentionally being used.
  • Closely weaved flat wire shelves to allow cheeses to breath on their bottoms vs glass shelves in many fridges or curved wire shelves in a wine cooler type fridge.
  • Shelves that are adjustable height for efficiently storing different height cheeses.
  • If using a fridge, a door without shelving as shelves for milk and salad dressing bottles do not fit cheeses well, and without salad drawer(s) as an inefficient use of space.