Author Topic: My First Gruyere  (Read 4706 times)

Offline dbudge55

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My First Gruyere
« on: May 12, 2012, 03:19:55 PM »
I have a question. I made a gruyere about two weeks ago and when it came out of the press it was the typical off-white color. Two weeks later it is developing an orange tint to the rind that is quite pronounced. I took a picture of it but the color in the pic doesn't replicate well. It's not a mold and the rind is clean and smooth. The milk was a raw pasture fed milk that was a deeper cream color than the commercial stuff I usually buy. I'm just wondering if this is how it should react.

I used Albasa Thermo B as a culture if that matters. I'd never used that culture before in any other make.

Anyhow, is that what it's supposed to look like? Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts.

Dave
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Offline Boofer

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Re: My First Gruyere
« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2012, 03:29:53 PM »
Welcome to the forum, Dave.

Sounds like you have what is known as b. linens.

Your humidity may be too high for this cheese style. The linens prefers a moist environment.

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Offline dbudge55

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Re: My First Gruyere
« Reply #2 on: May 12, 2012, 03:38:45 PM »
Thanks Boofer. Maybe you can answer me this. I do have a couple of Muensters in the cave (and I'm sure I didn't add the B linens during the make of the Gruyere) so could there be cross contamination somehow? None of my other natural rind cheeses (Assiago, Manchego) are showing any red although they are a few months older. I'm running the RH at 83% to 85%.

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Offline dbudge55

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Re: My First Gruyere
« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2012, 03:31:48 PM »
OK, here's as better picture of the cheese in question. The cheese on the right is the Guyere made on 5/4/12 (10 days old today) and the cheese on the left is a Caerphilly that I made 4 days ago and is almost done drying.

I'm rather taken aback by the color of the Guyere. Any thoughts?
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Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: My First Gruyere
« Reply #4 on: May 15, 2012, 12:28:05 AM »
Definately has that B. Linens yellow/orange color pretty!

Offline Boofer

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Re: My First Gruyere
« Reply #5 on: May 15, 2012, 02:39:44 PM »
Well, I'm actually surprised to see the linens look to the Gruyere and what appears to be either PC or Geo on your Caerphilly. What's going on in your cave?  :o

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Offline dbudge55

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Re: My First Gruyere
« Reply #6 on: May 16, 2012, 03:00:00 AM »
Boofer, I think the look of the Caerphilly has nothing to do with the cave since, at the time of the pic, it hadn't been in there yet.  It's been drying in my cellar at about 65 degrees and 60% humidity (pretty dry here in Montana.) I think the look of the Caerphilly is just the lighting and it looks about the same as all of my other natural rind cheeses at 4 days. There never has been any Geo or PC in my cave since I've never used them.

But about the B linen look of the Gruyere... I had both Limburger and Muenster in the cave but in separate ripening boxes from non-linen cheeses. The only thing I can figure is that I didn't sterilize the mat before I put the Gruyere on it (but that's not like me.) The other thing is that, compared to the Limburger and Muenster, the color and texture of the rind are significantly different. But that, I suppose, could be attributable to the fact that the Gruyere only got infected by wild linens. But it still confounds me since I have six different Asiagos and Manchegos in the cave and they haven't discolored at all.

I run the cave at 53 degress and 83% RH both well regulated with external controllers.

I guess I'll just let it go and see what it tastes like in 6 months. But is there some standard for keeping the cave more sterile? Just curious.
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Offline dbudge55

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Re: My First Gruyere
« Reply #7 on: May 16, 2012, 03:30:18 AM »
Boofer,

I gave the cheese a good brushing with a sat brine and vinegar mixture and it took the color off. So, I guess I'm just showing my rookie status thinking it was actually not on the surface.

Anyhow, I sterilized the box and put a new mat in there that I just sterilized and I'll keep a check on it if it comes back. 

Thanks for help. I really have a lot to learn.
Laissez le rouleau grand fromage - Dave Budge

Offline Boofer

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Re: My First Gruyere
« Reply #8 on: May 16, 2012, 05:41:50 AM »
Yeah, Dave, we're all learning here.  ;)

I had a little too much linens with one of my cheeses.

I have a Fourme d'Ambert in progress now that developed linens all on its own.

As far as sanitizing or sterilizing your cave, you'll find some advice on here that says wipe it down inside with a diluted bleach solution. SEARCH on it. Good luck.

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Re: My First Gruyere
« Reply #9 on: November 09, 2012, 04:03:03 AM »
b. linens on a washed rind should not be considered an infection. It should be considered success.

This is the goal of rind washing, especially in the Swiss Alpine cheeses. You want b. linens to grow -either ones that you put there or wild ones. These will condition the rind against mold, and help to seal it for the long aging that is to come. The plain curd cannot handle the changes that will be occurring all around it in the coming months, so you need to change it into something that will be able to.

Offline Boofer

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Re: My First Gruyere
« Reply #10 on: November 09, 2012, 02:37:42 PM »
b. linens on a washed rind should not be considered an infection. It should be considered success.
Aren't there some cheese makes where you do not necessarily want linens to flourish, but instead would prefer a nice Geo or such to protect the rind? I say that because that is what I intended for my Blueberry Delight Redux.

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Re: My First Gruyere
« Reply #11 on: November 13, 2012, 04:14:27 PM »
I am far from an expert but my recipe for Gruyere actual says I should get a red/orange mold on the surface, so I would be inclined to say you are having a success in this attempt!?
As I also just made my first Gruyere ( and 2nd cheese ever) I am interested in the feed back.
Knowing whether I have something edible or something .... well not is important so I can get my people to eat it and and more that I make, if I try and kill them on the first I doubt they will eat a second LOL.