Author Topic: My First Beaufort  (Read 6384 times)

JeffHamm

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My First Beaufort
« on: March 02, 2013, 11:00:42 PM »
Hi,

Well, here's my first go at a swiss type cheese.  I picked up some PS culture that is low gas producing, so this shouldn't result in large eyes.  Still, having seen Boofer's wonderful outputs, I just had to give it a go.  And, as Sailor had posted his make procedure, I figured I would go with it since I had it copied into my file of cheese procedures. 

So, the cheese has now completed two press under whey cycles and the knit is fantastic, though the cheese feels very soft still.  Mind you, that's probably not unexpected.  I've pressed under whey once or twice before and the result is always a good knit but the cheese feels soft.  It will firm up as the pressing schedule progresses.  This should be very interesting, but it is going to take awhile to find out how this adventure unfolds.  :)


Sailor’s Alpine Beaufort: Sunday, Mar 3, 2013

11 litres whole milk (Siliver top; creamline)
Mesophilic  -MA011 (1/8 tsp). 2 ice cubes
Thermophilic  - ST B01 (1/16 tsp).
LH (1/10 tsp).
Propionic shermanii (1 pinch – 1/20 tsp).
¼ Tsp CaCl in egg cup water
1.6 ml 280 IMCU calf rennet in egg cup water
6.25 inch diameter tomme mould

Make time : 128 minutes in recipe plus “activity time”
1)   Starter Cultures and warm to 32.2 C
2)   Ripen for 30 min (7:53 - 8:23)
3)   Add CaCl
4)   Rennet: Adjust as necessary to achieve flocculation at 10-15 minutes. Floc multiplier is 3. (ideal: 30 to 45 minutes) 8:30:30 floc time 8:42:30 12m 00 sec x3 = 36 m 00 sec cut time: 9:06:30
5)   Cut into 2.5 cm cubes, then rest for 3 minutes (9:10:30 - 9:13:30)
6)   then cut to 0.6 mm cubes.  Heal for 10 minutes (9:25 - 935)
7)   Cook: Heat and stir curds slowly to 53 0C over 40-60 minutes. (31.4 - 53.0 C ; 9:35 - 10:25)
8)   Prepress: Press under whey or “In The Pot” for 30 minutes with 10 kg (0.72 PSI) for better curd consolidation. (10:45-11:15)
9)   Flip and repeat. (11:15-11:45)
10)   Pressing: Move cheese to regular press and gradually increase weight to 2-3 psi. Continue pressing overnight. As the acidity continues to develop, the curd can aggressively stick to the cheesecloth. To avoid this, soak the cheesecloth in acidified whey (or vinegar) with a little calcium chloride added. Resoak after each flip. (11:50 @ 20 Kg, 1.43 psi; 12:45 @25kg; 1.72 psi; 1:45 @ 30 kg, 2.15 psi; 4:10 @ 35.2 kg, 2.53 psi; 7:00 @ 35.2 kg, 2.53 psi)
11)   Salting: Remove from press (1412g, 15.5 x 6.5 cm = 1.15g/cm3), but keep cheese in the hoop. Allow unweighted cheese to cool and rest for 24 hours.
12)   Remove from hoop and brine for 6-8 hrs.
13)   Aging: 80% RH at 11-12 0C. This is traditionally a washed rind cheese. In about 7-10 days surface molds will start to develop. This needs to be wiped down with a saturated brine at 3-6 day intervals to start. Traditionally the surface of large Beauforts is sprinkled with salt and allowed to develop its own brine. This is rubbed into the surface the following day, the cheese is turned, and the cycle repeated. A red rind will form in time and will require less frequent treatments.
Age for 6 -18 months depending on the flavor desired.

I made ricotta out of the whey (raised whey to 93 C, added 1/4 cider vinegar, and let it sit for 15 minutes or so).  Got a decent yield , though it's still draining.  After draining, it weighed in at 574g worth, to which I added 10g salt.

After a few hours in the press (not under whey), the curds have compressed well, and do not have that loose moist feel.  This is coming along very nicely.

Now, just flipped again at 7:00 pm and going into the overnight session.  It smells fantastic, and has a great knit.  The wobblies are gone, and it's looking promising for this phase.  The affinage will be the key, as per usual.
« Last Edit: March 03, 2013, 05:07:56 PM by JeffHamm »

JeffHamm

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Re: My First Beaufort
« Reply #1 on: March 03, 2013, 05:24:23 PM »
Ok, so it's now out of the press and sits at 1412g, 15.5 x 6.5 cm, for a density of 1.15g/cm3.  The knit is fantanstic, although a small piece did tear out when removing the cheese cloth.  As Sailor indicated in his make, the cheese is sticky.  Probably should have pressed naked for the over night press.  As it is, I still got wee nubbins (just for you Boofer! :) )

Anyway, it smells great, and the production phase has gone very well.  Now, it's just a matter of time.  Probably will aim for 6 months, but you never know.

- Jeff

Offline Boofer

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Re: My First Beaufort
« Reply #2 on: March 03, 2013, 09:17:10 PM »
Yeah, nubbins! ;D

Looks good, Jeff. I've grown very fond of this cheese style (you might have guessed!). I'd say 4-6 months affinage would be good for an early peek. Then vacuum-seal the rest for longer term. The one I recently sampled at four months was very nice. If you wait for 12 months, try it and find that it has dried significantly, you may be put off from making it again.

I'm kind of rolling the dice with my Beaufort #6 that I cream-coated today. My desire is to age it out to a year, but I'm afraid that it might not be as nominal at that age even though Beauforts can age out to 6-18 months. That may hold true for larger wheels, but not necessarily be valid for a 3-4 pound (1.5-2kg) cheese. Time will tell.

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JeffHamm

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Re: My First Beaufort
« Reply #3 on: March 03, 2013, 10:03:05 PM »
I thought you would like those nubbins! :)

And yes, your continued presentations of these wonderful outcomes got me interested in trying one. 

That 4 month one is really nice looking.  I might try then, and see what the next step is.  Must make up a 3% brine for the washings, but they won't start until next week, so no rush.

- Jeff

JeffHamm

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Re: My First Beaufort
« Reply #4 on: March 04, 2013, 07:10:07 PM »
Well, it's finished it's post-press-pre-brine period, so it's now into the saturated brine for about 7.5 hours.  It now weighs 1398g, and was 15.8 x 6.1 cm (in the mould naked, so it's expanded), which gives a density of about 1.17 g/cm3.  This is the only time I think the density has increased, but it had a bit of a slant before, and I think I measured the tall side, which would underestimate the density.  As it is now quite flat both surfaces this is probably more accurate (but, what use this information is I"m not sure, but hey, I can measure it :) ).

- Jeff

JeffHamm

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Re: My First Beaufort
« Reply #5 on: March 05, 2013, 06:07:59 PM »
Just an update post-brine.  It will air dry a couple more days, then into the cave, and the saturated brine wash will start next week.

- Jeff

CWREBEL

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Re: My First Beaufort
« Reply #6 on: March 05, 2013, 06:29:19 PM »
Looking good Jeff. Do you have any eye formation expectations?

Sailor Con Queso

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Re: My First Beaufort
« Reply #7 on: March 05, 2013, 07:13:41 PM »
If you want more of a Swiss (Propionic) flavor, then you need to give a warm phase. You are looking for minimal or no eye development.

JeffHamm

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Re: My First Beaufort
« Reply #8 on: March 05, 2013, 08:57:45 PM »
Hi,

I bought a strain of PS that is not for eye production (shouldn't produce gas), so I'm not expecting eyes to form.

Sailor, would the days where it's sitting at room temp (around 20-22 C; 68 - 71.6 F) be sufficient to develop the PS?  Or is the warm phase later, after a week or two of washing?  I know with other Swiss, where eyes are being formed, it seems the warm phase is after a period in the cave.

- Jeff

JeffHamm

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Re: My First Beaufort
« Reply #9 on: March 07, 2013, 05:10:41 AM »
This is nicely dried now, and so into the cave at 1312g this evening.  It has a great smell!  :)  Will start the washing next week.  Saturated brine made this morning, so it's ready to go.

- Jeff

JeffHamm

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Re: My First Beaufort
« Reply #10 on: March 18, 2013, 06:36:37 AM »
Just updating the washing routine:

Monday, Mar 11, 2013: Started washing with sat brine (one face per day with sides, flip before wash so not sitting on a wet face)
Sunday, March 17th, 2013: finished wash with sat brine wash.

It's looking good.  Will age it out for awhile yet.  May wax after a couple months to prevent drying out too much.

- Jeff

JeffHamm

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Re: My First Beaufort
« Reply #11 on: March 21, 2013, 07:11:04 PM »
Hmm, I noticed that this cheese has swelled a bit, so I'm expecting it has formed some eyes.  Oh well, I'm sure it will be a fine tasting cheese and it's not for market.  Will post a photo when I get the chance.

- Jeff

JeffHamm

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Re: My First Beaufort
« Reply #12 on: March 22, 2013, 06:13:12 PM »
As you can see, a bit of swelling.  There was a bit of blue mould, so I gave it another brine wash today as well.  It now weighs 1242g.

- Jeff
« Last Edit: March 22, 2013, 06:22:10 PM by JeffHamm »

High Altitude

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Re: My First Beaufort
« Reply #13 on: March 22, 2013, 07:12:39 PM »
Definitely some swell there!  More than on my Jarlsberg which is supposed to swell. Here's what it looks like on day 6 of the warm period...hope to get more swelling in the coming days/weeks, but not sure when the peak swelling occurs (this is my first make with PS).

p.s., you put it back in the cave wet from the brine-wash, right?  Just not the bottom as you said.


Offline H-K-J

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Re: My First Beaufort
« Reply #14 on: March 22, 2013, 07:23:52 PM »
Jeff I think it looks great even if you weren't expecting eye's or swelling 8)

High Altitude, yours too is nice, hope you get the swelling you are looking for :)
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