Author Topic: Epoisses 3/14/13  (Read 6704 times)

sheepj76

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Re: Epoisses 3/14/13
« Reply #15 on: March 25, 2013, 04:35:08 PM »
An update with pictures! finished up my PLA spray on the cheeses Saturday and left them out at 55 degrees until today.

Today I washed the cheeses with a 50/50 cognac 3% salt solution.

Before cognac . some good white surface growth. Not sure if you can see it in first picture.
I Used just a regular paint type brush to apply the cognac to one side of the cheese instead of both. I figure I will do every other day on one side so the wash doesn't drip off on the side facing down. The cheese is feeling soft on the sides so I plan to place them in a 45 degree ripening cave for a few weeks to have the inside catch up.







Offline mgasparotto

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Re: Epoisses 3/14/13
« Reply #16 on: April 07, 2013, 10:47:13 PM »
Very nice!

Jen R

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Re: Epoisses 3/14/13
« Reply #17 on: April 09, 2013, 02:22:28 AM »
Can anyone tell me what the pH should be for an Epoisse by the time draining has finished?

sheepj76

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Re: Epoisses 3/14/13
« Reply #18 on: April 11, 2013, 02:52:39 PM »
Very nice!
Thank ya Thank ya. This cheese is ripening fast the sides are really really soft. I lost 3 rounds to blue mold growth in a little container that housed all three. On an unrelated noteI moved the cheeses to a colder ripening area hopefully these suckers start breaking down from the inside within the next week or so. I'm working on my last 75% cognac wash at this point. Does anyone know how one might go about getting that rich brown coloration? I added my linens to the initial inoculation but my cheese has remained fairly white. More pics to come.
Can anyone tell me what the pH should be for an Epoisse by the time draining has finished?
Sorry Jen, I did not take a pH reading after draining however, my guess is 5 - 5.5?? somewhere around there?? Take that with a grain of kosher non reactive salt.

iratherfly

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Re: Epoisses 3/14/13
« Reply #19 on: April 15, 2013, 02:34:56 AM »
Even though Epoisses is a lactic cheese, it is made faster than goat cheeses in order to trap the butterfat in the curd without it floating to the top.  The milk is therefore heated to 86°F where mesophilics work fast. It should then acidifies over 14-16 hours rather than 18-24. That should give you a final acidity of probably 4.7pH-4.9pH. Maybe even more acidic.

Sheepj76, looking good!  I would wash with Eau de Vie; if Marc is too expensive you can try Grappa or even Schnaps. Cognac is much more aromatic and flavorful, it will give you a different cheese (and oh, it's expensive too!).  the wash routine on Epoisses is very unique. You don't start with the Marc. You gradually introduce it to the wash over a period of two weeks or so; then hold back and let the growth finish naturally, brushing in brine as needed.

PLA is not a very good blend for it because it mimics Savoyard microflora and has totally different aromas, as well as very light color. I would guess that the morge should have faster, stronger color strain of B.linen like SR-3 (maybe mixed with LR), + a mould-like strain of Geo like 17 + and a yeast mix such as R2R + KL71.  It will make a huge difference and would look and smell totally different than PLA.

Brie

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Re: Epoisses 3/14/13
« Reply #20 on: April 15, 2013, 03:55:54 AM »
Hello my new and old friends--finally got around to making an Epoisses--tthe olfactory was almost too much for me--great cheese though..........

iratherfly

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Re: Epoisses 3/14/13
« Reply #21 on: April 15, 2013, 05:17:41 PM »
Brie! It's been such long time! How the heck are you?  Love that photo!

Brie

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Re: Epoisses 3/14/13
« Reply #22 on: April 16, 2013, 01:33:57 AM »
I'm great Yoav--and you? You've moved from a protegee to a cheesemaker to a cheesemonger! Triplet for you! I needed to take a break, based on supply/demand of milk. I love your posts and your endurance to help the community of cheese lovers! Namaste!