My first washed rind

[StuartDunstan]

I've just made a batch of soft washed rinds (basically following a camembert recipe, but with B.Linens added). I want to wash the cheeses with beer, but I'm just not sure whether to wait until mould grows and then begin washing, or start washing straight away. Any advice? I guess I'm a little concerned that if I start straight away, the mould won't get a chance to grow and I'll end up with a very white, wet cheese.

Also, should I add B.Linens to the beer wash as well? Or will beer by itself be good enough?

Cheers.

[JeffHamm]

Hi Stuart,

The b.linens (the orange bacteria), like the moisture.  Usually, washing starts about a week after the make.  I've not done a beer wash myself as I usually just use brine, but presumably the principle is the same.  Add salt to get it around 3-5% solution (i.e. 95g beer and 5 grams salt gives you 5% by weight).  I would think it would be best to let the beer go flat as well.  Not sure if there's anything you need to do concerning yeast in the beer though.  Anyway, if you've added b.linens to the make you shouldn't need to add any to your wash, but it wouldn't hurt. 

Keep these isolated from other cheeses, especially mouldy ones.  You want the linnes to develop and don't want wild moulds to interfere.  Make sure you sterilize your ripening container well, doubly so if you've used it for cams or blue cheeses.

Oh, and photos are a must. 

- Jeff

[Andrew Marshallsay]

BL can be added to the milk, or to the wash, or both. I made my first one of these recently and did both. In the second week of washing I became concerned that there was little colour developing so I added some to the wash. That may have been unnecessary - it may have been that the BL strain that I was using was a pale one - but no harm done. It all turned out well anyway.
I will be interested to hear how yours turns out using the camembert recipe.

[StuartDunstan]

Thanks guys. So I'll start washing this weekend, which will be one week since I made them. And I'll add some salt to the beer, and let it go flat and room temperature. Stay tuned for pictures.

[Pjfraser82]

Hi Stuart,

I know this is an old thread but how did these cheeses go?

I am thinking about doing the same. Would like to know what im up for before I do. You got any photos of the stages.

Cheers

[StuartDunstan]

Hi Old Latham. They didn't really work, unfortunately. In the end I decided not to wash with beer, and just do a regular washed rind for my first attempt. I'm not 100% sure, but I'm assuming my supply of B.Linens was faulty, as the cheeses never developed the usual orange colour you'd expect from a washed rind. They just stayed white. I added B.Linens to both the milk and the wash, but it just never happened. They did mature and ripen, but I have a feeling this was purely due to the Geotrichum that was in the milk. I did eat some of one, but the taste was a bit weird, so I ended up using some of them in cooking and binning the rest. Haven't yet ventured back to the washed rinds yet, but I will get there!

[Pjfraser82]

Thanks for the response.

I am going try my first washed rind a couple of weeks. Hopefully with slightly better results.

Did you use PC in your recipe? I just heard from someone else it can knock out other moulds.

[Stinky]

Be careful with that, because it also can take over and by itself it doesn't always give an overly pleasant taste.

But with washed rind don't even try PC. I think it'd interfere with linens.

Attached, as always, Alp's treatise. Give it a read.

[StuartDunstan]

The attached document is all good advice, but does appear to be written with hard, Swiss washed rinds in mind, whereas mine was a soft washed rind. Most of it should still apply though.

[John@PC]

Hi Stuart.  A  couple of months ago I did this ale-washed cheese and of all the cheeses I've made it's my personal favorite.   The brine was is simple, and the "resident" B.L. made a pretty and tasty rind.

[StuartDunstan]

John that looks like an amazing cheese! Soft washed rinds are one of my favourite cheeses and my mouth is watering just looking at those photos! I think you've inspired me to give it another go. Might need to get some more B.Linens though, as I don't want to go through all that work just to have it not turn out again.

Did you find that you could detect any hint of flavour from the ale? We're having quite the craft beer boom here in Brisbane at the moment, and there are a lot of wonderful local beers to choose from. So I'm just trying to decide what stle of beer would be best and impart the most complimentary flavours to the cheese.

Cheers!

[John@PC]

Did you find that you could detect any hint of flavour from the ale? We're having quite the craft beer boom here in Brisbane at the moment, and there are a lot of wonderful local beers to choose from. So I'm just trying to decide what stle of beer would be best and impart the most complimentary flavours to the cheese.

I did detect a flavor enhancement from my Yeugnlings (it's what I had available at the time).  I've made reblochons and munsters and this was different, I'm assuming from the yeast growth from the ale?  I would say go with what you like.  Better yet, buy a dozen pints so you'll have some left over when you make the cheese .

[Pjfraser82]

John,

When you wash the with beer, how long do you keep the beer for before you crack a fresh can?

[Stinky]

I refer you to the prior attachment, where Alp says that he usually keeps washing with the same liquid until it starts smelling positively toxic. On the other hand, I'd imagine if you want to go for a milder cheese, you'd replace it more often.

[Pjfraser82]

Thanks. I will read the entire thing tonight when I get home.