New to Cheese Making

[KylieGoodwin]

 Hi everyone. I am new to cheese making and I m already addicted. I live I. North Queensland and milk my Brown Swiss and thought rather than giving milk away, why not make cheese. I can only do it ATM during the cooler months as he wine cooler doesn't hold the cool temps on a 40C day. So far my cheese attempts have been two Irish Whisky Cheddars, a chive cheddar, two farmhouse Cheddars, two Colby (they were my first attempts and have great flavour just a little dry. Could have been my dodgy method of pressing first time). Just finished Belper Knolle and now have two coastal blues on the to. Would love to know some great cheeses to try plus I think I need a bigger wine cooler as this cheese making is addictive.

[bratrules1]

Looking good have your first cheese on me!!!

[Andrew Marshallsay]

Hi Kylie

Always nice to welcome another Aussie on board.
What a lovely looking array of cheeses. Please accept another from me.

[shaneb]

Hi Kylie,

Welcome from another Aussie. Your cheeses look great. Have a cheese from me also.

Shane

[OzzieCheese]

WooHoo another Australian - !! there are more out there we just have to find them..  Welcome Kylie, and by the look of your impressive range so far - we'll be coming to you for what cheeses to make.  .  There is an amazing collection of Artisan cheese makers here and are all too willing to lend a hand.  If it's worth making I'm sure someone here has ...
welcome aboard.

-- Mal 

[KylieGoodwin]

I am so glad I found this awesome group. Told hubby I need a bigger wine fridge. Just a bit worried about my coastal blues mould production. Can you have a look at the mould for colour please. I am always worried as my first triple cream Brie was a flop for bad mould. I have made changes to the wine fridge to reduce that problem and I clean it out with Milton regularly. This cheese is day 8

[awakephd]

Kylie, I'll add my welcome and well done on your cheeses! On the blue, I'm not seeing anything that would alarm me -- looks like you might have a touch of linens along with geo and P. Roq. And maybe some P. Candidum as well?

For your wine fridge, I have a suggestion: make yourself some new, wooden shelves to replace the wavy original shelves. I did this on my wine fridge, and the amount of room that it gained me was amazing! (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,14689.0.html)

[Frodage]

Welcome Kylie. Very nice photos and a cheese from me.

[OzzieCheese]

@Kylie,  I know it's a bit extravagant but, a VinTec fridge is about the best for cheese as well.  I have a normal one with no intrenal fan and it is always freezing up and I only mature those cheeses that are in their own little containers because this one I cannot get the humidty anywhere near the 80% minimium.  The VinTec gets up to 60% and the cave cube gets it the rest of the way. There are quite a few post here on the pros and cons of these little wine fridges.

-- Mal

[KylieGoodwin]

Thanks Mal, where did you find it?

Kylie

[OzzieCheese]

@ Kylie i got mine at "the good guys" but if dollars are an issue id really wait for a specials period like the end of financial year ones. I would also recommend a 'cave cube' as it keeps the humidity topped up. The issue with the smaller fridges is that whenthe compressor cuts in the humidity takes a bit of a nose dive. Its a bit of a juggling act with the smaller units. There are posters here that use converted fullsize fridges with external thermostats. These do offer vastly better ripening environments as the compressor runs less and when it does, the drop in humidity, while still there is not as severe.
Now if you have access to a big underground cave ......

Hope that helps

-- Mal