Author Topic: Stilton not bluing - Brevibacterium Linens growing?‏  (Read 1749 times)

preserve.ferment

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Stilton not bluing - Brevibacterium Linens growing?‏
« on: January 31, 2016, 10:59:03 PM »
Thought I would see if anyone with enough experience of different moulds can confirm if the attached Stilton photos with the red/pink moulds is predominantly Brevibacterium Linens?

This happens to be my first crack at a Blue Stilton made on 3 January 2016 with raw milk, commercial DVI starter culture, P. Roqueforti grown on Latvian rye bread using Long Clawson Blue Stilton and aged in a plastic container in wine fridge at ~82% RH @ 12C.

The P. Roqueforti did initially start to grow at approx day 8 but may have been over-powered by the B. Linens over time in the aging box as the bluing has stopped and other moulds have taken over.
I did make another Stilton a fortnight later, which can be seen in photo 3, and is bluing very well. This one was made with raw milk, kefir grain starter culture and the same P Roqueforti culture and has not grown anything else except blue mould.

If the first Stilton is growing B Linens then are there any suggestions for aging and caring for it?

Thanks

   

Stinky

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Re: Stilton not bluing - Brevibacterium Linens growing?‏
« Reply #1 on: January 31, 2016, 11:31:04 PM »
I've never seen of or heard of linens that looks anything like that. Almost certain it's something else.

Offline Al Lewis

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Re: Stilton not bluing - Brevibacterium Linens growing?‏
« Reply #2 on: February 01, 2016, 02:29:04 PM »
It appears you have quite a bit of Penicillium Candidum growing on them but I've never seen anything red or black like that.  I would scrap them off to the surface, wash them with white wine and see what I had.  You do appear to have some blue showing through.  You might want to message one og the pros on here about them.  Sailor would be a good choice.
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preserve.ferment

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Re: Stilton not bluing - Brevibacterium Linens growing?‏
« Reply #3 on: February 01, 2016, 03:47:30 PM »
Thanks for those replies. I did email Sailor as suggested but in the meantime I decided to give both cheeses a wash in white vinegar and let No 2 cheese sit and dry. No 1 cheese I scrapped all mould off back to the pure cheese and now letting this dry. Thought I may as well see what happens with it. Photo 1 shows No1 cheese which is a bit soft now after the re-working of it and couple of cracks which will be smoothed over and photo 2 is No2 cheese after the vinegar wash. All else fails then just make another couple.

Sailor Con Queso

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Re: Stilton not bluing - Brevibacterium Linens growing?‏
« Reply #4 on: February 01, 2016, 04:57:52 PM »
You have quite a collection of molds. Obviously a little P. roquefortii, but the predominant white is most likely P. candidum. You also have some B. linens (yellow) and a few others. I cannot identify the red from just a photo. P. candidum is used in Brie and Camembert and is usually very proteolytic. It may attempt to liquefy your cheese within 3-4 weeks, like it does with a Brie. Not all bad. Probably still edible. I would taste it at 3-4 weeks and see what you think. You certainly are not going to get a classic blue cheese flavor. Maybe something like a Camboozola?

I never recommend growing your own blue mold on bread. You never know what you are going to get. Plus you have a number of uncertainties from using raw milk.

preserve.ferment

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Re: Stilton not bluing - Brevibacterium Linens growing?‏
« Reply #5 on: February 01, 2016, 07:10:13 PM »
Maybe using raw milk contributed to the growth of P Candidum initially and as this Stilton was made the day after making Camemberts, the cheeses were in close proximity to one another during the setting and drying stages so cross contamination would most likely have occurred there.
I did sample the cheese and I think from the small amount I tried, you might be right in that this P Candidum mould is trying to liquefy the cheese as it has the hint of Camembert flavouring so time will tell if this is the case.
« Last Edit: February 01, 2016, 07:31:02 PM by preserve.ferment »