Brie #2 question about aging

[AeonSam]

Hello,

The edges of these wheels are becoming very dry. They are in wrapping paper and I'm not used to this happening but these are bigger wheels than I'm used to. Do I need to start a new thread?

Sam

[awakephd]

Hi Sam,

No, no need to start another thread - we routinely chase rabbits across threads, but your question isn't even a rabbit; it is still talking about the original topic!

I don't have experience with the edges getting dry, but then, I've never made bries or such in that size. (I sometimes call what I make as a "camembrie" because it is about 5.5" in diameter - larger than a typical cam, but smaller than a brie.)

My best guess would be to put them in a ripening container to help keep the moisture up. That shouldn't be necessary if the cheese wrap is doing its job, but ... any chance you used the paper wrong side out? I'm not entirely sure, but I think it is intended to be used only in one direction.

Hopefully my post will bump this up, and someone who actually knows about bries will answer (rather than me just, er, shooting the bries, as it were ).

[AeonSam]

Thanks Andy,

I was thinking that direction too. I just wanted to see what others would say.

[AeonSam]

I've placed these bigger wheels back into ripening boxes but it seems like I'm having a lot more trouble controlling these thicker, larger wheels. Does anyone have experience with large Brie affinage?

Sam

[Gregore]

I have no experience with pizza sized bries , but I wonder if the papers are a little small for the size of cheese . Are you getting a good overlap of all the corners of the paper? 

If not there could be too much air getting at them , maybe try double wrapping  so the seams are opposite sides .

Not sure what else could be causing dry edges .

[AeonSam]

Gregore,

Thanks for the response. I'm using really large micro crystalline papers for these. I had spoken to Yoav last week and he says he doesn't use them until the very end of aging.

It's very dry in my house so maybe it has a profound effect when I open them to examine the aging process?

The 1st 2 wheels were made with Flora Danica and they have a strong broccoli smell with dry edges and retarded pc. The 3rd wheel has a strong ammonia smell but great pc growth.

I did dry the FD wheels for a much shorter period of time. Only two hours.

Sam

[AeonSam]

Here's a better pic of the drying edges of the Brie. I've never had this issue with smaller versions.

I'm thinking that these might have to stay in ripening boxes throughout their lifetime. Any tips?

Sam

[Gregore]

Very bizarre , if it was me I would keep them wrapped in the papers as well as the boxes .

My guess and it really is a guess is that once it started down the road of a dry edge there was no bringing it back and all you can do is slow it down .

The good thing is they must be close to being done and you have so much cheese per wheel that the small edge damage percentage wise is minimal .

[Al Lewis]

A little drier than most get but not unusual for that area to dry out.  May be due to the size. Even the small ones dry out there first.  Although I understand that aging these in a colder environment produces a "better" result, I think the original product of days of old were probably closer to what you have.  Not much refrigeration around back then.  Doesn't the term "artisanal" demand we reproduce the originals rather than replicate the modern massed produced effort?  I guess it's a choice we have to make.  Nothing wrong with either.

[AeonSam]

Thanks Gregore, wrapping them and keeping them in a ripening box may be my next move. There is plenty of cheese for sure. One of these wheels is a little sticky to the touch. Never had that happen either.

I've been looking at Perfect-Cheese's cave humidifier. I'm wondering of wheels of this size need a lot more attention. Do you know if gravity plays a part in the drying process? Silly question, but can these lose more moisture because of their weight?

Thanks also Al, you're right. I definitely don't want a typical mass produced type. I just don't have enough of a handle on Brie yet so I'm not clear on what's going on. These smell way different that stuff you get at the store   

Also, is that Cam 2" thick?

[Gregore]

These cheeses should be ready Soon ??.. they were made on oct 10th 

I think the stickiness might be from them getting too much moist air .  I think your better off with a little cracking than killing off the PC  with too much humidity .

Are they now in the fridge or the cave ?  Fridges are theoretically dryer than a cave , you are well past slip skin danger zone so you might want to keep them in the cave .

[Al Lewis]

Also, is that Cam 2" thick?

Yes it is.  I make all of mine that size as the make I use creates enough curd to fill three of my molds.  If I used four they would be too thin so I go for three.  Also, I noticed that your wheels seem to have a bit of elephants foot.  Could just be the picture.  You are turning them every day, right?  If not they could be settling and the top edge becoming a ridge that would dry out quicker.

[AeonSam]

These cheeses should be ready Soon ??.. they were made on oct 10th 

Yes, these are ready, they have a bitter taste to them compared to my 1st brie wheels. I accidentally left a wheel out last night and now it's fully ripe 

These wheels are made from 1 1/2 gallons each. I'm thinking of going back to the 1 gallon per wheel. It seems like I can't control ones these size.

Also, is that Cam 2" thick?

  Also, I noticed that your wheels seem to have a bit of elephants foot.  Could just be the picture.  You are turning them every day, right?  If not they could be settling and the top edge becoming a ridge that would dry out quicker.

So that's what that's called aye? It definitely looks like an elephant's foot. As far as I know, I flipped them every day. I may have to resort to twice. Thanks!

Sam

[Gregore]

You can also keep,them in the mold for the first day or 2  until they firm up a little and that will stop the slumping/ elephant foot

[AeonSam]

So,

I lost these to the garbage. I ate some of the paste but the rind was crumbly and gooey at the same time. I'm thinking that I may need to humidify my entire wine fridge instead of napkins in my ripening boxes. I don't have a clear idea of what went wrong after wrapping these. When I've made these thinner, they've worked very well.

Anyone have thoughts on the cave cube?

Also, I was asking Yoav from Artisan geek about really thin rinds and how to make them and one suggestion he had was to use more than one strain of pc. Has anyone else done this and if so, what have been your results? Thanks

Sam