Author Topic: Brine Tanks: Size, Material, Shape . . .  (Read 3457 times)

Cheese Head

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Brine Tanks: Size, Material, Shape . . .
« on: August 18, 2009, 12:59:54 AM »
BRINE TANK - SIZE
My understanding is that a brine tank should contain 3 parts brine for every 1 unit of cheese being brined, please correct me if wrong. Given small wave action and the mess brines leave, especially saturated brines, I'd say a brine tank needs to be roughly 5 times the volume of cheese being brined, ie 1 part cheese, three parts brine, and 1 part room at top for little waves.

BRINE TANK - MATERIAL
Plastic works great, if you can get it large enough and right shape. Stainless steel should work if high quality, I had problem on weekend that rivets on my "stainless steel" stockpots must be different metal and got slight fizzy action, see photo, not good. Switched to smaller plastic for second batch.

BRINE TANK - SHAPE
Obviously to fit your cheese(s) with room to spare and deep enough so that they float rather than sitting on bottom with top highly exposed.

Other issues or ideas on hobby size Brine Tank selection?

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Brine Tanks: Size, Material, Shape . . .
« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2009, 02:49:34 AM »
I just used a couple of good sized tupperware bowls I've had forever. Or if I make one big 7 pound cheese I bought a cake keeper for the lid - it holds about 3 gallons + the cheese. I tink it was like $3 at the dollar store.