Author Topic: Garage - Cold Weather?  (Read 1403 times)

Baby Chee

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Garage - Cold Weather?
« on: January 04, 2010, 10:16:43 PM »
Hey, I made a nice Limburger and 4 small Cams about 7 weeks back.  They matured in a cave together, the Limb getting the smear, and they all went the distance, so I took them out of the cave, wrapped and left them in the room (back of garage work room) with a small heater going.

The room was around 42-47ºF most of the time unless outside heated up more.  However, when I went for Christmas vacation across country and left them, COLD hit and I just checked the room.  It is just under 40ºF and probably has been for a while.

Question:  Will such a temperature impair those cheeses' development?

They look great!  No strange molds have set in.  They aren't frozen.  What's the deal, now?  I turned up the heat, so hopefully they are closer to 50ºF here on.
Anyone have any suggestions on the aging of the Limburger?  I never made one before.  The advice here says it can go 2 or 3 months or beyond.

FRANCOIS

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Re: Garage - Cold Weather?
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2010, 12:12:21 AM »
At such a late stage of development the lowered temps will really just inhibit aging.  I wouldn't worry about pathogenic growth at this point.  7 weeks is getting a bit long for the cams, even at 40F.  Commercially cheese is supposed to be shipped and stored under 40F until it's sold.  A cam in that situation would last about 70 days before getting bitter and ammonia laden.  At that point you would see signifcant white mold die off as well.

The limburger uses b. linens, which once developed on the rind at higher temps, can be stored for months at 40F with no issues.  This is because the b. linens are virtually in hibernation at that temp.  If you raise the temp up beyond 50 they will kick in again.

Baby Chee

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Re: Garage - Cold Weather?
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2010, 11:55:34 AM »
Thanks Francois!

I will turn the temp back down in that room, because I want the cheeses to last until the first days of February.

Is there a problem if cheeses freeze?  Cam and Limb particularly?