Washed Curd Cheese - Washing With Beer??!

[harvette]

So, I swear I read SOME where, either a book or on the web (someplace I can't find now, of course) about making a Colby cheese and washing the curds with beer instead of just plain cool water. Maybe half beer half water? Or all beer?

I have scoured the web and this forum and can't really find much info about this - only about washing the rind with beer.

Maybe I mis-understood what I read and washing the rind with beer is really the thing to do. Anyone ever heard of washing the curds with beer? any suggestions, experiences to share, recipes, any info anywhere about this?

I'd like to try making a colby and washing the curds with Mayflower Porter (one of my fav beers ever, I think the flavors would be great).... but I'm a little hesitant to try this without making sure it's not a totally crazy idea and a waste of milk and other supplies! 

[Sailor Con Queso]

Go 4 it. I would not dilute the beer. You might put a few drops of Star San, or other sanitizer, in the beer ahead of time to kill off any lingering yeast.

[Majoofi]

The alcohol in the beer should kill the yeast. I wouldn't go washing my cheese with solvents

[Cheese Head]

harvette, seems a bit expensive to wash the curds in beer and then chuck all that beer .

To my knowledge, Colby is not a washed curd type cheese.

Another method of making cheese is called a rind washed where your wash the rind with different forms of microorganisms to promote their growth on the exterior of the cheese creating different flavors. Some people use concentrated manufactured ones others use wine or port or beer etc.

Maybe it was rind washing the formed cheese with beer that you read.

[captaincurd]

Ive never heard of doing that. , way expensive unless you are doing a tiny batch and then can use the beer to cook something..   PLEASE try it and let us all know  .   I wash the rind of some cheeses as they age..  It dries out the cheese a little bit and encourages some yeasts and molds on the surface.

[Jeroen]

The alcohol in the beer should kill the yeast. I wouldn't go washing my cheese with solvents

Wouldn't count on it, usually most of the yeast dies because of a lack of usable sugar. In natural beer a little amount of yeast still lives after months or even a year. Beer has normally 4-8 percent vol alcohol, a lot of yeast will survive till about 12 percent.

[Majoofi]

Hmm. good to know.
thanks for setting me right.

[FRANCOIS]

I have tried this.  It does not work.  You end up with bread flavored cheese.

[harvette]

I have tried this.  It does not work.  You end up with bread flavored cheese.

ok, that kinda makes sense.. I think maybe I will stick
with a washed rind!

Thanks for your thoughts everyone!!