Author Topic: muenster orange spots appearing, but blue as well.  (Read 4443 times)

harlan

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muenster orange spots appearing, but blue as well.
« on: March 16, 2010, 12:36:15 AM »
So I've been aging some attempted meunster at room temp at high humidity and I've begun to see some orange spotting on the rind...problem is the orange spots seem to be localizing with blue spots.

I've been attacking the blue with vinegar and tonite I rubbed down the cheeses with a light salt/B.linens/geo mixture to try and stave off the blue.

I've already lost a swiss to combo blue / white camembert-smelling mold. Any tips on how to stem the blue until the red wins out?

harlan

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Re: muenster orange spots appearing, but blue as well.
« Reply #1 on: March 18, 2010, 03:23:14 PM »
Alright, I think I might be getting the upper hand.

I've continued with daily salt wiping and trying to scratch off the blue mold. I cut some of the larger spots off and they don't penetrate very far into the cheese, maybe a half mm.

The orange spots are beginning to spread, slowly, but noticeably. Next time I'm definitely going to have to spray the b.linens on the outside instead of mixing it with the milk.

Also, the aging chamber smells like socks.

MarkShelton

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Re: muenster orange spots appearing, but blue as well.
« Reply #2 on: March 18, 2010, 11:24:39 PM »
mmmm... socks ;D
I've never made a washed-rind cheese, so I am no help.
I have heard that the b. linens will produce odors such as dirty socks and human body odor, but it doesn't come through in the taste of the cheese.

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: muenster orange spots appearing, but blue as well.
« Reply #3 on: March 20, 2010, 08:01:14 AM »
I make quite a few washed rind cheeses and I have never had the cave smell like socks. As for adding the b. linens to the milk that shouldn't be causing orange mold spots.

harlan

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Re: muenster orange spots appearing, but blue as well.
« Reply #4 on: March 20, 2010, 01:18:30 PM »
Well, I'm not sure I'd call them mold spots, they're more like plaques, e.g. they cannot be wipe off.

I thought the b.linens colonization of the surface was reddish orange?

mtncheesemaker

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Re: muenster orange spots appearing, but blue as well.
« Reply #5 on: March 20, 2010, 01:28:16 PM »
Hi Harlan;
Are you washing the cheese with a brine solution? This will promote the B. linens and inhibit the blue mold growth. When I get blue mold on a washed rind cheese, I think it's because I didn't start washing soon enough.
What temp are you ageing at? Room temp seems a little high.
Pam

harlan

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Re: muenster orange spots appearing, but blue as well.
« Reply #6 on: March 20, 2010, 05:03:36 PM »
That's exactly what happened.

I got really busy and neglected the cheese for 4 or so days and then it was covered with blue spots.

I've been washing with brine with b.linens daily.

I added some geo to one of the washes and I think it is starting to take over, the smell at the surface has changed from socky to mushroomy / earthy.

The recipe I had said to age for 10-14 days at 65F, and that's about our room temp.

I have the cheese in a large plastic bag on the counter to keep the humidity up.

I've attached a picture or what the orange spots look like. They are very slow spreading.

I've been excising some of the bigger blue spots......and tasting them.....and it's fair to say that the inner cheese is not getting funky, but I don't know how much longer I should wait for the b.linens to take over before I convert it to a blue to avoid losing the cheese.

Thanks for the responses.

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: muenster orange spots appearing, but blue as well.
« Reply #7 on: March 21, 2010, 04:58:03 AM »
Ah now I see what you are saying. The white mold can smell kind of mushroomy especially if the humidit is really high and it's enclosed. Looks like you b. linens are starting to come through. Not to worry! Don't let them get overly moist or they could develop slip skin.