Uncomplicated cheese cave?

[dgcheese]

Hello everyone.

I've just started making cheese (fresh) over the last year and am ready to move on to hard cheeses.

I've read through most of the older posts in the Cave Aging section before writing this post.

I'd like to know if there is a relatively simple "beginner" fridge/cooler I can purchase that requires minimal modifications? Most of the caves people have described seem to involve electrical modifications that I simply don't know how to do.

I don't mind experimenting with some of the humidity devices mentioned, but I have no clue how to start taking apart thermostats, etc.

This is driving me crazy and I view it as a major road block in terms of advancing my cheese making skills, so any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

David

[BigCheese]

The posts might be misleading, as I think the majority of people actually use simple caves here. Things can get a bit more complicated if you end up needing to control humidity, but still it should remain rather simple:

Pick up a fridge (or standing freezer is what I have) of suitable size on craigslist. Order a Johnson control thermostat ( http://www.gridlinesupply.com/servlet/the-103093/JOHNSON-CONTROLS-fdsh-PENN-A19BAG1E-Thermostat/Detail ). Plug the thermostat into the wall, the fridge into the thermostat, turn the thermostat dial to desired temp, arrange the temperature probe inside the fridge in a location where it gets a median reading (i.e. away from walls and or cooling elements). Close the fridge and go make cheese.

It is a good idea to put a cheap thermometer and hygrometer in the fridge to verify you are getting the results you want.

If humidity becomes an issue, look into humidifiers. You can use the search function here to see what others use.

I can house 100lbs or more of cheese in my cave with a total cost of $160 plus electricity.

[Gina]

I'd like to know if there is a relatively simple "beginner" fridge/cooler I can purchase that requires minimal modifications? Most of the caves people have described seem to involve electrical modifications that I simply don't know how to do.

You are exactly where I was a few months ago. As Natai said, all you need to do is order an external thermostat and plug a cheapo craig's list fridge into it, and voila.... cheese cave. You just set the temp you want on the external thermostat, and it will control what the inside fridge temp is. Even I could do it.

There are various places that sell them at differing prices. Find the model you want and look for one with free shipping/handling. There was a brewing place that had both the external thermostat and Starsan disinfectant at a decent price, and free shipping. Cant off-hand remember its name however, but can try to find it if you like.

[MrsMarbles]

I've been thinking of using a chest freezer with an external thermostat for my cheeses.  I already have two GE models that I use for homebrew (15 cu ft. at fermentation temps, 8 cu ft at kegging temp).  I've been controlling the humidity with bowls of rice and wiping it down, but I recently read about using DampRid, so I'm going to try that too.  It's calcium chloride.  Apparently a lot of homebrewers use it to reduce humidity in their keg freezer ("keezer"). 

So far my waxed cheeses have been sharing the keezer with beers, but I recently started a blue cheese and I think my cheeses are going to need their own home now.  I don't want blue mold near my beer and I don't want yeasts near my cheese!

Anyway, I have one freezer on the analog Johnson Controls temp controller and the other on the digital Johnson Controls.  I like the digital one better.  And it has both cooling and heating temperature modes.  They are both super easy to use.

[MrsMarbles]

Just as an update, I read Brie's message on another thread about using two mini-fridges to keep the white and blue molds separate.  That's a really good idea!  I've only tried the blue mold so far, but I have some white and red mold too, hoping to work my way up to Epoisses.  (So far I've made Feta, Cheddar, Pepper Jack, Gouda, Emmental, Gorgonzola, and Whey Ricotta.)  So we got two mini-fridges at Walmart for less than the chest freezer would have cost.  I'm going to celebrate by making a Blue Gouda.

[wharris]

I've been thinking of using a chest freezer with an external thermostat for my cheeses.
Anyway, I have one freezer on the analog Johnson Controls temp controller and the other on the digital Johnson Controls. 

I would ensure that your freezer does not have the cooling coils on the inside.
There are several threads on this, but I will reference one I started..
http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,2547.msg20026.html#msg20026