Author Topic: what should brie smell like?  (Read 11496 times)

Julz

  • Guest
what should brie smell like?
« on: January 02, 2009, 02:54:25 AM »
I have made my first brie.  When I wrapped it as required after growing the mould for ten days, I noticed it was very pungent.  What should it smell like at this stage?  It smells like rotten milk (I know that's what cheese IS), faintly aroma of camembert and a tangy promising castello-style smell.  However the overpowering rotten milk smell leaves me wondering if this is right.  It looks divine, is ripening beautifully, but stinks.   

Cheese Head

  • Guest
Re: what should brie smell like?
« Reply #1 on: January 02, 2009, 03:14:49 AM »
Doesn't sound good :P, mine don't smell bad, just normal camembert/brie smell.

When you say your looks good, are you getting the normal white bloom like the last picture?

It should definately not be over ripe at 10 days, if you decide to cut it open and peak and if good push/glue it back together, it should be ripe softer on the outside and harder in the middle as it rippens from the outside in.

Are you aging at the right temperatures?

Offline Cartierusm

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,874
  • Cheeses: 21
Re: what should brie smell like?
« Reply #2 on: January 02, 2009, 04:30:43 AM »
That doesn't sound good. It can have a very Ammonia smell as it's actually producing ammonia from the decomposition of the protein from the bacteria. It can have a sulpher smell but shouldn't be that bad. What kind of cave or container do you have it in, because if you're not exchanging the air frequently is can have adverse affects on the aging of the cheese.

Julz

  • Guest
Re: what should brie smell like?
« Reply #3 on: January 03, 2009, 12:40:05 AM »
Thanks for the pointers.  I looked at your pix Cheesehead and read what Carter... said and figured it must be the storage.  I hadn't known that it needed to have air circulating around and I had it in a plastic container in my dark damp shed. 

I took it out and smelt it just now and it's even worse, so I decided my plants could do with the extra calcium...

I need to figure out how to store it there without bugs getting it.  Thanks again for your help!

Cheese Head

  • Guest
Re: what should brie smell like?
« Reply #4 on: January 03, 2009, 01:39:16 AM »
I think you need some air circulation but doesn't have to be a lot.

Finding the right temp & humidity Cheese Cave to age your cheese in is very very tough, lots of posts about it in this forum as one solution doesn't fit everyone especially as we all live in different climates around the world.

Good luck!

Tea

  • Guest
Re: what should brie smell like?
« Reply #5 on: January 03, 2009, 08:25:30 PM »
Hi Julz, I think you are experiencing similar problems and I am.  I have discovered that I need to keep the cheese cooler than I am able to at the moment, and also I need more air exchange, as I ripen in a tupperware container.  How you wrap them after mould coverage is also critical, as moisture is still being lost and there still need to be an air exchange taking place.
So for me, these are on the back burner until I can get a proper cave.  Then I will try again.

Likesspace

  • Guest
Re: what should brie smell like?
« Reply #6 on: January 06, 2009, 03:24:20 AM »
Hi guys,
Let me preface this by saying I have yet to turn out a proper Camembert. Mine have turned liquid at the outer edges while the center has gotten soft but not to the yogurt consistancy that is typical.
They have all had a fantastic flavor but I want one that is perfect. Is that too much to ask? :-)
I have been advised by a dedicated Camembert maker that my problem is  due to aging too quickly. His advice is that once the cheese is wrappped, put it in your regular household fride at 38 to 40 degrees F. Once this has been done he says to be prepared for a 4 to 6 week wait. At four weeks the cheese should still be somewhat firm and at six weeks it should have the proper consistancy.
I have no idea if this will in fact work since I'm on week two of six but I can say that the cheese seems to have the same consistancy (from touch) throughout the wheel, at this point.
I would think that this method will work with either Camembert or Brie.
I really hope this works. If it does, my next step will be adding a bit of blue to the curd while making and before molding.
I agree with John on this point. Cambozola might just be the Holy Grail of cheesemaking.

Dave

Julz

  • Guest
Re: what should brie smell like?
« Reply #7 on: January 07, 2009, 08:38:54 AM »
Will be keen to hear how your cheese progresses, Dave.