Boofer's Beaufort #3

[Boofer]

Let's go again. Something about 3rd time's the charm, but I am enthused and not disappointed about #1 and #2. I sampled #1 today and although it was vacuum-sealed and didn't have any rind development, it had some small eyes and was pretty good at 6 months.

I'm trying to tweak my process a little with this make. One of the key points is that I am not relying a lot on my ExStick. I am trying to follow the recipe according to times and other sensory clues I get from the curds. In the first two makes I watched and waited until I saw a significant pH drop and tried to hit targets. That often meant that from cultures added to rennet added could stretch out to 2 or 3 hours. What I found was that when I got to the pressing, the cheese pH may have accelerated too much, putting it in the pH 4.xx bracket.

In makes that took hours to come close to the pH targets, the rennet acted very quickly...some floc'ing as quickly as 5 minutes.

Today's make didn't wait to hit pH targets, but instead waited just 60 minutes before adding rennet. When it did floc at 15 minutes, the set was very soft. In those makes where the pH targets were close in, the set was much firmer.

Cultures, CACL2, and rennet used:

• 3/16 tsp Aroma B
• 1/16 tsp Thermo TA
• 1/12 tsp LH
• 1/16 tsp Propionic shermanii
• a knifepoint bit of LR3
• 1 tsp CACL2
• 1/8 tsp dry calf rennet

After the stated renneting time of 45 minutes (3x15min), the pH measures 6.70 and the curd seems like it could shatter if I mess around and cut it right now. Perhaps another 15 minutes will help to firm it up and let the pH come down a bit more.

Yeah, after waiting a bit longer the curds are firmer.

Couldn't quite get to 128F in the alotted 40 minutes. I tried hard, but could only reach 126F. That will have to do. I first pressed under whey with cloth and 15 lbs for 30 min, flipped and repeated. Pressing naked now without whey and with 5 lbs and 4 pulleys for 3.1-3.7psi on my 7.375 inch mold. I flipped at 4 hours, had a little nubbin problem with the curds squeezing out through the holes, but reseated and I'm pressing some more.

-Boofer-

[ArnaudForestier]

Looking forward to it, Boof.  I'm going week after next and leaving my children in the care of a neighbor...the tommes are fine (just brushing 1x week, now), but my beauforts will just have begun their 2x weekly regimen, by then (I've got evidence of yeast formation on my beaufort 1, and just a hint started on Beaufort 2, with its L'Etivas rind capture; both, looking good so far). 

Anyway, I'm trailing your trail, and I'll  be keeping my eye on your chronicle, here - it's been enjoyable to follow your story on all your cheeses.  Best of luck!   

Paul

[Boofer]

I just sampled my first Beaufort over the weekend. It gives me a touchpoint from which to steer for my current efforts. The paste seemed to be about right. There was some eye splitting. I pressed it, brined it, dried it, and vacuum-bagged this first effort. The bag swelled after it was put into the cave for affinage. Number 2 has been undergoing natural rind development. This third Beaufort will also undergo a natural rind development.

Although the texture and taste of Number 1 was okay and the salt content was on the lean side, I think I will get more complex flavor with the rind development effort.

-Boofer-

[ArnaudForestier]

Thanks for the post, Boof.  Have you seen Pav's description on alpine curd elasticity, eyes and splitting?  Great stuff, if not.  As usual, made it very clear, the dynamics involved.

[FRANCOIS]

Can you provide a link to the eye splitting post?

[ArnaudForestier]

Can you provide a link to the eye splitting post?

Sure, sorry guys, I'm usually pretty good about that.  Here it is.

[Boofer]

Thanks for the post, Boof.  Have you seen Pav's description on alpine curd elasticity, eyes and splitting?  Great stuff, if not.  As usual, made it very clear, the dynamics involved.

I did see that post as I was in the middle of the 3rd make. It was very refreshing and it makes a lot of sense. I tried to head in that general direction with this make by steering by feel rather than using my doggone ExStick. That cut short what normally would have been a 2 or 3 hour ripening session when relying on the meter. It should have allowed for a sweeter, less acidic paste. We'll see.

I really want to achieve that elasticity and sweeter taste to the paste. That would be awesome. That's not really what the Beaufort is about though, I think. That elasticity might be more appropriate for an Emmentaler or Goutaler. I've got a feeling one of the two Goutalers I made last June-July will have some elasticity. They feel very pliable. Fingers crossed. 

-Boofer-

[Boofer]

Not much to report at this point. I've been sharing the bath water between my Beaufort #2 and this one. It's a work in progress. I am quite pleased with #2 and I hope that this one develops a suitable rind mimicking #2.

-Boofer-

[Boofer]

Still working the rind. The initial rind knit wasn't great and so, the cheese has multiple opportunities for intrusions by unwanted guests. There is some geo bloom and b. linens color appearing. I don't detect a lot of smell at this point.

-Boofer-

[Boofer]

Still growing the rind. Just very quietly without much fanfare....

-Boofer-

[Boofer]

This cheese tagged along on the coattails of my Beaufort #2. It seems a little less firm than #2. The rind development was similar but I smeared this one a lot more and left the b. linens moist on the surface when I put it back in its minicave in the cave. Where #2 had a thicker rind with more visible geo on the surface, this one has a thinner rind where you can actually see the cheese without significant growth on the surface.

As with #2, this one will help me celebrate Christmas and/or New Year's. 

-Boofer-

[Boofer]

This has about 9 months since it took form last March. I served it up in a small tasting with Tilsit #1, Esrom #3, Tomme de Merlot, and my 2-year-old Manchego. It had a little residual moisture in the vacuum bag and that caused the different, lighter color to the rind. The alpine flavor was apparent, a few holes, and some elasticity. I would say it was a respectable alpine. I am looking forward to comparing it with my Beaufort #2 which was started December 3, 2010. I expect to cut into that the first week of January for my birthday.

-Boofer-