Author Topic: wife gettin scared "Is it supposed tuh look-n-Smell like that???" (Read 7344 times)

H-K-J · « **on:** February 15, 2012, 11:56:33 PM »

Well here we go; I started a Stilton type (have to call it a type) blue, always wanted to make my own, I did a lot of home work over the last few months and have made a few blue type failures, they were edible and not to bad, they were not quite what I wanted of course and I had to remind myself they were only a test, I used Doc Fankhouser's blue cheese recipe and they ended up more like that blue cheese salad crumble stuff, like I said edible, but-well, JUST-NOT-RIGHT, anyway I told the wife I was goin to the next level and I was going to buy the right Ingredients.
I got on line and did a lot of research, came up with The cheese maker and placed an ordered.
Mesophilic Starter (DVI), Penicillium Roqueforti PV Mold, Dry calf rennet among a few other items.
I decided on the Stilton recipe from 101 recipes for cheese making. Beginning on the 26th of January from start to finish not to hard and everything really went well, one thing I didn't have was a round mold to put the curd in so I improvised and punched holes in a food container and packed that after lining it with cheese cloth so instead of round it's kinda square;
Everything seemed to be going alright until 2 days ago a lot of moisture and the slight smell of ammonia, but then again I had some damp paper towels in the ageing container to keep the humidity up so I pulled all but one out (I had 4 in there) I also placed a humidity monitor inside. Today I checked it and the humidity was of the chart 100+% and a stronger smell off ammonia not overly powerful just stronger than before, so I pulled the last damp towel out and aired the container for awhile, on the 17th it will be one month into ageing, it was very blue and has started to get some wight and green mold. If I understand what I have been reading as long as the smell doesn't get over powering and no super ugly mold this is semi normal?
Is there better ways to bring down the humidity? It's supposed to be 75-80%,
guess I will have to see what happens tomorrow, the change in the mold isn't so much a bother as I know this type likes a brown or tan rind just hope I don't ruin it, it's lookin purty decent for a first timer.

Gürkan Yeniçeri · « **Reply #1 on:** February 16, 2012, 12:46:07 AM »

Hi HKJ,

Yes your humidity is too high and you need to heavily salt the rind as well.

I advice to crack open the lid of your humidity chamber to release a bit of humidity.

It does look like OK. As long as you are OK with the smell and taste, it is OK to consume.

H-K-J · « **Reply #2 on:** February 16, 2012, 01:18:23 AM »

Gürkan When you say heavily salt do you mean from like a salt shaker or roll it around on a salted surface or??
like a rub (as in BBQ without the spices) kosher type salt, (large grain)? non anodized (small grain) hope these ain't stupid questions
and thank you for your help

H-K-J

Tomer1 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 16, 2012, 11:42:42 AM »

You need to let the cheese breath at least a few hours a week to let it "exchange gas" as they say.
As said above your RH is way too high, leaving the lid closed with a slight opening is enough. no need for any moist cloth\towel in there.

I dont think salting the rind with stilton style is a good idea, this cheese is meant to grow wild rind.

Gürkan Yeniçeri · « **Reply #4 on:** February 16, 2012, 10:13:48 PM »

Non-iodized, fine grain salt. Roll it on a salted surface if the rind is hard or sprinkle with a shaker. I usually use rock salt and prestle and mortar to make it finer. If you find a burr coffee grinder, you can get real fine powder like salt out of it.

Blue needs oxygen to grow, you need to renew holes every second day.

H-K-J · « **Reply #5 on:** February 17, 2012, 12:34:10 AM »

Tomer, from everything I have read it does say no salt on the rind, that is were I would like to go. as of today I am still fighting the humidity thing, got it down to 75% yesterday then looked today and it is back up to 100+%. I took it out of the container, flipped it and let it air out. it's back in my ageing area and I will see what happens tomorrow I have a few ideas that I will try.

Gürkan, I think if the mold starts to get out of hand I will do the salting, just trying to stay away from it for now, my holes have been cleared twice and don't seem to be closing up yet but will redo tomorrow just in case.
I'm sure this ain't the end of my problems and will need more advice as I go along, I sure appreciate your input guys.
Thanks H-K-J

DeejayDebi · « **Reply #6 on:** February 17, 2012, 08:37:28 PM »

Oh my that is a scarey looking thing I hope it can not walk or anything ...

H-K-J · « **Reply #7 on:** February 17, 2012, 10:22:19 PM »

DeejayDebi Naw, it cant run to far, mostly it just bangs against the top and sides of the container, hasn't MMMade us lose to much sleep, yet,

wharris · « **Reply #8 on:** February 18, 2012, 01:45:22 AM »

i have some creepy crawly cheese rinds whose exterior growth is approaching sentience.

linuxboy · « **Reply #9 on:** February 18, 2012, 01:55:06 AM »

ALIVE!!!
me in real life:

H-K-J · « **Reply #10 on:** February 18, 2012, 04:04:02 PM »

Well it's leg's are getin shorter, the wight mold is drying up, Humidity is comein down(but still to high,workin on it) and the ammonia smell seems to be a lot weaker, So maybe we saved the patient, we will keep the monitor on it and see ( you guess are funny)

DeejayDebi · « **Reply #11 on:** February 18, 2012, 04:36:58 PM »

They tricky part of these cheeses is they need high humidity and lots of fresh air. Take it out for a walk once in a awhile.

I found mine liked the covers off the boxes and the door open in the mini cave for an hour of so a day and they were very happy. Cheese is a funny thing - haard to believe something that can stink so bad can taste so good.

H-K-J · « **Reply #12 on:** February 18, 2012, 07:40:20 PM »

I have been airing it out daily, as I said the molds are not as slimy and the smell is much more agreeable, my Hydrometer is still telling me 98% and the room usually stays at about 40%-50%, so this is definitely moisture being built up inside the container from the cheese.
I am a little afraid to leave the lid off as there is a chance that I might have some of those little no-see-um's and I really don't want to see-um

.
I am wondering if I should lay a muslin towel over the top and tie it on tight to keep those pesky little critters out.
In this way I can get the RH down and regulate it by alternating back and forth (plastic lid to towel), Maybe this will also help dissipate the ammonia aroma as well.
today it is looking soooo much better, I have also re-poked the holes for the interior PR mold, it was much more pleasant to handle and I am feeling a lot happier with the way it is turning out.
As of yesterday it is one month old, keeping fingers crossed and hoping for 10 to 12 weeks ageing time.
Oh, by the way (you GUYS are funny not you guess are funny)

H-K-J · « **Reply #13 on:** February 20, 2012, 03:01:30 AM »

Checked it again today, my Hydrometer/temperature thingy told me 80 deg. and 98% humidity. well there ain't no way in hell it is 80* in that room or in the container, so now I have got to figure that out, I think it is looking excellent the ammonia aroma has basically dissipated, and have turned it again and re-poked the holes on the other side of it.
So, now I will place some frozen water bottles around the container, I do think the temp is a little high, going to get that down to 50* to 55*, still have High hopes for this thing here is a pic

Photography kinda sucks but yuh should get the jist.

H-K-J · « **Reply #14 on:** February 21, 2012, 10:25:28 PM »

The temp is staying around 50 to 52 deg. the humidity has slowly decreased to 81%, funny what a new set of batteries in the monitor will do for it,

and a frozen bottle or two of water, all of it has helped considerably.
The ammonia aroma has gone away and it just smells like socks. all-in-all I'm satisfied with the turn round with this one, I will still keep my fingers crossed and an eye on it.
Thanks to all who have commented/contributed, it has all been appreciated.
I will keep posting updates and photo's if for no other reason than to keep a record for myself.

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