Author Topic: Woot! Cheese cave!  (Read 5242 times)

MolBasser

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Woot! Cheese cave!
« on: February 25, 2012, 03:21:44 AM »
So my buddy had a 6 bottle wine cooler that he wasn't using and he heard I was shopping for one for a cheese cave and he gave me a great deal on it.

Cleaning it up a bit and will post pictures of the install.

MolBasser

MrsKK

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Re: Woot! Cheese cave!
« Reply #1 on: February 25, 2012, 02:15:27 PM »
Great score!  Enjoy.

Helen

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Re: Woot! Cheese cave!
« Reply #2 on: February 25, 2012, 04:14:05 PM »
That's cool. Temperature control is one of the first steps toward great cheese. Make sure to test with a thermometer to determine what the temperature gradient is.

Beans

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Re: Woot! Cheese cave!
« Reply #3 on: February 25, 2012, 04:22:36 PM »
Hey Neighbor,    buddy deals are the best!

MolBasser

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Re: Woot! Cheese cave!
« Reply #4 on: February 25, 2012, 04:59:57 PM »
Seems to be running about 4 degrees low, but I need to verify my thermometer.

Getting an ice bath and boiling pot of water to check.....

MolBasser

MolBasser

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Re: Woot! Cheese cave!
« Reply #5 on: February 25, 2012, 05:02:29 PM »
That's cool. Temperature control is one of the first steps toward great cheese. Make sure to test with a thermometer to determine what the temperature gradient is.

Hmmm...  Hadn't thought of that.  Guess once I verify my thermometer I need to move it around a bit in the fridge....

This is one thing that I preach to homebrewers.  Fermentation temperature is critical.  Far too many homebrewers spend a fortune on brewhouse, and then just ferment in a bucket in the corner.... FAIL.  When I talk to homebrewers I always emphasize spending on cellar before brewhouse.

MolBasser

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Woot! Cheese cave!
« Reply #6 on: February 25, 2012, 08:18:00 PM »
Cheese making is a lot like homebrewwing just a bit more critical. If you exel at brewing your sanitiation, hygrometer and temperature techniques will be helpful. You also don't have to figure out what to do with the spent grains just the whey - which is easier than brewing.

MolBasser

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Re: Woot! Cheese cave!
« Reply #7 on: February 26, 2012, 07:15:32 AM »
Yeah, I'm digging the complexity of cheese.

Unfortunately, I'm at the level of Mr. Beer right now..... :)

I'll learn and progress.  Just like I did in brewing.

MolBasser

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Woot! Cheese cave!
« Reply #8 on: February 26, 2012, 08:40:12 PM »
Well I am assuming by Mr Beeer you mean extract brewing.

I often use the Mr. Beer kegs for testing or making smaller batches. I inherit all that people don't use anymore. I have 8 now I think maybe 10. It's just a small fermeting container and they fit in copy paper boxes for storing. I can brew serveral different brews at once with them. I also have 11,  3 gallon corney kegs. So they can be very handy little buggers! My V-vessel is 6 gallons but I don't always want 6 gallons of one thing. One Christmas I did 11 different fruited Wheats and a few Scotish ales for Christmas baskets all fermented in Mr. Beer Kegs and all were all grain brews.  ;)

But I know what you are saying!

smellysell

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Re: Woot! Cheese cave!
« Reply #9 on: February 26, 2012, 10:51:16 PM »
Well I am assuming by Mr Beeer you mean extract brewing.

I often use the Mr. Beer kegs for testing or making smaller batches. I inherit all that people don't use anymore. I have 8 now I think maybe 10. It's just a small fermeting container and they fit in copy paper boxes for storing. I can brew serveral different brews at once with them. I also have 11,  3 gallon corney kegs. So they can be very handy little buggers! My V-vessel is 6 gallons but I don't always want 6 gallons of one thing. One Christmas I did 11 different fruited Wheats and a few Scotish ales for Christmas baskets all fermented in Mr. Beer Kegs and all were all grain brews.  ;)

But I know what you are saying!

Wow, I've been wanting a 3 gallon keg for a long time, but those things are EXPENSIVE!!!  I agree about the Mr. Beer barrels for fermenting small batches in though.  I'm a big fan too.

MolBasser

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Re: Woot! Cheese cave!
« Reply #10 on: February 26, 2012, 11:45:29 PM »
I would be very interested to hear about people brewing decent beer in the Mr. Beer.

Seems counterintuitive, but stranger things have happened.

MolBasser

MolBasser

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Re: Woot! Cheese cave!
« Reply #11 on: February 26, 2012, 11:49:01 PM »
And to defend the honor of my craft, I would say that beer making is easily as complex as cheese making.

At least we aren't the losers who just crush grapes and pray.....

:)

MolBasser

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Woot! Cheese cave!
« Reply #12 on: February 27, 2012, 03:54:49 AM »
Cheese and beer both have their sciences as does wine. No need to be defensive. They are all crafts which require a certain amount of experiance and practice to be perfected. That being said ...

Once the mashing is done and the wort is brewed it needs all needs to be fermented in something. The Mr beer keg is just another vessel like a bucket or carboy or even my V-vessel (which I love BTW) just sideways - sort of. It's brown color also restricts light and as I mentioned they fit nicely into a copy paper carton. They are very easy to clean, easy to pour leaving off trub in a carefully designed footpad and light weight. They work great for small batches and take up almost no room. Now if you were wanting to make large batch they would not be very useful but many people myself included often only want to make small batches or several different styles or experimental batches and they are perfect for that. I will say that I think their "Extracts" are ... less than desireable (or at least they were 10 years ago, they may have improved) but the little kegs are pretty neat. The bucket used to fermente the brew matters very little - it's the process of making wort and bottling or kegging that make the beer.

wharris

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Re: Woot! Cheese cave!
« Reply #13 on: February 27, 2012, 06:42:05 PM »
there is more to making wine than smashing grapes?

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Woot! Cheese cave!
« Reply #14 on: February 28, 2012, 03:40:33 AM »
LOL Wayne you are funny! You have the most high tech grape squisher I have ever seen and no purple toes either!