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GENERAL CHEESE MAKING BOARDS (Specific Cheese Making in Boards above) => EQUIPMENT - Aging Cheese, Caves => Topic started by: Missy on February 21, 2009, 10:35:47 PM

Title: Humidity Question
Post by: Missy on February 21, 2009, 10:35:47 PM
I'm using a wine cooler as my cheese cave.  I bought one of those cheapo thermometers at walmart that displays the temperature and humidity.  My cheese recipe says the humidity needs to be at 85% but inside the wine cooler it's about 23% I think it was.  Would putting a bowl of water in there help? 
Title: Re: Humidity Question
Post by: Cartierusm on February 22, 2009, 12:54:20 AM
No a bowl of water does nothing. THere is nothing that you can buy for somthing as small as a cooler or wine frig to create that humidity. You meant you have a small wine frig, right not a cooler like Igloo?

I am working on small humidifiers that are adjustble from 30-90% for sale on my website see my signature below. It's not on there now but will be $100, so not cheap, but the parts aren't either. Anyway, just informing not here to sell.

A bowl does nothing. If you spray distilled water on the walls of the vessel a couple times a day you should be good, but that's something you have to do everyday. You can try taking the bowl and setting it up high and using paper towels laying over the edge of the bowl, half in half out. When put in the water it will wick up the water and create more surface area and you should be good. If it works and goes high then you can vary the amount of paper towels to adjust it.
Title: Re: Humidity Question
Post by: Missy on February 22, 2009, 01:15:27 AM
I might be interested in getting one of those humidifiers from you when they're available. 
Title: Re: Humidity Question
Post by: Likesspace on February 22, 2009, 02:50:18 AM
Sigh.....
Same here, Carter.
Why don't I give you my mastercard number so you can just send out your newest and best equipment when it becomes available.

Dave
Title: Re: Humidity Question
Post by: wharris on February 22, 2009, 02:58:49 AM
I'm setting up a direct deposit to thecheesewhey.com
Title: Re: Humidity Question
Post by: LadyLiberty on February 22, 2009, 04:26:27 AM
He picked one up for us... actually a humidistat.  I can vouch for his honest dealings!
Title: Re: Humidity Question
Post by: Cartierusm on February 22, 2009, 06:05:24 AM
Thanks Joy.

Silly Wayne you already have the main part. The other part is the fan wick assembly.
Title: Re: Humidity Question
Post by: Likesspace on February 23, 2009, 02:28:15 AM
Carter....
I've read a few posts where you talk about spraying the inside walls of your cheese cave with distilled water ......
Since my wine fridges only run about 58% humidity, do you think this would be a viable solution to my problem?
I would be able to spray mine twice a day.....once at about 6:00 a.m. and once at around 7:00 p.m..
Would this be enough to take care of my problems?
Also, how much spraying is required?
Do you have to get the walls "dripping" with water or just put a good coating of moisture on the walls?
Any information you can give would be appreciated.

Dave
Title: Re: Humidity Question
Post by: thegregger on February 23, 2009, 06:23:34 AM
For me, plastic (Tupperware, etc.) containers inside my cheese cave allow me to regulate humidity pretty effectively, and also age different types of cheese in the same space.

Greg
Title: Re: Humidity Question
Post by: Cartierusm on February 23, 2009, 08:14:53 AM
Yes dripping wet Dave. Should work, can't hurt anything.
Title: Re: Humidity Question
Post by: Cheese Head on February 24, 2009, 11:06:07 AM
I forget exactly where I saw it but it may be in one of these articles (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,621.0.html) where they splashed water against the walls to add humidity.
Title: Re: Humidity Question
Post by: Cartierusm on February 24, 2009, 07:56:45 PM
Let me clarify on my small cave, the one I'm working on right now, when I was first testing it months ago I would spray water on the walls a couple times a day and it worked fine.
Title: Re: Humidity Question
Post by: Likesspace on February 25, 2009, 01:40:01 AM
Carter...
Thanks for the answer. Honestly I had forgotten asking this question.
I'm going to try giving my walls a spray tonight and then again tomorrow morning and see how it works out. I'd be much happier if I had humidity in the 85% range instead of the 58% I've been running.
It sounds really simple, but also sounds like it works. I'm usually doing something with my wheels each morning and evening anyway so this should be a snap to do.
Thanks a lot for the advice.

Dave