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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => RENNET COAGULATED - Semi-Hard "Sweet" Washed Curd => Topic started by: Al Lewis on November 25, 2012, 08:58:40 PM

Title: Colby with Merlot Wine??
Post by: Al Lewis on November 25, 2012, 08:58:40 PM
Decided to go crazy a couple of weeks ago and experiment.  I used a traditional Colby recipe that called for washing the curd in cool, and then cold, water.  Instead of the cold water I substituted a chilled bottle of merlot wine with 1000 mg of calcium carbonate added to bring the wines pH in line with the curds.  After brining and drying I waxed it to let it age until Christmas.  Picture came out bad.  The cheese actually looks much nicer.  Anyone else ever tried this and, if so, how did it turn out?
Title: Re: Colby with Merlot Wine??
Post by: michele on December 12, 2012, 04:41:14 AM
I would love to hear how this came out!
Title: Re: Colby with Merlot Wine??
Post by: Tiarella on December 12, 2012, 12:10:06 PM
Hi Al,  I've done it with ale several times but it hasn't been time to open any yet.  I also have some strange hybrid rinds going on.....tried to do Alp's traditional Swiss rind but didn't have all his instructions until too late.  The last washed curd I did got some beet juice added to the wash water so it's going to have that marbled look when cut open.  I also brined that one in a brine colored with onion skin water and beet juice so the outside is a peachy color.  That one has the smear that Alp talks about and I hope I can keep it's rind on track.

One thought, in Mary Karlin's book she does a wine soaked cheese and she warns that if not waxed or bagged after it dries that the rind will end up tasting like musty wine cellar and mine does.  it's an okay taste though.

Do keep us posted.
Title: Re: Colby with Merlot Wine??
Post by: Al Lewis on December 12, 2012, 03:03:18 PM
Thanks Tiarella, I waxed mine 2 days after I made it as soon as it was dry enough.  Should be ready for Christmas so we'll see how it comes out.
Title: Re: Colby with Merlot Wine??
Post by: Al Lewis on December 24, 2012, 07:57:20 PM
Well I opened this one up today for Christmas.  It was a bit crumbly with a taste reminiscent of Cheshire.  Only a slight taste of the merlot.  All in all a good tasting cheese.  I'd do this experiment again with different wines.  Not sure I'd make a long aging cheese though.  Seems to work with the Colby and PH milk.  Next time I'll have a better press.
Title: Re: Colby with Merlot Wine??
Post by: Al Lewis on December 24, 2012, 08:25:39 PM
Now this is strange because these were done at the same time and this one was done strictly to the recipe.  I did add a little extra cream to both. The normal one was soft, think Velveeta, when I opened it.  Its taste is not bad but it doesn't taste like Colby, or cut like it.  Really disappointed in this one but I'm sure I must have done something wrong.  Perhaps didn't leave it to dry long enough before waxing?
Title: Re: Colby with Merlot Wine??
Post by: Eileen on January 25, 2013, 10:28:06 PM
The Colby with red wine you made is one I would like to try. In retrospect do you have any tips?
Title: Re: Colby with Merlot Wine??
Post by: Al Lewis on January 25, 2013, 11:07:00 PM
It wasn't that big of a success.  Very crumbly and sharp.
Title: Re: Colby with Merlot Wine??
Post by: Tomer1 on January 26, 2013, 08:29:43 AM
I had the same expirience.  I think the red wine overr acidifies the cheese.   as nuetrilizing the acidity of the wine to cheese pH will taste horrid I'm thinking one should perhaps under acidify the cheese say your brine\salting pH is at 5.2-5.4 , than start brining at 5.6.  (one might consider doing some washing to compensate for the residual lactose this under acidification will bring)
Title: Re: Colby with Merlot Wine??
Post by: Schnecken Slayer on January 26, 2013, 09:31:36 AM
I had the same expirience.  I think the red wine overr acidifies the cheese.   as nuetrilizing the acidity of the wine to cheese pH will taste horrid I'm thinking one should perhaps under acidify the cheese say your brine\salting pH is at 5.2-5.4 , than start brining at 5.6.  (one might consider doing some washing to compensate for the residual lactose this under acidification will bring)

What about flaming the wine first so the alcohol doesn't kill any biotics? Then neutralise it...
Title: Re: Colby with Merlot Wine??
Post by: Al Lewis on January 26, 2013, 04:05:10 PM
I actually adjusted the ph of the wine before use.  Used calcium carbonate. 
Title: Re: Colby with Merlot Wine??
Post by: JimSteel on February 02, 2013, 06:51:26 PM
Texture seems very open.  Is that how your Colby normally is?

If I have my dates right, you cut this cheese 1 month after making it?  Could that explain the lack of Colbyness?

I've only made one Colby, which was cut 2 months after making and eaten gradually over the next month.  Now maybe it was just my mind playing tricks on me, but between the first taste of the cheese on Christmas Eve and the last crumb that I ate in January, it was like a revolution happened within the brick.  Sharper, tastier and even a different texture.  Again, maybe I just imagined it.
Title: Re: Colby with Merlot Wine??
Post by: Al Lewis on February 02, 2013, 06:56:50 PM
This was about the third cheese I ever made.  Not a lot of technical stuff going into it.  I just used the Colby recipe and changed the cold water rinse out with a cold merlot rinse.  No idea why it did what it did.  Maybe one of the cheese experts could tell you more about it.
Title: Re: Colby with Merlot Wine??
Post by: TheRonald on March 13, 2013, 04:54:22 PM
We did this with both a cheddar and a gruyere. The wine we used was a Syrah reduction sauce. The lady at the vineyard boiled down I think 4 bottles and ended up with one bottle of the reduced sauce. It did mich better with the gruyere than the cheddar.
Title: Re: Colby with Merlot Wine??
Post by: CWREBEL on March 13, 2013, 10:20:31 PM
I'm not brave enough to experiment with wine/beer yet. Most of the results seem suspect. But for rolling up your sleeves and throwing caution to the wind... a cheese for you Al!