CheeseForum.org ยป Forum

CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => RENNET COAGULATED - Hard Cooked (Swiss) => Topic started by: Boofer on April 14, 2013, 02:48:15 PM

Title: Returning to Beaufort (#7)
Post by: Boofer on April 14, 2013, 02:48:15 PM
April 11, 2013

Because I am so pleased with this particular cheese style, I am using some of the new Spring milk to make a (hopefully) delicious wheel.

I am following the previous make instructions from #4 (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,9862.0.html), #5 (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,10316.0.html), and #6 (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,10762.0.html), but this time I am using dry cultures.

4 gallons Dungeness Valley whole raw milk
1/2 tsp Alp D
1/16 tsp Propionic shermanii
1/32 tsp Holdbac LC
1/16 tsp Renco dry calf rennet

Floc factor 3. Floc'd in 20 minutes.

Had a little trouble (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,11294.0.html) with my ExStik, but managed to resolve it.

April 14, 2013
Began washing this morning with PLA in 3% brine.

-Boofer-

Title: Re: Returning to Beaufort (#7)
Post by: Boofer on April 25, 2013, 05:47:42 AM
Getting a little Geo bloom now. As with a previous cheese, the side rind is harder and more impervious compared to the flat top and bottom. Looking decent so far. Washing every other day and airing it out a bit.

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Returning to Beaufort (#7)
Post by: JeffHamm on April 25, 2013, 06:56:09 PM
Looking good.  Good colour in the rind. 

- Jeff
Title: Re: Returning to Beaufort (#7)
Post by: tnbquilt on April 30, 2013, 12:22:34 AM
What is PLA?
Title: Re: Returning to Beaufort (#7)
Post by: Boofer on April 30, 2013, 01:47:45 PM
What is PLA?
Here you go, Tammy. It's used to protect the rind and help develop the inner paste. Does a great job for my semi-hard and hard cheese styles.

It has the B. linens as well as a second linens: Arthrobacter nicotianae. Then there's the Geo along with a yeast to help condition the rind for the others to grow. All in one nice little package. Brings out the "ta-da!" every time.  ;)

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Returning to Beaufort (#7)
Post by: Boofer on May 12, 2013, 07:50:32 PM
My only focus in the caves right now....  :(

Today marks four weeks since I started this cheese. It was wash day for this wheel. As per usual with this style (for me), the schmier is light. Temperature has hovered around 53F(12C) with about 88%RH. It stays in its minicave and gets serviced about every 2nd to 3rd day. The container of PLA & 3% brine I initially made is about exhausted. I will probably just prepare a fresh batch of 3% brine only to continue the wash regimen. I would expect the PLA to remain viable.

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Returning to Beaufort (#7)
Post by: tnbquilt on May 13, 2013, 04:30:36 PM
My Swiss and Gruyere both have that kind of light white schmier. I washed it with a water wine salt solution that Al had recommended in some of his posts. Those are the only cheeses I have ever washed so I was happy to get the thin schmier!

I saw on another post,

http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,11171.30.html (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,11171.30.html)

where his schmier was nicer than mine and I was jealous!

My wash has a great yeast smell to it now.

I might get some of that PLA stuff, for next time I make a cheese that I want to wash.

Changing subject, I know that you vacuum seal your cheeses. Do you seal the ones with the nice schmier on them also, after the schmier dries of course? I have done really good at maintaining the moisture for my washed rind cheeses by putting them in a box with a wet sponge in there, and kind of propping the lid over them, not really closing it, I want air to come in and out. Now that the cheeses have a dry rind on them, because I am through with the washing, I was thinking about vacuum sealing them. They have that dried white schmier now. They look great!

I'd like to get the plastic containers out of the cave so I have more room!

 I think that my problem with this in the past has been doing it too soon. The few cheeses that I sealed came out with a mildewy smell to them, or I had to open them and dump out the liquid half way through and dry them off.

My Swiss is 3 months old, so I think I can be safe in sealing it, and my Gruyere is 2 months old, so I think I can seal it too. How soon do you seal yours?
Title: Re: Returning to Beaufort (#7)
Post by: Boofer on May 13, 2013, 11:10:26 PM
Changing subject, I know that you vacuum seal your cheeses. Do you seal the ones with the nice schmier on them also, after the schmier dries of course? I have done really good at maintaining the moisture for my washed rind cheeses by putting them in a box with a wet sponge in there, and kind of propping the lid over them, not really closing it, I want air to come in and out. Now that the cheeses have a dry rind on them, because I am through with the washing, I was thinking about vacuum sealing them. They have that dried white schmier now. They look great!

I'd like to get the plastic containers out of the cave so I have more room!

 I think that my problem with this in the past has been doing it too soon. The few cheeses that I sealed came out with a mildewy smell to them, or I had to open them and dump out the liquid half way through and dry them off.

My Swiss is 3 months old, so I think I can be safe in sealing it, and my Gruyere is 2 months old, so I think I can seal it too. How soon do you seal yours?
An example is my Beaufort #4 (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,9862.msg72495.html#msg72495) which I started on June 24, 2012 and cream-coated on September 3, 2012. So it basically had the whole months of July and August to cure the rind. I decided to cream-coat it but I could certainly have vacuum-sealed it to preserve moisture and protect the cheese. That's what I have been about when a cheese gets close to being "ready". Get those minicaves out of the cave and free up some shelf space! The sealed cheese still goes back into the cave to properly ripen at the cave temperature.

HTH, Tammy.  :)

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Returning to Beaufort (#7)
Post by: Boofer on May 29, 2013, 01:59:44 AM
The rind on this cheese has been doing great, but I decided to prevent additional moisture loss by cream-coating it.

I feel so much better. ;) That coating really dresses up a cheese. Thanks again, Herman, for steering me to this.

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Returning to Beaufort (#7)
Post by: Tiarella on May 29, 2013, 02:11:31 AM

I feel so much better. ;) That coating really dresses up a cheese. Thanks again, Herman, for steering me to this.

-Boofer-

It may be dressed up but what about fashion accessaries?  Huh?  And maybe a bit of jewelry?   ;D

nice cheese and you're being a cheese making machine again from the looks of your posts!  Congrats on some very nice cheeses!  A cheese to you!!   :D
Title: Re: Returning to Beaufort (#7)
Post by: Boofer on May 29, 2013, 01:11:53 PM
Thanks, Kathrin. Just trying to stay busy while it pours rain outside. This is the Evergreen State after all. Everything's greening up. That's another reason...I imagine all this sweet pasture-fed milk available now, and I don't want to miss an opportunity. ;)

One more thing...now is a good time to make hard and semi-hard cheeses for the holidays. Six months affinage should be just about right. 8)
 
-Boofer-
Title: Re: Returning to Beaufort (#7)
Post by: Boofer on November 02, 2013, 04:23:06 PM
I've been looking at this wheel for quite some time trying to decide the best time to open it. It has been my experience that 4-6 months gives a pretty nice cheese in this style. This one is just shy of 7 months.

There were a couple of suspicious "blooms" inside the vacuum bag but outside the cream coating. Checking the cheese inside didn't reveal anything dangerous.

Before I cut through the hardened cream coating, I wiped the wheel down with alcohol to reduce the incidence of any infection that might be introduced by cutting through the coating. Not a great idea, because the polymer coating seemed to dissolve slightly with the alcohol. :o

The coating slid when I cut into it because of the residual underlying linens/geo rind which was a little pasty. The first taste of the cheese was sweet accompanied by a complex, somewhat barnyardy essence. A nuttiness became apparent. There's that accustomed Beaufort texture...flexible and sliceable. The salt level was good but I wonder if just a little bit more would deepen the character of this cheese.

A true Beaufort isn't washed curd, but I like it because it sweetens the cheese. 8)

Overall, I am pleased. Nice little cheese. Sectioned and ready for holiday gift-giving, this is the first cheese of what will be a small cheese selection basket.

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Returning to Beaufort (#7)
Post by: JeffHamm on November 02, 2013, 07:50:18 PM
Very nice result, and well worth a cheese.  I've still got a small piece of my first beaufort in the cave.  Must make another soon I think.  Work schedule not conducive at the moment to cheese making, but still able to find inspiration.

- Jeff
Title: Re: Returning to Beaufort (#7)
Post by: H-K-J on November 02, 2013, 09:35:52 PM
I am amazed :P I really think I can smell and taste this, these are great pix ;)
A cheese for both (I can only give you one :-[)
I can only stand in awe of the expertise you and so many others on this forum have shown in your abilities for artisan, home grown cheese ;D
cheese on my friends, cheese on.   
Title: Re: Returning to Beaufort (#7)
Post by: Boofer on November 02, 2013, 10:54:16 PM
Thanks, guys. I'm hoping I develop a few more devotees to this style.

It's a fairly easy make with super results. :P   Anyone like alpines? Grab this one.

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Returning to Beaufort (#7)
Post by: Spoons on May 04, 2014, 01:21:17 AM
I've been reading up on the different Beaufort recipes lately and Boofer created his own washed curd version. Kudos to you Boofer for making your own creation! May we should all refer to this particular washed curd Beaufort as a Boofort?

A cheese for you for your Boofort cheese!
Title: Re: Returning to Beaufort (#7)
Post by: Boofer on May 07, 2014, 01:35:24 PM
Thanks for the cheese, Eric.

I really like this cheese style and, yes, I have taken a few liberties with it. The results have been very satisfying. I bought a wedge of French Comte recently as a close cousin comparison. There are, of course, terroir nuances that I can't hope to approach, but the overall aroma, texture, and flavor that my Beaufort trials have given me are more than acceptable. :)

Beaufort #9 is quietly aging in the Cave Network. I have more or less decided to let it have a full 12 months in there.

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Returning to Beaufort (#7)
Post by: Mermaid on January 15, 2015, 02:54:51 PM
Why do you use HOLDBAC in the recipe?
Title: Re: Returning to Beaufort (#7)
Post by: Boofer on January 18, 2015, 06:59:21 AM
When I was worried about late-blowing I thought I needed Holdbac. It's a natural improvement over saltpeter (sodium nitrate).

Ultimately, I didn't need either, so I don't add it any more.

-Boofer-