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GENERAL CHEESE MAKING BOARDS (Specific Cheese Making in Boards above) => STANDARD METHODS - Aging Cheese => Topic started by: uncle_bad_touches on March 31, 2012, 02:12:48 AM

Title: Rennet Coagulated Pressed Cheese - Unwanted Surface Mold
Post by: uncle_bad_touches on March 31, 2012, 02:12:48 AM

hello, first post.  this is my third cheese and first aged cheese.  I am attempting to make the ale-washed trappist cheese from the artisan cheese making at home.  my cheese is currently 3 weeks old and I've been battling with some white mold that has that has started turning grey.  this picture is just after washing so it is dark and a bit wet.

Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/56447659@N00/6884803290/#)

for the first couple weeks I addressed the mold with vinegar/salt solution, but the mold keeps coming back.  should I continue with this regime or can I just let this go and have a "natural" rind cheese?  any help is appreciated.

Title: Re: Rennet Coagulated Pressed Cheese - Unwanted Surface Mold
Post by: DeejayDebi on March 31, 2012, 02:53:45 AM

Let it dry out a bit. Mold really needs moisture to grow.

Title: Re: Rennet Coagulated Pressed Cheese - Unwanted Surface Mold
Post by: Boofer on March 31, 2012, 05:41:47 AM

Welcome to the forum, uncle. Two things:

• Go to the Introductions page and tell us about yourself, what kind of cheeses you like, etc.
• Post your pics here rather than on Flickr as some third party sites shut down, etc. Plus, we can see the pictures on the actual posting instead of going offsite. When you post, click on the Attachments and other options at the bottom of your posting. There's a how-to probably in the wiki or you can search on "posting pictures"

-Boofer-

Title: Re: Rennet Coagulated Pressed Cheese - Unwanted Surface Mold
Post by: iratherfly on March 31, 2012, 06:07:25 AM

Good tips from Boofer.

This is an odd one. What temperature are you aging this in? Are you using salt? Reduce temp and moisture, rub coarse salt as you wash. The color of this cheese is strong enough to stop washing now. Let the white stuff grow. It's natural geotrichum candidum (often referred to on this forum simply as "geo"). As it grows, it out-competes other rind flora so it will slow down the growth of the intruder.  I wouldn't worry about infection. Probably something funky from your beer wash. Beer has very rich and diverse microflora.

Title: Re: Rennet Coagulated Pressed Cheese - Unwanted Surface Mold
Post by: uncle_bad_touches on April 01, 2012, 08:33:17 PM

Thanks for the info - I think I'll stop worrying and let it go and see how it turns out.  I'm aging slightly warm (55-58) due to my ghetto setup, but I figured I was close enough.  Time will tell.

Title: Re: Rennet Coagulated Pressed Cheese - Unwanted Surface Mold
Post by: iratherfly on April 02, 2012, 04:16:16 AM

It's a bit high but not so bad. Would probably make it age faster than you want just under the rind but no big deal. Rub with salt, move to fridge, reduce moisture - you should be fine