My first cheese.. a worrying looking Stilton?

[rumtom]

This is my first attempt at Stilton (and cheese of any sort). I've learnt a lot already - unfortunately I learnt most of it after starting this one!

I would appreciate some advice on how it looks as if it's going off in the wrong direction I'd like to know before it's too late!

This one's about 3 weeks old and went blue, then greeny blue. Is this normal? The humidity is around 80-85%, temperate at 7 degrees Celsius.

(There is also a younger Stilton in there)

It's been interesting reading everyone's Stilton stories and I've become slightly obsessed already. Thanks in advance for any advice!

Tom

[jwalker]

It looks fine , at some point it may get some orange and brown color to it as well , it's all good.

Black mold is not good , but with the amount of blue you currently have , it should keep out most unwanted molds.

How long do you plan on aging it?

Keep us posted.

[rumtom]

That's reassuring. I was hoping it was alright but even after looking all through the forum didn't see any quite the same - although I don't think I've seen two the same anywhere!

I was going to age it for 3 months but will just see how it goes. I like strong Stilton but not sure how long I'll be able to wait before eating it.

Thanks for the reply.

[Neil]

That one looks like mine at around 2 weeks.  Maybe because I'm keeping the humidity around 90-98% and temp 48-55F.  Ours appear to be on a similar schedule so it will be interesting to follow.

[rumtom]

I'll keep the updates coming then Neil. It seems to be getting bluer by the minute! I've got another Stilton on the go but it's cracked in quite a few places so I'm'm not sure whether that's going to be a success. It's getting blue but is much drier so may not last the distance.

Thanks for the reply!

[Schnecken Slayer]

You will find it gets a lot funkier as the weeks go by.
The outside can look positively scary but it's what's on the inside that counts.

-Bill

[rumtom]

My cheeses have continued to get bluer but haven't developed a hardened rind.

Should I just leave them as they are and wait and see what happens or is there something I could do to ensure they turn out ok?

I've pierced them both a couple of times - is it best to keep doing this when the holes heal over to make sure there's veins running through the stilton?

I took a few photos but it broke my camera!

[graysalchemy]

Not an expert myself but i have just lost 2 cheese to slip skin which I think was due to the fact that they were in too higher humidity as i had sealed the lid of the box they were in. As a result I have two cheeses which have a nice stilton rind but are runny in the centre with no blue. This is my third attempt at stilton with only one success.

[rumtom]

That's what I'm concerned about. The humidity is normally around 95% and I also keep them in a sealed box.

I wipe out the condensation most days but they are looking very soft and I'd like to try and save them if they are going wrong!

Is it best to leave the lid slightly open? What did you do differently when you had a successful stilton?

[H-K-J]

Do you take them out to air every day? I try to take mine out every night for 30 minutes to an hour to let the air get to it.
I also try to keep R/H down to 90% +/- and temp around 55 deg.

I've pierced them both a couple of times - is it best to keep doing this when the holes heal over to make sure there's veins running through the stilton?

If the holes are growing over, I would keep them clear, this helps get oxegen to your PR inside to help it grow the viens.
If you are getting an amonia aroma then leave the lid ajar to get the RH down.

[rumtom]

Temperature is normally around 45-48 degrees. Is this too cool?
Any suggestions on how I can reduce the humidity?

I take them out everyday and let them breathe for at least an hour (I think I read a post of yours a while back and have been doing it ever since).

They smell great - like actual stilton! No ammonia smell.

Thanks for the help

[graysalchemy]

This time last week mine were fine, but left them un attended over the weekend at 12c in closed containers and they had gone liquid under the skin by Monday morning. The one that was OK which i had at Christmas seemed to get a yellow mould growing on it after they had blued up. These ones and the first one had a lot of white mold after the initial flush of blue.

[Geodyne]

Gray, I suspect the white mould as the problem factor with your slipskin. Have you considered adding slightly more blue (say, one more drop) so it can take hold faster?

[graysalchemy]

Thanks for that. I actually used a bit of stilton as the inoculation for the blue. I think that might be the problem not enough of it and hence the white mould taking hold. Just had a chunk of it and it does actually taste like brie with perhaps as little blue touch to the skin but the texture of the skin is very much like brie.

Doing this cheese making malarky guerilla style and on the cheap, I am now culturing some blue up on a piece of well femented sourdough baguette. The acidity of the sourdough should only allow the blue to grow. So far so good, so in a few weeks I will try again.

Looks like I will be having Eccles brieish blue and Eccles caerphilly for my birthday next weekend.  :) :)

[Geodyne]

Blue brie is very fashionable amongst the southern Jessies, you know.  ;) At least you have the caerphilly!

Watch the sourdough, lest the yeasts give you a late blow as well. But it's worth a try. I've not tried a stilton slurry, but you might like to try a higher innoculation rate for that.