Cheese Aging: Time Between Flips?

[Brian]

How long does everyone flip their cheese while aging?

B

[Tea]

I think that would depend on the cheese.  Some recipes say to turn every day for the first week, then every other day, then once a week for how ever many months it is aged for.  Other just say twice a week, some are only turned for a certain period then left, so I don't think there is a definate here for every cheese.
What cheese are you making?

[Brian]

Gouda, Chedder and Ramano.

Thanks.

B

[Tea]

Ok my book advises the following;

Gouda:  Store for 2-6 mths turning 2-3 times per week.

Cheddar: Just tells you how long to store no advice on turning.

Romano: Same with the romano, just maturing time, no advice on turning.

So maybe it is only the moister, softer cheeses that need turning and not the drier, harder cheeses?

[wharris]

I am certainly not an expert at this. 

but i think that going forward, i will flip my cheeses several times a day for the first day or so.

I have found that the 1st 36 hours is critical in cheddar drying.  If i flip my cheddar every 4-6 hours, the rind that developes is a lot more even.

When i don't,  i get a rind on all sides, except for the "down" side. then that side needs to "catch up"


Again,  i have very limited exp,  and then only with cheddar.

[Cartierusm]

Wayne's correct. For most cheeses it's best to flip about 3 times a day for a few weeks. Then if you continually make cheese flip them once a day when you're there to do maintenance on newer cheeses.

Basically what's happening is your allowing any remaining liquid to firm up and transform throughout the entire wheel instead of settling on one side which can lead to mush on that side.

The more you flip the more even the density.

[wharris]

Some data points on my last batch. 

I am also weighing my cheeses at each flip to guage water loss.

These were taken out of moulds at 9:30am

Flip time -  Cheese #1 -  Cheese #2
9:30am  -  1151g       -  1166g
10:40am - 1148g        -  1163g
11:07am - 1146g        -  1161g
12:01pm - 1144g        -  1158g
1:14pm  -  1139g       -  1155g
2:12pm  -  1135g       -  1153g
3:17pm  -  1135g       -  1151g
4:30pm  -  1134g       -  1147g
5:30pm  -  1129g       -  1144g
6:41pm  -  1127g       -  1142g
8:08pm  -  1125g       -  1140g
9:47pm  -  1119g       -  1137g
7:30am  -  1110g       -  1125g
9:30am  -  1103g       -  1119g
6:40pm  -  1092g       -  1107g

[Tea]

I have to admit that I did wonder if some turning of the cheese (cheddar, parmesan etc) would be advisable, as I too have found that the underside remains soft and moist, while the other surfaces are obviously harder and drier.
I do think though that it does come down to the final moisture content of the cheese, as to how much and for how long a cheese is turned.

[Cartierusm]

I turn all of my cheeses everyday. It's just a habit, so I don't forget which ones I've done.

[wharris]

I was amazed at how much water was lost in the first day.  I took a shot glass, and found that 25g of water was about 3/4th a shot of water.



That is in only 10 hours.