Shipping container as cheese cave

[FrenchBroadGoats]

Does anyone know of anyone using a shipping container as a cheese cave? I know it's not as good as a concrete cave, but for financial and time reasons, I am considering getting one, excavating a slot in my hillside, shoving it in, covering it up, building a tunnel to the door and moving the cheeses in. I know humidity will be a problem, so a concrete floor will be in order. Rust is not a real problem since this is going to be a 5-10 year stopgap measure, until I can get a concrete cave built.

If this has already been tried and found wanting, I would appreciate knowing about it.

[River Bottom Farm]

Don't know of anyone using one but looked into it at one time. The one thing you need to add is air inlets and outlets to get the air to circulate propelry. The inlet pipe should travel thru the ground for a fair distance to stabilize the air temperature before it enters your aging space

[Shawhee]

I don't know of anyone doing this. But it is an EXCELLENT idea (says the woman with a 40ft shipping container.....hum) Now you have me thinking   

[SOSEATTLE]

I have visited a couple commercial operations here in Western Washington that use shipping containers as caves. Both that I remember vacuum packed the cheese for aging.


Susan

[estherlabran]

That's a clever idea for a budget cheese cave. A shipping container buried in a hillside could work well for temperature stability. The earth will keep it cool, which is the main thing. Humidity is your biggest challenge. A concrete floor is a good start, but you'll also need proper drainage and maybe a dehumidifier or humidifier depending on your cheeses.

Airflow is key too. You'll need to cut in some vents with pipes running through the ground to temper the incoming air. Otherwise you'll get stale spots and mould issues. Rust isn't a huge worry for 5-10 years if you keep it dry and well ventilated.

I've seen people use insulated shipping containers above ground with a small AC unit and a humidifier. That works too, but burying it is cheaper long term. Just make sure the door seals well and you have a way to get in and out easily.

If you need supplies like cheese salt, mould cultures, or rennet, you can order them online. I've used McGrocer for cheese making bits before. Their delivery is solid.

[tecla]

If you need supplies like cheese salt, mould cultures, or rennet, you can order them online. I've used McGrocer for cheese making bits before. Their delivery is solid.

These contrived mentions of McGrocer (whatever the heck that is) means you're either an AI or a paid poster. Mention it again and you're getting the banhammer.