Brine For Washing Rind - When To Add/Hydrate Additives?

[Cormaggio]

I just made a Tomme 2 days ago. I want to wash the rind with Geo 13, B.linens and Mycodore. Do I have to hydrate the cultures in the brine for a few hours before I start rubbing?

[FRANCOIS]

Won't hurt.  Keep the brine till the cheese is done, it will get stinky but that's a good thing.

[Cormaggio]

I don't think you understand my question. I want to make a brine for rubbing, with B.linens, Geo and mycodore in the brine. Do I add the cultures to the brine and then immediately rub the cheese or do I need to let the cultures rehydrate before I use the brine.

[FRANCOIS]

I understand your question.  It doesn't particularly matter.  You make up one brine solution for your cheese that will last weeks if not months.  If the culture isn't hydrated on the first day, it will be on the second.

[linuxboy]

What you're asking doesn't make a dramatic difference practically. Culture is typically sold freeze dried in a concentrated form. So of course, if you add it to a brine and rub immediately, your brine will not have the culture in solution and actively eating and living. But you will still get a bit on the cheese and it will start to live directly on the rind, and multiply from there. Similarly, if you let the culture dissolve in the brine, it will start living and be more evenly distributed in the water. If you rub the cheese with that brine after a few hours, you should get more even distribution.

But again, like Francois said, it doesn't matter because the next and subsequent times you wash the cheese, you will introduce culture. It doesn't take much b linens and Mycodore to take off on the rind.

[Cormaggio]

Thank you so much. This forum is so great. I've learned so much in the short time I have been a member!!

[ArnaudForestier]

Won't hurt.  Keep the brine till the cheese is done, it will get stinky but that's a good thing.

Old thread; seems to be my day for it.  Francois, if you're around, do you mean, keep the cultured solution for the, say, 3 months of the aging period - no matter how funky it gets to smelling - or change it out, after smelling?  I ask, as I keep my PLA/Myco for my tommes about 2 weeks - then they've tended to smell pretty, well you know.  I make up a fresh 3% "morge" and go again.  Clarification, if you wouldn't mind, would be appreciated.

[FRANCOIS]

It's supposed to be stinky.  As long as you use a clean cloth every time, keep the brine covered and in a fridge I don't see the problem.  I have no issue keeping solution for 3 months.  If it did get really nasty I would just boil it and redose, not make fresh.  I do this with brine as well, it gets better with time, even after boiling.

[ArnaudForestier]

That's wild.  Thanks, Francois - really helpful info.