Bitter-smelling gouda

[BungalowJB]

Hi folks - I'm very new at making hard cheese, and I suspect I've done something wrong here..

I've used a standard mesophilic culture to make a small gouda, my first ever attempt. It's been in a sealed plastic box in the cellar, which I've been looking at every day. The temperature in the cellar is a consistent 13 degrees Celsius.

After a week, the gouda was completely covered with blue/green mould and has a very strong bitter/sour smell. I've shaved a layer off it and washed it all over with my brine solution. I did try a tiny bit that I'd shaved off, and it tasted just like it smelt! Is this normal for an immature gouda, or have I done something wrong?
I haven't waxed it (don't have anything to use for waxing it), nor have I vacuum sealed it as I've got no kit for that either.
thanks for any input!

[bansidhe]

Hi, I am also a new cheese maker so take my words with a grain of salt.  Blue molds are ubiquitous... it's super easy to get blue mold on your cheeses.  Blue molds like moisture, so perhaps your space is a bit too damp.  Also, were you looking at your cheese throughout the aging?  One typically has to turn the cheeses at least once a day in the earlier stages of aging.  If you did that, did you notice blue starting to grow?
Or did you put it in the cave and forget about it for a week?  If you see blue mold starting to grow, you can try and brush it off or use a light brine wash to clean the rind.  Then you let your cheese air dry a bit before putting it back in the cave.  This is just what I think based on my limited knowledge.  I am sure more experienced cheese makers will be able to help more.

[BungalowJB]

Thanks for your advice, it's all useful! I did turn it each day, and it looked great for a few days. I missed a day and when I came to it again, it was covered in blue mould, and the smell was not pleasant! I've now sliced away at the worst bits and washed it with some brine. I'll use a different plastic box with a better lid and will see if that makes a difference...

[BungalowJB]

I am also wondering if my brine wasn't salty enough

[bansidhe]

If you have undissolved salt in the bottom, then your brine is saturated.  A lot of people here use a saturated brine. Gavin Webber uses an 18% brine,  which is not quite saturated but it still works.  How much salt did you put in?  It sounds like maybe your box is a little too humid.  What is the humidity supposed to be for your cheese? If your box was closed well, the humidity was likely too high.  Blue mold loves that.

[bansidhe]

Oh.. and I dont think you want to cut off anything from your cheese when you are aging it.  You'll just be cutting off the rind that was developing exposing the cheese.  I could be wrong but...  Also, could you post a pic?  I am sure people would want to see exactly what you are talking about when you say "covered with blue mold".  One persons "covered" is another's "speckled".  :-)

[Bantams]

Unless you do something to actively prevent mold growth, your wheels will soon be completely covered with mold.
If you cultivate the mold and keep your cheese brushed down regularly, then you have a natural rind cheese.
But otherwise you can wax, vacuum seal, cream coat (natamycin imbued cheese coating), oil or wash your wheels. Washing requires a weak brine and daily washing (at least to start) and does cultivate yeasts but it should discourage most molds. Each variety of cheese has an ideal/traditional rind style but it's definitely ok to mix it up!

A small aging fridge with high humidity and low air flow will definitely favor bread/blue molds - definitely not the preferred type for natural-rinded cheese - but still workable. I recommend turning your cheese daily and brushing down the mold every few days. But with those conditions I believe you will be happier vacuum sealing or waxing your cheeses because a small wheel + excessive blue mold will quickly taint the flavor of the entire wheel. 

[BungalowJB]

thanks a lot for all your advice folks! I will leave it a few days and see what state it's in - I might have to start again and think about waxing in future..

[BungalowJB]

I've tried re-brining it with a stronger brine about a week ago, and I've rubbed it with olive oil... so far so good.

[BungalowJB]

Scrub that - I tasted a tiny bit and it was really, really bitter and unpleasant. It was also starting to spread out and go floppy. I will have another go later in the year