My Baby Is Swelling Up.

[Sailor Con Queso]

Room temp or more for 3 weeks. Humidity doesn't need to be 90% but too low and the rind will crack (and all the CO2 will leak out). I made another last week because we are having rain and the natural humidity in the house is up. I have been rubbing mine with olive oil lately to keep the rind from drying out too much.

We have been having record high temperatures. Be aware that air conditioning will suck the life out of cheese rinds.

Yes, turn the cheese. I like holding my "baby" so I turn it in the morning and the evening.

[scubagirlwonder]

Hey Sailor,

I seem to remember you talking about your Baby Swiss "sweating" (but can't seem to find it now) could you tell me a little more about that? I am pretty sure my baby is doing that now, and just want to hear what I should expect. Since this is my first Swiss style cheese I don't know what milestones to expect during eye formation, aging, etc. This whole process is sooooo different from the other cheeses I have made!!!
So:
1. When should I expect the baby to "sweat" and for how long...
2. When should I expect to start seeing some swelling? (and how long should that last??)
3. When should I start oiling the rind to prevent cracking? (so far my humidity seems to be perfect! not drying too fast!)
4. When should I shrink wrap or wax ( I saw you did this after 3 weeks of eye formation, I assume that this may be variable depending on temp, humidity etc during eye formation, so what cues should I look for to let me know it's time?)

Thanks for letting me pick your brain for info!!
~Cheers

[Sailor Con Queso]

During the eye formation phase, Swiss type cheeses can sweat at room temperature or greater. The warmer the temperature, the more sweat.

Swelling should start within 24 hours after moving to room temperature as the Propionic bacteria start to make gas. However, VISIBLE swelling takes a few days to start depending on the amount and activity of the Propionic that you used, room temp, etc.

If I'm going for a natural rind, I have started oiling as soon as I move it to room temp. You could also keep it in a ripening container to keep the humidity up and keep the rind pliable. It's very important not to let the rind get too dry during the initial cool phase.

Unless you are having problems, don't wax until the swelling has stabilized or the wax will just crack. You can vac bag much earlier depending on your style. Sometimes I vac bag after just one day in the cool temp phase to create a mostly rindless cheese, but there are pros and cons to doing that. It keeps the rind moist and gives the cheese a lot of physical support (like an Ace bandage) during eye formation. But that also cuts off oxygen to the starter bacteria early and might have a negative effect on aging. If I feel the rind has dried out too much during the cool phase, I vac bag the day I move it to room temp. If I'm trying to go natural rind, I still vac bag after 3 or 4 weeks. Just my personal preference.

[scubagirlwonder]

THanks so much for the info Sailor! My Baby is sweating like crazy an I just wanted to be sure that that was what I should expect! I can't wait to see the swelling start! 

[DeejayDebi]

Try to keep the temperature as steady as you can. You had a few really hot days and my baby cracked. 

[Sailor Con Queso]

If the sweating gets excessive, your room may be too warm.

Traditional Baby Swiss is made with skim milk so it will sweat less. I make mine with milk right outta the cow, so it tends to sweat more. I figure with whatever butterfat it loses during sweating, I will still end up with more than the skimmed version.

FYI, you will get bigger holes with less butterfat.

Again... don't let the rind dry out or it will crack. Think of the rind as the surface of a balloon. It needs to expand.

[scubagirlwonder]

OK...I thought everything was going well with my Baby...but now I'm starting to doubt myself (and my cheese)! 

My rind is sticky.....I wasn't expecting sticky....is this OK??  It's still sweating, temps remaining mostly constant at around 65F, I had a couple dark spots start showing up so I gently bathed my baby with vinegar/salt combo, and decided to oil the rind to inhibit mold growth and maintain pliability, and so far rind doesn't seem to be drying out at all (is in a ripening box) so should I have waited on oiling the rind? Is that why it feels sticky? 
What should I do?? This is my first endeavor with Swiss so I am completely at it's mercy!! All advice welcome!
~Cheers!

[Sailor Con Queso]

You're doing great. At 65F the Propionic bacteria will produce gas slow and steady and the eyes will be smaller. A few degrees warmer would be ideal.

The sticky is just the combination of sweating milk fats and the oil. Just control the dark spots and the mold and everything will turn out fine. Making cheese isn't always "pretty".

[scubagirlwonder]

THANKS SO MUCH SAILOR! I needed that encouragement! I think the temp has actually been a bit closer to 67/68F, but we just had an unexpected cold snap overnight so it dropped to 60 last night and during the day when I was gone (so I averaged things out). Generally it's been pretty steady though and all the other "milestones" you told me to watch for are happening, so I'm excited! I was just worried about the stickyness...glad to hear everything is as it should be!
Thanks again!

[zameluzza]

Followed Dixon's recipe to the letter with a couple of personal preferences. OK, so more than just a couple of variations. It is very important to understand that Baby Swiss uses a Meso culture while most other Swiss varieties use a Thermo.

1 - I used a straight Aromatic B culture. This adds Leuc. m. cremoris (LM57) to the mix. This bacterium gives a diacetyl (buttery) flavor AND it also produces CO2 above and beyond what the Propionic produces. NOTE - It's not possible to use this culture with a Thermo type Swiss like Emmental, which gets heated to 120F.

2- Peter calls for using just 1/10th the Propionic bacteria used in regular Swiss. Nonsense. I used 1/8th tsp., the same as I use in a regular Swiss.

awesome looking cheese OMG now I have such a craving fro swiss cheese *LOL* got to make some, when
did you add the Aroma B as an extra or as a replacement? how much aroma B did you add?
I like this recipe since I don't have to wait 6 months *LOL*

[Sailor Con Queso]

Aroma B is not an extra, it is the main starter culture, so it is added at the beginning. Just follow the recipe on Peter Dixon's website.

[zameluzza]

Aroma B is not an extra, it is the main starter culture, so it is added at the beginning. Just follow the recipe on Peter Dixon's website.

*LOL* thanks, seems like I missread the instructions *LOL*
I have both mm100 and AromaB what would you reccoment for this receipe?
thanks

[Sailor Con Queso]

I use a straight Aromatic B culture which contains Leuc. m. cremoris. This bacterium gives a diacetyl (buttery) flavor AND it also produces CO2 above and beyond what the Propionic produces. NOTE - It's not possible to use this culture with a Thermo type Swiss like Emmental, which gets heated to 120F.

2- Peter calls for using just 1/10th the Propionic bacteria used in regular Swiss. Nonsense. I used 1/8th tsp., the same as I use in a regular Swiss.

[zameluzza]

Thanks Sailor will try it real soon.

[scubagirlwonder]

AAAWWW BUMMER.....my baby cracked last night....

Everything was going along so well, then I awoke to cracks...so sad, especially since the rind is still very soft and malleable, I was really surprised to see cracks....we're at day 12 of aging/eye development. I was so hoping for nice swelling like Sailor's Baby Swiss! Ah well, next time.