I have some Emmenthal in a warm "room". Temp is hard to keep stable but it fluctuates between 67F and 89F.
The cheese has been in there for 1 week today and still no swelling. It did sweat a bit of fat but that's all.
I am following Margaret Morris' recipe.
My first thought was those higher temps killed it but in researching I think it was Boofer that claims the sweet spot to be with in that range. Can it be the fluctuations?
The fluctuation is, quite severe, I would think it has some baring on it.
I have tried making emmenthal, I keep mine around 75 deg F and I have had very little, if any swelling, very disappointing.
they still were excellent tasting cheeses as a matter of fact we just had a Ruben sandwich yesterday, we used the last piece of our last make (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,11171.0.html).
that piece is just over a year old, it is excellent ^-^
the sweating is normal I believe, you should probably try to stabilize your temp somewhat and leave it there for awhile longer,if it refuses to swell it more than likely ain't gonna happen :(
good luck ;D
Thanks
I know I am using a different setup and I will check the temp and it has shut off and reads 67 so I turn the temp up a hair, next time I check it was 84 so I would turn down a hair and this went on for days i think I have it regulated now.
Guess I will wait and see
Don't feel bad. There are very few people on here, including myself who see to be able to get this stuff to puff up. One of my favorite cheeses but I gave up trying.
Mine never seem to produce as much gas and swell up either , perhaps were just not patient enough , I remember reading somewhere here that it can take up to four weeks in the warm phase to get some of them to produce enough gas , end even then , the texture has to be spot on so it is pliable enough to expand , but tight enough knit so the gas doesn't escape.
It seems like a lot of things have to fall into place to get the desired outcome , it doesn't seem to affect the flavor though , swelled up or not , they can still be good.
I believe that the answer we are all looking for is that this cheese is made high in the mountains in Switzerland. Low atmospheric pressure. Bring it down near sea level and you will never get the same results. Settle for what you get.
I have made this many times in the past and always got some swelling, not so many nice eyes but always swelling. I wonder if the high temp killed it
Quote from: Al Lewis on March 22, 2014, 11:08:46 PM
I believe that the answer we are all looking for is that this cheese is made high in the mountains in Switzerland. Low atmospheric pressure. Bring it down near sea level and you will never get the same results. Settle for what you get.
Al, not sure about that one. This is made here in Wisconsin (http://www.wispecialtycheese.org/meet-the-cheesemaker/bruce-workman-edelweiss-creamery/).
I'm not experienced in emmenthaler, but my hunch is in agreement with jwalker - a good nexus of curd plasticity and elasticity (so it expands, but can also hold the entrapped gas), and good warm-room regimen.
Quote from: steffb503 on March 22, 2014, 10:34:05 AM
it fluctuates between 67F and 89F.
I think it was Boofer that claims the sweet spot to be with in that range.
89F? Arrgh!! :o
Here's an extract from the attached document:
"
The temperature at this point is selected
to favor the growth of the organisms (72-78 ° F.)."
I've had some Goutaler and Maasdam (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,9402.0.html) cheeses in the past that decided to stay in the upper, warmer bedroom for 4-6 weeks.
-Boofer-
Boofer, you think I killed it?
Quote from: steffb503 on March 26, 2014, 10:33:17 AM
Boofer, you think I killed it?
Sorry for the delayed reply. I've been off the circuit for a while.
I'll have to defer to Sailor or other more experienced folks than me.
-Boofer-
So I opened the first of these cheeses.
Way too dry.
I did not mention that I was using goat milk.
In the past 68-72 degrees gave me some nice swelling, small eyes and very good taste.
These sweated out all the fat.
I now have about 6 wheels of dry crumbly cheese.
Oh well!! Live and Learn
I did get new cultures, that might have been all I needed to do
Steff,
Are they crumbly, and acidic as well?
They are dry and crumbly but the taste is ok, not acidic.