I've been using a converted bar fridge as a cheese cave, with a small portable humidifier inside to maintain humidity. The problem seems to be that it's always either too much or too little. Last year I lost a batch of brie to excessive water accumulation, and produced a swiss that ended up with the hardness and moisture of a parmesan because of insufficient humidity. I'd be grateful for anybody's thoughts on humidity control. Thanks!! :D
That is always the hardest thing to find - the balance. For a fridge without a circulation fan I use a bowl of salt with water added and a piece of cheese cloth hanging on the back wall that dangles on the wayer like a wick. Sometimes I will spray water on the cheese cloth to boost the humidity when needed.
I use an ultrasonic humidifire in my "cave" connected through a 24 hour timer. Now it works in cycles of 15 min on and 45 min off. The humidifier has a built-in intensity adjustment knob too. You HAVE TO monitor the humudity level becuse I noticed it is affected by the amount of cheeses in the cave.
Do you have a link to the humidifier you use?
Sorry, no, I'm in Israel, It's a second hand bought US cold mist humidifier, the kind used in baby's rooms.
It is very similar to this one:
http://fp.vendaria.com/vpop/VpopViewer.html?uid=100658787&iid=AddpfzvImumvmKvJJIIKfwKILumLKv&bg=FFFFFF&nm=BZOpener&err=0&title=&pf=t&fr=t (http://fp.vendaria.com/vpop/VpopViewer.html?uid=100658787&iid=AddpfzvImumvmKvJJIIKfwKILumLKv&bg=FFFFFF&nm=BZOpener&err=0&title=&pf=t&fr=t)
I only have a mini, dorm-room style fridge, so that humidifier wouldn't fit. Maybe I could find a smaller one.
They have a little tiny one at WalMart here about the size of a mans fist. I got one for Christmas for my mini cave but I forgot where I put it.
BC,
Connect it through a timer and by experimenting find the right cycle of ON and OFF. It's affected by the quantity of cheese in the cave at a certain time.
I am a newbie and from reading this thread, I can see that maintaining the proper humidity is very important to having a successful outcome. That being said, could someone tell me why the recipes in the recipe section of this web site (not the forum recipes - the recipes on the web site) do not discuss humidity?? They all discuss the temperature for aging the cheese being created but none address the correct humidity. Thanks.
Not all recipes address humidity but it is an important thing to keep in mind - unless you want to grate all your cheeses.