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GENERAL CHEESE MAKING BOARDS (Specific Cheese Making in Boards above) => STANDARD METHODS - Aging Cheese => Topic started by: smilingcalico on December 27, 2010, 09:43:53 PM

Title: Pressed Cheese Rind - Yellow/Red Stain & Poisonous Mushroom Smell
Post by: smilingcalico on December 27, 2010, 09:43:53 PM
This cheese has some nasty yellow and red stain. It smells like a poisonous mushroom walked into a gas station bathroom. I'm sure there's a punchline to that, but I forgot it.  There was a pH balance issue to start. (Slimy skin after brining).  Anybody know what mold or bacteria is causing this? Should it be named the McDonald's mold?
Title: Re: Pressed Cheese Rind - Yellow/Red Stain & Poisonous Mushroom Smell
Post by: mtncheesemaker on December 27, 2010, 10:26:53 PM
What kind of cheese is it? How are you aging it?
Title: Re: Pressed Cheese Rind - Yellow/Red Stain & Poisonous Mushroom Smell
Post by: smilingcalico on December 28, 2010, 04:54:50 AM
It's a hard cheese, Argentine in origin. Aging cave is fairly steady at 52 degrees, but in cold weather dips to 46 at times.
Title: Re: Pressed Cheese Rind - Yellow/Red Stain & Poisonous Mushroom Smell
Post by: mtncheesemaker on December 28, 2010, 10:54:18 PM
I'm wondering if you air dried it long enough after brining, and/or your aging conditions are too humid? Could it have picked up B. linens from a neighboring cheese?
How old is it?
I'm thinking it might be a good idea to bring it out of the cave and let it air dry. You might also rub the spots with a salt/vinegar solution.
Title: Re: Pressed Cheese Rind - Yellow/Red Stain & Poisonous Mushroom Smell
Post by: Cheese Head on December 28, 2010, 11:03:04 PM
OK, so the smell may not be enticing to you but from here they look great!

The white looks like Geotrichum candidum, example of that on couple of mine here (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,1973.0.html).

The red looks here here more like brown, recommend rub off (https://cheeseforum.org/articles/2010/12/wiki-surface-defects-mould/), the yellow is a good question, are you using raw milk or annatto?
Title: Re: Pressed Cheese Rind - Yellow/Red Stain & Poisonous Mushroom Smell
Post by: smilingcalico on December 28, 2010, 11:19:15 PM
The humidity is pretty solid between 85-90%. I do recall this cheese took a long time to develop rind. Make date was mid October. We only keep one type of cheese in the cave, but we let the older cheese develop a coat of mold. My personal feeling is chuck the cheese, but its not my call. The picture was taken just after washing, while air drying.