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We ate one of the bries from my most recently ripened batch this weekend. Looks-wise, I felt it held it's own amongst the professionals.



I wish I could say it matched up on taste. But it didn't. It just didn't have that BRIE taste. It was rather bland, and faintly bitter. Shame really, because it had a lovely ooze to it.



Perhaps placing it in the company of some extremely delicious professional jobs was a bit pretentious, and I deserved a fall. But it all got eaten...


Unfortunately, one of it's siblings developed the yellowy fluorescent rind that I have posted about elsewhere. I have been digging around and found a thread on this forum which suggested it is pseudomonas fluorescens. It certainly fluoresces as you can see.




This cheese was in a different container to the ones which didn't develop it, which had been used for other foods previously, and though I thought it had been properly washed and sterilised that could be the relevant factor. The other difference being that the container for the 'good' cheeses had a proper built-in draining shelf, rather than the thin mesh used in the 'bad' container. The other possible factor could be the size I suppose - perhaps being a bigger mould meant it didn't drain as well initially? I've invested in a batch of the shelf containers, and will use them only for cheese.

This was the last of the batches I made with thermophilic culture, and no geo. I've since invested in both (sold a kidney) so hoping the next batches have more flavour.

Oh, now that fluorescence is really cool looking, even though not exactly what you wanted. A cheese for your efforts.

Ya... it's all fun and games making cheese at home ..... until your cheese glows in-the-dark!

Lol.. you may want to cut away the plutonium affected area before serving

There is at least one commercial cheese where the whole rind has that yellow , among other colors and the rind is very bitter.

QuoteThere is at least one commercial cheese where the whole rind has that yellow , among other colors and the rind is very bitter.

Really? I don't suppose you can remember what it is called? Maybe I can start specialising, because at least on cheese in each batch seems to develop it at the moment..

It is bitter and slightly citrous. Sadly, it doesn't actually glow in the dark. I dug out a 'secret writing' pen from the play room and use that to show it up.

Sorry I do not remember the name , if I see it but here again I will be sure get some a post a pic .

That yellow is the culprit of the bitter taste and I think it is due to too high humidity and temp during aging. You need to keep them at colder aging space with 90-95% humidity. I had few batches of some cams yellowing but when I moved them to colder and dryer aging space, they managed to mature nicely.

Quote from: AnnDee on September 22, 2017, 01:33:12 PM
That yellow is the culprit of the bitter taste and I think it is due to too high humidity and temp during aging. You need to keep them at colder aging space with 90-95% humidity. I had few batches of some cams yellowing but when I moved them to colder and dryer aging space, they managed to mature nicely.

I had never heard that Ann I never could figure out why one tasted great and another not

HKJ, I am also sometimes baffled by the variety of taste, sometimes really goooddd and the other time it was so so. I started making lactic style cheeses now, just because it is more consistent somehow. And I can eat it younger too.

probably be Pseudomonas fluorescens. Appears with high pH and humidity. Causes bitterness

Ah thanks dunaliella! I have never heard or read this before but after googling it, I also think this must be it!

Just noticed these comments. Yes, it is almost certainly pseudomonas fluorescens. I appear to have become an expert at breeding it. I have asked around a few professional cheesemakers at fairs and they have all confirmed pseudomonas - with many knowing looks. I get the impression it is a relatively common problem in the dairy industry.

Out of interest, I decided to use my UV light on a few shop bought bloomy cheese and found patches here and there.

I've had some batches which get it and others which don't. I can't spot a definite pattern.

Quote from: AnnDee on September 22, 2017, 01:33:12 PM
I think it is due to too high humidity and temp during aging.

I humbly disagree about the temperature. All my cheeses which have got it have been ageing in a normal fridge at 4-6C, and from what I have read it is a psychrotrophic bacterium, thriving at cold temperatures, so reducing the temp doesn't sound like it would guarantee of prevention. The drier environment sounds like the reason for success.

I'm currently ageing my first batch which has not developed  any p.f and I'm keeping everything crossed...