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cheese

Aging cheese

John F Dean

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My wife and I are talking about getting into cheese making this winter. We have an old refrigrator on the barn ...not hooked up. Is it suitable to use in the barn to age the cheese, even though the temps drop below freezing. ....should we move it to the basement.....or should we do something else?

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Brian Holmes

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I don't know what the optimal conditions are for cheese, but if you're only concerned with temperature (and not humidity), you could put the fridge on a temperature controller. Beer brewers use old fridges and a AC outlet controller to turn on the fridge when it gets too warm inside, and a string of christmas lights (also hooked into the controller) when the temperature gets too low. An option, at least.

I would think that the fridge, without any assistance, would give protection from temperature swings, but would not prevent the contents from freezing over an extended period of cold.

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John F Dean

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posted 5 years ago

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Hi Brian, thanks for the reply. The fridge is not hooked up.

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Brian Holmes

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Whoops! I took that to mean it could be, my mistake!

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Skandi Rogers

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The inside of an unpowered fridge will end up at the average temperature of wherever it is at. so no you can't keep it where it could freeze there's some ideas on this webpage on how to go about aging cheese at home. I think I might need to start measuring the temp in my cellar hmm.. I might be missing out on something here!

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John F Dean

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Hi Skandi,

I am thinking of two basement possibilities. The first is to simply put it into a cool corner of the basement. That should work for three months a year. The other approach would be a vent pipe from the fridge to the outside. That would bring in more cool air and probably extend the usefulness to five months. A damper on the pipe would provide for some temperature control.

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John F Dean

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Hi Brian,

Actually. I tried to short form it....and wasn't too successful. It is a 1950s refrigrator. It does work, but I have no intention of plugging it in due to costs. One months electric bill would buy me all the cheese I want for a year.

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Brian Holmes

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Is it a really cool looking 50's fridge? The style points alone could make it worth it!

Year 4 of gardening. Orchard is happy, grass needs a goat. And the garden is about to get swallowed by surrounding trees.

John F Dean

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Hi Brian,

Yes, I bought it and a kitchen range with the idea of refinishing them 20 years ago. They have sat in my barn ever since. So, now I am thinking of putting the refrigrator to use for aging cheese ....hence this thread.

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thomas rubino

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Hi John;
How were you thinking of covering your cheese while aging?
I haven't made cheese now in several years, but when I did. I first covered each wheel with bees wax.
Later I determined that vacuum packing is a slower but preferable method.

For a cheese cave I have 3 55 gallon barrels (two would work) welded end to end and buried in the floor of my shop.
The temp at the bottom never drops below freezing and the humidity stays over 50 % .
I have a Styrofoam cooler I raise and lower.
Since I haven't been making cheese I use this to store potatoes! Works great!

Nothing is finer than enjoying your own cheese! Unless you also build a cold smoker...
Then your own home made and home smoked cheese is better yet!

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John F Dean

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Hi Thomas,

I have never made cheese. So, all ideas and advice is welcome. I have bees .... so I have wax. For whatever reason, the floor of my barn is relatively easy to dig in. Thanks for giving me Plan B. Obviously, a refrigrator in my basement is more convenient, but having a cellar in the barn has advantages as well. At this moment.... I am thinking both.

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Brian Holmes

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thomas rubino wrote:For a cheese cave I have 3 55 gallon barrels (two would work) welded end to end and buried in the floor of my shop.
The temp at the bottom never drops below freezing and the humidity stays over 50 % .
I have a Styrofoam cooler I raise and lower.
Since I haven't been making cheese I use this to store potatoes! Works great!

I don't want to hijack this thread with a ton of questions on this awesome sounding setup; do you have a thread on this? I'm really interested in hearing more about it.

Year 4 of gardening. Orchard is happy, grass needs a goat. And the garden is about to get swallowed by surrounding trees.

thomas rubino

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Hi John;
I was really into making cheese when I could get fresh gallons of A-2 A-2 milk for 2.50 a gal.
Once my neighbor sold his A-2 cow, the only place I can get raw A-2 costs $5 a half gallon.
Haven't made cheese since.

I absolutely loved it. Some cheese is easy to make and some isn't.
I hate to tell you but be prepared to have failures.
I had many... and you won't even know until after it ages... at least if you use wax.
If you switch to a vacuum packer at least you can cut it open to inspect and seal it back up quickly.

The temperature while cooking is critical and also hard to maintain.
Keep at it you will succeed!
I was broken hearted when my very first wheel of cheddar ended up being sour... :-(
The easiest cheese I made was with goat milk (chevre) an excellent cheese especially when you spice it.
The left over whey from cheese is a piggy favorite! No piggys? Then pour it on your pasture to help the soil.

For all your Montana Masonry Heater parts (also known as) Rocket Mass heater parts.
Visit me at
dragontechrmh.com Once you go brick you will never go back!

John F Dean

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Location: southern Illinois, USA

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Hi Brian,

My feelings won't be hurt if we discuss the cheese cellar ....it is related.

The First Axiom of Life: Don’t do dumb things.

thomas rubino

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Here we go guys; https://permies.com/t/58724/kitchen/Cracking-bees-wax-leads-forgotten
My post about the cheese cave discovery!

For all your Montana Masonry Heater parts (also known as) Rocket Mass heater parts.
Visit me at
dragontechrmh.com Once you go brick you will never go back!

Brian Holmes

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Thanks so much! Gonna go read it now

Year 4 of gardening. Orchard is happy, grass needs a goat. And the garden is about to get swallowed by surrounding trees.

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