How Do You Safely Taste And Test Your Cheese During Aging?

“I’ve been making cheese at home for a few months and I’m starting to get serious about aging my cheese. I want to know how to taste and test my cheese during the aging process safely. Right now, I’ve got a batch of Gouda going and I’m not sure when or how to test it without ruining it or making myself sick. Can you give me some tips and insights on how to do this right?” Thanks, Amanda, Canterbury, New Zealand.

How Do You Safely Taste and Test Your Cheese During Aging?

Hey Amanda! Growing Gouda at home sounds fantastic! The journey of aging cheese is thrilling but requires a good bit of attention to ensure safety and peak flavor development. Let’s delve into the details of how to taste and test your cheese during this process safely.

Why Regular Testing is Important

Testing your cheese at various stages of aging helps you understand how flavors, textures, and aromas develop over time. This can inform future batches and allow for adjustments in technique. Regular testing is especially important for home cheesemakers since homemade cheese caves and conditions can vary from professional setups.

Sanitation is Key

First things first—keeping everything clean is paramount. Here’s why:

• Prevent Contamination: Contaminants can spoil your cheese or worse, make you sick. Clean utensils and workspaces are essential.
• Accuracy in Tasting: Using clean tools ensures the true flavor of your cheese is experienced, untainted by previous residues.

Ensure you wash your hands thoroughly before touching the cheese. Use clean, sanitized knives and cutting boards. If you use a specific tool for testing, make sure it’s sanitized before and after each use.

When to Taste

Tasting cheese isn’t just about slicing off a piece whenever you feel like it. Timing is crucial and varies depending on the type of cheese. Here are some general guidelines:

• Fresh Cheeses: These should be tasted within a few days of making. They don’t require aging and their flavor profile is best enjoyed fresh.
• Short-Aged Cheeses: For cheeses like Brie or Camembert, start your first taste test after one to two weeks.
• Medium-Aged Cheeses: Cheeses like Gouda (like your current batch, Amanda) or Cheddar typically start showing early character at about three to six weeks.
• Long-Aged Cheeses: Hard cheeses like Parmesan or aged Gouda can be tasted monthly after three months, but they often require six months to a year or more for full maturity.

How to Taste

When tasting your cheese, pay close attention to several factors:

• Appearance: Look for any signs of mold, color changes, or textural differences. A blue or green mold might be part of your mold-ripened cheese’s natural development, but random patches of unwanted mold need to be removed carefully.
• Smell: Smelling your cheese can tell you a lot about its condition. It should smell clean and earthy. If it smells like ammonia or anything overly pungent, it might be going off.
• Texture: Feel the cheese. Is it crumbly, smooth, or rubbery? Each type of cheese has its desirable texture, and any deviation might indicate issues.
• Taste: Finally, take a small piece and let it sit on your tongue for a moment. Good cheese will have complex flavors that evolve. If it tastes bitter or off somehow, it might be a sign of spoilage.

Tools for Testing

There are a few tools that can make this process easier and more effective:

• Cheese Iron or Trier: This tool allows you to sample the cheese from the interior without cutting open an entire wheel. It’s especially useful for hard cheeses and prevents waste.
• pH Meter: Testing the pH can show you how the acidity level is developing. Different types of cheese require different pH levels to develop properly.

Handling Mold

Mold development can be a common part of cheese aging, but you need to know which molds are beneficial and which aren’t. For example:

• White Mold: Beneficial for Brie and Camembert, it gives the cheese its rind.
• Blue Mold: Essential for cheeses like Stilton or Roquefort but unwanted in most other types.
• Black or Pink Mold: Generally a bad sign. Remove it carefully with a knife without contaminating the rest of the cheese.

If you encounter unwanted mold, use a clean cloth soaked in brine or vinegar to wipe it off. Cut a margin around the affected area to ensure it hasn’t penetrated the cheese deeply.

Documenting Your Process

Keeping a detailed cheese aging journal can help immensely:

• Date of Start: Record the starting date of your cheese.
• Environmental Conditions: Note temperature, humidity, and any variations.
• Tasting Notes: Log notes about taste, texture, and appearance during each tasting session. This helps you track the changes and make consistent improvements.

Documenting this data will help you refine your process and achieve greater consistency with future batches.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Here are some common mistakes cheesemakers like Amanda might encounter and how to avoid them:

• Inconsistent Temperature and Humidity: Fluctuations can spoil your cheese. Invest in a good thermometer and hygrometer to monitor conditions.
• Improper Handling: Every time you touch the cheese, you introduce bacteria. Handle your cheese as little as possible and always with clean hands.
• Over-Testing: Cutting into your cheese too often can dry it out or introduce contaminants. Use a cheese iron or trier to minimize this.

Final Thoughts…

Amanda, thanks so much for reaching out with your question. The process of aging and testing cheese can be as rewarding as it is complex. Just remember the key points: keep everything sanitized, document your process, and taste your cheese mindfully. Enjoy making your Gouda—it sounds like you’re on a delicious journey!