# About Cheese Caves?



## Horse Fork Farm (Jan 3, 2006)

Please tell me what conditions I am supposed to age/ store my new cheeses in? I am trying to determine if my basement will be appropriate or if I need to make a special place? I'm still in the planning stage since goat is not fresh yet. I guess I am asking about temps and humidity and air flow etc.... I'm really such a novice I don't even know what to ask!!  Thanks for your help! I will be making only the simplest of cheeses to start with. As long as its some kind of cheese my family will like it! Kat :help:


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## BlueHeronFarm (Feb 9, 2007)

Fresh cheeses are the easiest and require no aging. Hard cheeses vary, but most age in the 50-55 degree range, I think. Your individual recipes will usually tell you.

Most people use a refrigerator with an external thermostat control to make a "cheese cave" - A wine refrigerator is also a good option, as they have thermostats that go higher than a regular fridge and so don't need an override.

I just got one from Craigslist, but don't have my press yet and so have not started with hard cheeses yet.


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

reg fridge holds 50-55 easily, of course it has to be aged cheese only, 

milk and fresh cheese needs to be stored at as close to 32 as you can.

humidity levels vary, just try to find an average. If you are waxing, that helps keep the humidity in. The cooler the temp the longer the ageing but the better the flavor, as long as its not too cool.

I have a fridge just for cheese, one for storing milk and eggs and one for the kitchen...  

I did just get a 4 month old walk in unit( minus the walls) We will work on constructing that eventually....last winter i just used the far corner of my unfinished basement held at 55 for most of the winter. I used coolers with containers of ice, to keep the blue cheese and brie about 50 ish.


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## Julia (Jan 29, 2003)

I've aged cheese in my basement during the spring, when the furnace is off. It's a half dug stone cellar obviously build to store food under our old farm house. Very damp and cool up until mid summer, so long term aging is not possible, but I must say it was very easy while it lasted. Didn't have to fool around with tweaking the humidity and temp at all---auto pilot!

I did keep the cheese in a plastic sweater box to keep beasts and bugs out, and made a point to flip it daily, if only to keep the airflow up, which is vital for aging cheese. Some day I'll make myself a sort of pie safe thing covered with fine screen instead of wood, and then I'll go to town.

My most successful cheeses were aged in my cellar, including my all time best---a mold rind Brillat-Savarin that was exquisite. It's so exciting to do it traditionally, and have it work out!


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## Horse Fork Farm (Jan 3, 2006)

Okie-dokie! Thanks so much, it sounds like the fridge will work for the basic stuff and my cellar will probably do for anything else! I can't wait to get started, Kathy


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## kesoaps (Dec 18, 2004)

We visited someone who was using one of those small wine fridges for her cheese. She'd tried all sorts of other things (basement, etc) and finally settled on the fridge. Said the wine one worked best for her (and didn't add to the clutter of her already full household refrigerator.)


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