Wax color leaching into cheese?

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  • #5338 Reply
    Spencer Myrlie
    Guest

    Hello all,

    I recently cut into my Gouda that had been aging for ~10 months. The outsides of the cheese were tinted slightly red/brown but was still white in the middle. The cheese is semi-soft with a pasty mouthfeel. Tastes really good with a slightly sour aftertaste.

    I’m curious if this red/brown tint was due to being in the wax for so long and it bleeding its color into the cheese. I’m not sure if the sour flavor is an indication of the cheese going bad. It still tastes really good to me, and isn’t to off the flavor of boughten cheeses. Let me know what you think or if I should be concerned with this discoloration. Thanks!

    Photos of the cheese here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/pVQNRrGcxFAevkjd7

    #5339 Reply
    Tom Moran
    Guest

    Spencer, the color looks to be a mixture of wax bleeding, some drying out of the outer surface, and maybe some good bacteria. It doesn’t look bad to me. The sour taste can be from a host of different things, none of which should make you throw out the cheese. A build up of amonia is possible in tightly covered cheeses but will dissipate in a few days. Using too much rennet can cause bitter or sour tastes. Too little salt can also be the culprit. Keep trying.

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