Affinage for Beginner Home Cheesemakers--What you should know to care for cheeses made-at-home 

Brilliant. Explained so much in a short time and was so easy to understand. Thank you.

oh my goodness!!!! the two of you are amazing!!!! I learned so much. Now I understand the WHY we do what we do. Someone said to wipe the moisture off inside the ripening box ugh now I understand. THANK YOU LADIES!!!!!

Very good and clear explanation, I have four more fridges for cheeses and I ripe them all there, applying a coat of light brine every week, until they are two months, then a good amount of olive oíl or even mix with aromatic grass on It and vacuum later

You arent the only one who learned about Affinage. A lot of times I would make cheese and pack it away to store and it would spoil. I never knew about letting the cheese expire its moisture and developing its own natural balance

I‘m just starting to make cheese, and discovered your channel. You give great advice and are motivating me to get busy and figure out how to do my own affinage.

Excellent video! Very informative and it answered a lot of my questions! 😊

A great overall video on the affinage process. I know a lot more now - that you so much.

Thank you. Very helpful for a new cheese maker like me

Very useful information for those interested in the cheese industry, and I consider it necessary to understand the ripening process, may God grant you success in everything you offer

This is great video...thank you both

THANK you!!!

thank you very much for these preciouse information

I love to see a video on the process of developing a natural rind as well as waxing a cheese as well as bandaging a cheese. I’m particularly intrigued by the natural rind.

Thank you Angel of Cheesemaking Mary Anne for having Meryl on, I learnt why (perhaps) my soft cheeses goo/glue ( is that what they call that runny outside layer?) is bitter. Is excess humidity the only reason for getting a bitter taste ?

Another excellent video :)

Thanks!

so informative< thanks girls.

OMG I love your detailed vedios, so helpful. We are about to buy a new fridge and give away the old one. But now because of this vedio , I will keep it in the garage and turn it to cheese aging fridge. I have one question, can I put 2 cheeses in the same box?

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:33 🧀 Affinage is the process of looking after cheeses after they've been made, where flavor development occurs through the action of enzymes from dead starter cultures cutting proteins into tiny flavor particles. 01:54 🌬️ To properly affinage cheese, home cheese makers need to consider three factors: oxygen and airflow to develop the outer surface and carry away excess moisture and ammonia, humidity to preserve the necessary moisture for the chemical reactions, and temperature, typically around 50°F (10°C) for ripening. 03:04 🧼 Controlling airflow is as simple as opening the ripening container once or twice a day to exchange fresh air and maintain the required oxygen levels. 04:29 💧 To regulate humidity, a container with a small open jar of water inside can provide the necessary moisture; little droplets of water on the top or sides of the cheese are a good indicator. 05:11 🌡️ The ideal temperature for cheese ripening is around 50°F (10°C), but home cheese makers can use a regular fridge set at 40°F (2-3°C) or a warmer fridge set at 50-55°F (10-13°C) for slower or faster ripening, respectively. 08:00 🍞 If seeking an easy affinage process, letting the cheese dry for about a week and then waxing it or applying a natural rind is an option; naturally ripening the cheese for 2-4 months before waxing can yield better results. Avoid waxing or vacuum-packing freshly made cheese as it needs time to drain and air out. 09:22 🎁 Cheese can be preserved and gifted by cutting, waxing, and vacuum-packing pieces for later enjoyment. Made with HARPA AI

Love this woman )))) affinage...... your eyes fingers and nose tell you all you need to know. I dont use the bowl but wash them. if needed outside the washing periode. Affinage can be simple and very complex. What i do miss in your two affinage videos is washing the cheese. Specially if you use a linens based cheese. But i also wash candium based cheese at times, if it does not develop fast enough. Your Geo will help you later on)) Maybe it is a good idea to make a video abouth this. and what choice and why. what does it do with the cheese. And washing your cheese, what way, and why. I am here to make your video making life difficult LOL

Hi Mary Ann, I love your videos!! Can you ripen more than 1 type of cheese inn the same ripening box at the same time?

Hi Mary Anne. When are you making cheeses again? I like your tutorials more than you talking with other cheesemakers. There are a lot more cheeses to make! Hope to see it soon

Willems, would you like to give me a recipe to try? I love trying new recipes, and I think it could be fun.

Can I keep the cheese in a cold room but inside a box and flipping it every day ?

Can I keep the cheese in a cold room but not inside a box and flipping it every day ?

I cannot buy any Camembert moulds without bottoms - please advise a supplier Kind regards

Thank you for the valuable information. Is it possible to age hard and semi hard cheeses at room temperature (19°C) ? Unfortunately i don't have a cheese cave, so either room temperature or regular fridge which is way too cold and will slow down the process, which is not practical given that these cheeses already need months or a year.

Hi Mary Ann, I have another question for you regarding cheese pots. I have a very large pot that I have used for making BBQ sauce and some other types of sauces but I don't know what type of metal it is. It's heavy with a thick bottom but it's not magnetic. Do you know how much it matters in cheese making? My current stainless pot only holds about 2 1/2 gallons of milk. Thanks, Mike