How to Make Brie
Brie is a soft-ripened French cheese with an edible white bloomy rind created by Penicillium camemberti. The interior ranges from chalky when young to creamy and runny when fully ripe. Its flavor is buttery, earthy, and slightly mushroomy.
Category: Dairy · Method: Fungal/Mold · Time: 3-8w · Difficulty: 2/5 · Yield: varies · Temp: 10-14°C
History
Brie originated in the Île-de-France region and has been made since at least the 8th century. Charlemagne reportedly fell in love with it in 774 AD. It was declared 'The King of Cheeses' at the Congress of Vienna in 1815.
Ingredients
- 2 gallons (7.5L) Whole milk — Raw or pasteurized
- 1/4 tsp Mesophilic culture — Flora Danica or similar
- 1/8 tsp Penicillium candidum — White mold culture
- 1/16 tsp Geotrichum candidum — Optional, for texture
- 1/4 tsp Calcium chloride — If pasteurized
- 1/4 tsp Liquid rennet — Diluted
- 2 tsp Cheese salt — For surface salting
Equipment
- Large pot
- Thermometer
- Ladle
- Brie molds (wide and shallow)
- Draining mat
- Aging containers
- Cheese paper
Instructions
Culture milk
Heat milk to 86°F (30°C). Add mesophilic culture and mold cultures. Ripen for 1 hour to allow the bacteria to begin acidifying the milk.
Time: 1 hour
Tip: Mold cultures added to milk colonize throughout. Ensure your environment is sterile to prevent wild mold competition.
Continue draining
Flip every few hours for 24 hours. The cheese should reduce to about 1/3 its original height. For safety and proper texture, the cheese must reach a pH of 4.6–4.8 during this period before salting.
Time: 24 hours
Tip: Maintain room temperature (68-72°F) during draining to encourage the mesophilic culture to reach the target acidity.
Salt
Remove from mold. Salt all surfaces using approximately 1/2 tsp of cheese salt per side (for a standard 4-5 inch wheel). Ensure the edges are also lightly coated.
Time: 10 min
Tip: Precise salting is critical; too much salt inhibits Penicillium candidum, while too little allows for spoilage organisms.
Age
Age at 50-55°F (10-13°C) with 90-95% humidity. Geotrichum may appear first, followed by a full white Penicillium bloom in 7-10 days. Flip daily to ensure even mold growth. Ready in 4-8 weeks.
Time: 4-8 weeks
Tip: If the mold grows too fast, it can create a 'slip-skin' where the rind separates from the paste. Keep temperatures stable.
Fermentation Timeline
- Day 1: Cheesemaking — Gentle ladling and slow drainage.
- Day 2-3: Salting — Light surface salt application.
- Day 4-7: Mold appears — White fuzzy growth starting.
- Week 2-3: Rind forming — Solid white bloomy rind developing.
- Week 4-8: Ripening — Interior softening from outside in.
Signs of Success & Spoilage
Good signs
- Uniform white rind
- Soft when pressed
- Mushroomy aroma
- Creamy interior
- No excessive ammonia
Warning signs
- Gray or pink patches
- Cracked rind
- Very runny/liquid
- Strong ammonia smell
- Dry or hard
Troubleshooting
- Rind not forming
- Cause: Too dry or wrong temperature Solution: Increase humidity to 90%+. Check cave temperature.
- Too runny
- Cause: Over-ripe Solution: Eat sooner. Refrigerate to slow ripening.
- Ammonia smell
- Cause: Over-ripe or poor ventilation Solution: Unwrap and air out. Eat soon.
Storage
Wrapped in cheese paper at 35-40°F Keeps 2-4 weeks after ripe. Let warm to room temperature before serving for best flavor and texture.
Health Benefits
- Good calcium source
- Protein
- Vitamin B12
- Contains healthy fats
- Lower sodium than hard cheeses
- Vitamin A
Serving Suggestions
- Baked brie with honey and nuts
- Cheese boards with fruit
- On crusty baguette
- Melted over vegetables
- With champagne or light wine
- In sandwiches
Related Dairy Ferments
Other Fungal/Mold Ferments
- Miso — Condiment
- Tempeh — Legumes & Soy
- Shoyu — Legumes & Soy
- Tamari — Legumes & Soy
- Doubanjiang — Legumes & Soy
- Gochujang — Legumes & Soy
- Tauco — Legumes & Soy
- Meju blocks — Legumes & Soy