Will My Cheese Infect My Beer?

[AlexKay]

I've never made cheese before (other than paneer and mozzarella on a few occasions), but am thinking about taking the plunge. I have a chest freezer (two, actually) with a temperature controller that I use for making beer ... is this a good place to make cheese? And, after making cheese, do I need to take any microbiological precautions before I go back to fermenting beer in this freezer? (I currently have 6 chest freezers in my garage, so adding another will be a complete non-starter with the Powers that Be.)

 

[passedpawn]

I've never made cheese before (other than paneer and mozzarella on a few occasions), but am thinking about taking the plunge. I have a chest freezer (two, actually) with a temperature controller that I use for making beer ... is this a good place to make cheese? And, after making cheese, do I need to take any microbiological precautions before I go back to fermenting beer in this freezer? (I currently have 6 chest freezers in my garage, so adding another will be a complete non-starter with the Powers that Be.)

It's possible. I made blue cheese once and the butterdish got infected with penicillium rocqueforti. Butter tasted like blue cheese. However, it is likely that the bacteria escaped and blew to the cheese while I was handling it as a powder.

I wouldn't be too worried about it once the cheese is made though. I'd say go for it, and let us know if you end up with a cheddar stout or something.