What is the place called where cheese is aged?

What is the place called where cheese is aged? - Top view of plate with stewed vegetables and meat placed on black table near bowl with fresh salad and jars with spices

When cheddar cheese is made, it is kept on shelves in a climate controlled place and each wheel is turned over once per week. What is the place called where the cheese is kept during this aging process?



Best Answer

I don't think there's a specific name for it.

I found a book that simply refers to it as an "aging space/room".

The Aging Room: The "Big Three" Design Issues

When designing an aging space, there are three main factors to consider: temperature, humidity, and air (both air exchange and movement). Each of these factors will be influenced by the volume and type of cheese being aged; your area's native influences (weather and soil/earth stability and properties; also if your building is underground); and the building structure and size.
The Small-Scale Cheese Business: The Complete Guide to Running a Successful Farmstead Creamery p. 126

Around the web, I've seen it referred to as a "cheese cave", which refers to the historical habit of using caves for aging cheese.

  1. How to Make a Cheese “Cave” - This is a guide on aging cheese in a refrigerator.
  2. Crown Finish Caves - A cheese aging facility in Brooklyn, NY.
  3. Wegman's Food Market opened a "cheese cave" in 2014.

For a similar reason, I've seen a smaller number of references to "cheese cellar".




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Inside the Cheese-Aging Caves 30 Feet Under Brooklyn | I Got a Guy | Bon Appétit




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