Most cheese is stored badly. It goes into the fridge in the plastic it was sold in, sits at whatever temperature the fridge happens to be running at, and is eaten whenever convenient without much thought about condition. This approach works tolerably well for processed cheese but does a genuine disservice to artisan cheese, which is a living product that responds to how it is treated.
If you have bought Irish artisan cheese, whether as a one-off purchase from the Indie Füde cheese shop, as part of an Irish cheese hamper, or through a subscription, getting the storage right makes a significant difference to how good the cheese is when you eat it. This guide covers everything you need to know, organised by cheese type, with specific advice applicable to the Irish artisan cheeses available through Indie Füde.
The Fundamental Principle: Cheese Needs to Breathe
The most important thing to understand about cheese storage is that cheese is alive. Artisan cheese in particular contains active cultures, moulds, and bacteria that continue to develop after the cheese leaves the creamery. These are responsible for the ongoing development of flavour and texture, and they need oxygen to function. Sealing cheese airtight in cling film deprives it of that oxygen and traps moisture against the surface, which encourages the wrong kinds of bacterial growth and accelerates spoilage rather than preventing it.
The correct wrapping for almost all cheese is wax paper or greaseproof paper, often used in combination with a loose outer layer of foil. Wax paper allows air to circulate while preventing the cheese from drying out. The foil outer layer provides additional protection and helps maintain a stable microenvironment around the cheese. Many specialist cheese shops, including Indie Füde, wrap their cheese in wax paper as standard; if yours arrives this way, keep it in that wrapping.
Cling film should be avoided for all but processed cheese. If you must use it in an emergency, keep the exposure brief and rewrap in paper as soon as possible.
Temperature: What the Fridge Actually Does to Cheese
The domestic fridge runs at between 2 and 5 degrees Celsius, which is colder than the ideal storage temperature for most artisan cheese. Cheese is at its best between 8 and 14 degrees Celsius, a range that most domestic fridges cannot consistently maintain. The solution is to understand that the fridge is suitable for keeping cheese safe over several days, but it suppresses the flavour and texture that make artisan cheese worth buying.
The practical implication is simple: take cheese out of the fridge at least 45 minutes before serving. Cold cheese has muted flavour and a harder, less yielding texture than the same cheese at room temperature. The improvement in the eating experience from allowing the cheese to come to temperature is immediate and significant, and it is the single most impactful thing you can do to improve a cheeseboard without spending any more money.
For longer storage, the least cold part of the fridge is preferable. This is usually the salad drawer or the bottom shelf. Avoid storing cheese near the back of the fridge where temperatures can drop close to freezing.
How to store Cheese: Hegartys and Coolea
Hard cheeses like Hegartys Cheddar and Coolea are the most forgiving category in terms of storage. Their low moisture content means they are less hospitable to unwanted bacterial growth and can be kept for several weeks without significant deterioration, provided they are wrapped and stored correctly.
Wrap hard cheese in wax paper after each use, folding the paper neatly around the cut surface to minimise air contact. Store in the cheese drawer or the coolest part of the fridge. If a hard cheese develops a small patch of surface mould, cut it away with a clean knife, taking at least a centimetre around and below the affected area. The remainder of the cheese is safe to eat.
Hard cheese can be frozen, though the texture changes on thawing and becomes more crumbly. This is acceptable if the cheese is going to be used in cooking, but not if it is going to be served on a board. Freeze in portions, wrapped tightly in foil, for up to two months. Thaw slowly in the fridge before use.
Storing Soft and Bloomy Rind Cheeses: Cooleeney
Soft cheeses like Cooleeney have a much shorter useful life than hard cheeses and require more careful storage. The high moisture content that makes them rich and yielding also makes them more susceptible to unwanted mould growth. They should be eaten within a few days of purchase for the best experience.
Store soft cheeses in the original wax paper wrapping if possible, placed in a container or loose area of the fridge rather than sealed in an airtight box. The white rind on a Brie-style cheese like Cooleeney will continue to develop in the fridge; this is normal and desirable up to a point. A fully ripe Cooleeney with a slightly runny paste and an ammoniac smell has gone past its best. Eat it before it reaches that stage.
Do not freeze soft cheese. The texture does not recover and the result is not worth eating.
Storing Blue Cheese: Young Buck
Blue cheeses like Young Buck require slightly different handling from other cheese types. The blue mould channels are moist environments, and the cheese can absorb flavours from other strongly scented foods in the fridge relatively easily. Store blue cheese away from other strong-smelling foods, and keep it in a container or wrap it in foil as an outer layer over the wax paper.
Young Buck, being a raw milk cheese, is more actively developing than a pasteurised equivalent. It will continue to ripen and intensify in the fridge. If you have bought a younger, milder portion and want to develop it further, allow it to sit for a few days longer than you might with other cheeses; the flavour will deepen. If you want it at its current stage, eat it soon.
Blue cheese can be stored for up to two to three weeks if well wrapped. It becomes progressively stronger and more assertive over that period. For cooking applications, an older, more intense Young Buck produces a correspondingly more powerful blue cheese sauce, which is desirable if that is the intended use. The Indie Füde recipes archive includes a Young Buck blue cheese sauce recipe and other dishes that make the most of cheese at different stages of its development.
Storing Washed Rind Cheeses: Ardrahan and Gubbeen
Washed rind cheeses are the most assertive-smelling category and require some specific storage consideration to avoid the smell permeating other items in the fridge. The orange rind that characterises Ardrahan, Gubbeen, and similar cheeses is not just a visual feature; it is an active bacterial community that continues to develop during storage and produces the compounds responsible for the cheese’s characteristic smell.
Wrap washed rind cheeses in wax paper and place them in a sealed container in the fridge. This contains the smell without sealing the cheese airtight, since the container is not usually a perfect seal. Keep them away from mild-flavoured items like butter or mild fresh cheeses.
Washed rind cheeses have a useful life of around one to two weeks in good storage conditions. They continue to ripen during this period and the flavour becomes more complex. Eat them while the paste is still yielding and has some give when pressed; a very hard, dry washed rind has passed its best.
A Practical Summary
Regardless of cheese type, the three principles that make the most practical difference are: wrap in wax paper rather than cling film, store in the coolest part of the fridge rather than the coldest, and take the cheese out 45 minutes before serving. These three habits, applied consistently, will make your Irish artisan cheese from the full Indie Füde range taste significantly better every time you eat it. For further guidance on getting the most from each producer and variety, the Meet the Maker section covers the background and character of the cheeses in the range in detail.