Brie
Brie is a soft cow's milk cheese named after the French region it comes from, pale under a white mould rind. It runs 60 to 75 percent butterfat and tastes creamy, nutty and mushroom-like, with a faint acidity. The rind is eaten along with the paste.
Key Facts
| Country of Origin | France |
| Specific Origin | Brie |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Raw, Pasteurized |
| Fat Content | 60% to 75% butterfat |
| Rind | Bloomy |
| Texture | Buttery , Creamy , Smooth , Soft |
| Flavor | Nutty, Mushroom |
| Aroma | Ammoniated when overripe |
| Colors | White |
| Forms | Wheels, cut segments, small flat cylinders |
| Age | At least 4 to 5 weeks; several months to a year for brie noir |
| Rennet Type | Animal |
What is Brie Cheese?
Brie takes its name from the French region of Brie, which corresponds roughly to the modern department of Seine-et-Marne. The name itself is a style, not a protected one, though a few regional bries are protected. The French government certifies two: brie de Meaux and brie de Melun. Brie de Meaux has been made in the town of Meaux since the 8th century and was once called the queen's cheese, eaten across all social classes. Both types received AOC status in 1980.
Brie can be made from whole or semi-skimmed milk. Rennet goes into raw milk warmed to no more than 37 C (99 F), and the curd is cast into 20 cm (8 in) moulds in thin successive layers, sometimes with a perforated ladle called a pelle a brie. After draining for about 18 hours, the curd comes out of the mould, gets salted, and is inoculated with Penicillium camemberti or Brevibacterium linens. It then ages in a controlled environment for at least four or five weeks. Left for several months to a year, it dries and darkens into brie noir.
The paste is pale with a slight greyish tinge, sitting under a rind of white mould. Butterfat runs between 60 and 75 percent, a little above Camembert. Common tasting notes are creamy, nutty, mushroom-like and slightly acidic, and the rind's flavour depends heavily on the ingredients and the environment it was made in. Push it past ripeness and ammonia takes over.
Buy it as a whole wheel or a cut segment. The cheese is ready when the outside is firm and the inside feels slightly bouncy and resilient. Underripe brie is stiff to the touch; overripe brie goes creamy and almost runny. It is sometimes served baked. Store it refrigerated at 4 C (39 F) or lower, wrapped tightly in wax paper or plastic to keep moisture and spoilage bacteria out.
Camembert is the obvious comparison. It comes from Normandy rather than the Ile-de-France, and it ripens as a small round about 10 cm (4 in) across, fully covered in rind, while brie was traditionally made in wheels of 23 to 37 cm (9 to 14 1/2 in) and ripened more slowly. Camembert has the softer texture and the stronger, slightly sour, sometimes chalky taste. Warm them both and Camembert turns creamier, while brie holds more of its structure.
How Does Brie Cheese Compare?
The most relevant cheeses to compare Brie against.
