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Cheese from Georgia, Mtskheta-Mtianeti

Kobiკობი

Kobi is a large brined cheese from Stepantsminda municipality, in Khevi on the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus. The curd is set at 32–34 °C, cut, warmed again, held in packets until the whey is removed and left 6–8 hours in forms. It is dry-salted for 15–20 days until mucus forms, washed, and then kept in a 16–18 % brine for at least two months.

Fully documentedCheese2.5 months – 2.7 monthsGeographical indication (Georgia, reg. no. 12, 24 January 2012)Family: White brined cheese family (Feta PDO as template)

Recipe

No fixed amounts recordedThe specification fixes limits, not a recipe. A cheese weighs 4.5–8 kg, 24–28 cm across and 10–14 cm high.
MilkProduced and processed in Stepantsminda municipality. The specification does not state the species; a 2020 thesis summary of the registered cheeses says cow milk or a mix of cow and sheep milk[kobi-gi][kakabadze2020]
Milk-clotting enzyme (the specification says the milk is set by enzyme and does not name rennet)[kobi-gi]
SaltDry salt, then a 16–18% brine[kobi-gi]

Total time across the recorded steps: 2.5 months – 2.7 months

Start
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What changes: Starting material: milk produced in Stepantsminda municipality

Step 1 of 9
Collect the milk
Time
Not documented
Temperature
Not documented
Salt
None given
Acidity
Not documented

Milk must be produced and processed within Stepantsminda municipality.

Flavour
Not documented
Texture
Not documented
Colour
Not documented

Microbes at work in this step

Not documented for this step.

Method

Measured measured in a studySet fixed by a specification or tested recipeReported one source reports itTypical a general value, not sourced for this fermentUnconfirmed not yet checked against a source

At a glance

Kobi is a large brined cheese from Stepantsminda municipality, in Khevi on the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus. The curd is set at 32–34 °C, cut, warmed again, held in packets until the whey is removed and left 6–8 hours in forms. It is dry-salted for 15–20 days until mucus forms, washed, and then kept in a 16–18 % brine for at least two months. Made in 9 steps over 2.5 months – 2.7 months. The longest step, keep in strong brine, takes at least 2 months (Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia 2012). Salt is 16–18 % (Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia 2012).

Key numbers
Main stepat least 2 monthsSet[kobi-gi]Keep in strong brine
Temperature32–34 °CSet[kobi-gi]Set the milk with enzyme
Salt16–18 %Set[kobi-gi]Keep in strong brine

What makes this one different

Kobi has two salting stages. It is first dry-salted for two to three weeks until a slimy surface layer forms, then washed and brined for two months or more. At 4.5–8 kg it is a large cheese, and the specification gives it no crust on top.

Rind
No crust on the round top
Size
Low cylinder 24–28 cm across, 10–14 cm high, with slightly prominent sides; 4.5–8 kg
Composition
Moisture at most 50%; fat in dry matter at least 46–48%; salt 4–7%

Related ferments

Safety

The specification calls for at least 2 months in a 16–18 % brine and gives the finished cheese 4–7 % salt.

History and sources

Every number is labelled with how it is known. How this atlas is made

Kobi was registered as a Georgian geographical indication in 2012, with the Ministry of Agriculture as applicant. Its specification limits making to Stepantsminda municipality.

Starter
The sources we found do not say how its fermentation begins.
Microbes
No study we found names its microbes.
  1. [kobi-gi] Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia, specification "კობი/KOBI", registered in Georgia as a geographical indication, reg. no. 12, 24 January 2012 (copy published by the UK government)spec
  2. [wp-gi-list] Wikipedia, Protected Geographical Indications for Georgian products (list only)wiki
  3. [gt-festival] Georgian National Tourism Administration, Tbilisi Cheese Festival page (lists "Kobi from Khevi" among the cheeses shown)web
  4. [wp-khevi] Wikipedia, Khevi (historical region; capital Stepantsminda, in Kazbegi district of Mtskheta-Mtianeti, on the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus)wiki
  5. [kakabadze2020] Kakabadze E. 2020, Study and Characterization of Biodiversity, Biotechnological and Probiotic Potential of Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated in Georgia, PhD thesis, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (Georgian text; section 1.3 summarises the registered cheeses)paper