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Look across a cheese counter and one of the first things you'll notice is just how different the outsides can be. Some cheeses are covered in a soft, snowy-white coat. Others have sticky orange rinds, rough grey surfaces, dry brown crusts or almost no rind at all. These differences are not simply cosmetic.

A cheese rind is often an active part of the ageing process. It can influence how quickly moisture leaves the cheese, which microorganisms grow on its surface, how the paste softens and, ultimately, how the cheese tastes. So why does Brie develop a fluffy white coat while another cheese becomes orange, sticky or rustic? It all comes down to how the cheese is made — and what happens to it after it leaves the vat.

What exactly is a cheese rind?

The rind is the outer surface of a cheese that develops as it matures. As soon as a fresh cheese is formed, its exterior starts interacting with the environment around it. Moisture begins to leave the surface. Salt affects what can grow there. Oxygen reaches the outside of the cheese, while the temperature and humidity of the ageing room influence which moulds, yeasts and bacteria are able to establish themselves.

The cheesemaker or affineur can then guide this process by washing, brushing, turning or simply leaving the cheese alone. Over time, that surface develops into what we recognise as the rind. But not every rind develops in the same way.

Bloomy rinds: the soft white ones

Think of Brie or Camembert. Their familiar white coating is known as a bloomy rind. These cheeses are encouraged to develop white moulds on their surface, most commonly cultures associated with Penicillium candidum or Penicillium camemberti. As the mould grows, it creates the soft white exterior we recognise immediately. But the rind isn't just sitting on top of the cheese. It actively helps ripen it.

Enzymes produced at the surface gradually move into the paste, breaking down proteins and changing the texture of the cheese. This is why a young Brie may be quite firm in the centre, while a more mature one becomes soft and creamy beneath the rind. The cheese is effectively ripening from the outside inward.

Washed rinds: orange, sticky and often very aromatic

Washed-rind cheeses follow a very different path.

During ageing, their surfaces are regularly washed or rubbed with a liquid. That might be brine, but depending on the cheese it can also include beer, wine, cider or spirits. The washing creates a moist, salty environment that encourages certain yeasts and bacteria to thrive.

As the rind develops, it can become yellow, orange, pink or reddish, often with a slightly sticky texture. These surface cultures are responsible for the famous aromas associated with washed-rind cheeses. And yes — sometimes those aromas can be powerful. But a strong-smelling rind does not necessarily mean the cheese itself will taste equally strong. Many washed-rind cheeses have surprisingly gentle, savoury or creamy interiors. Examples include cheeses such as Taleggio, Munster and Pont Leveque.

Natural rinds: when the cellar does the work

Not every cheese has specific mould cultures applied to its surface. Some are allowed to develop what is known as a natural rind. As the cheese ages, moisture gradually leaves the surface and naturally occurring moulds, yeasts and bacteria establish themselves.

The affineur may brush or rub the cheese to control what develops, but the rind often retains a wonderfully rustic appearance. Natural rinds might be grey, brown, beige or mottled with different colours. They can look dusty, rough or uneven. And that's perfectly normal. These rinds are especially common on cheeses that are aged for longer periods.

The rind becomes something of a protective outer layer while the paste inside slowly matures.

Why do some hard cheeses have such thick rinds?

Long-aged cheeses have a very different challenge from a Brie that might mature in a matter of weeks. They need to survive months — sometimes years — in the ageing room. During that time, moisture is continually leaving the cheese. The outside gradually becomes firmer and drier, forming a strong protective rind.

On large wheels such as Parmigiano Reggiano or many Alpine-style cheeses, this outer layer helps protect the paste while allowing the cheese to continue ageing slowly. The rind is therefore closely linked to the cheese's size and intended ageing time. A cheese designed to mature for two years needs a very different surface from one designed to be eaten after two weeks.

Why are some rinds rubbed or coated?

Cheesemakers have found all sorts of ways to influence the surface of cheese. Some cheeses are rubbed with oil. Others may be coated in herbs, spices, ash or other ingredients. These treatments can influence moisture loss, surface microorganisms and flavour.

Ash is particularly associated with a number of traditional goat cheeses. Historically, ash helped protect the surface of fresh cheese and manage acidity. Today, it is also an important part of the appearance and character of cheeses such as Morbier and many French goat cheeses.

Some cheeses may also be rubbed with oil during ageing to prevent the surface becoming excessively dry. Again, the rind becomes part of the cheesemaker's toolkit.

And what about cheese with no rind?

Some cheeses are simply not aged long enough to develop one.

Fresh cheeses such as ricotta, mascarpone and fresh chèvre are designed to be eaten relatively soon after production. They retain plenty of moisture and do not undergo the same extended surface ripening. Other cheeses are aged inside wax, plastic or another protective coating. In these cases, the surface is largely isolated from the ageing-room environment. That prevents a traditional rind from developing and greatly reduces moisture loss.

This is one reason a cheese matured under wax can behave very differently from one left exposed on a cellar shelf.

What controls which rind develops?

Several things come together to determine what happens on the outside of a cheese.

Moisture is critical. A damp surface supports very different microorganisms from a dry one.

Salt matters too. Salt helps control unwanted organisms while favouring others that are important to particular cheese styles.

Then there is temperature and humidity. An ageing cellar kept at high humidity will produce very different rind development from a dry environment.

Oxygen also matters because many rind organisms need access to air.

And finally, there is the affineur. Turning, brushing, washing and rubbing the cheese can dramatically influence which organisms dominate and how the rind evolves.

So while a rind may look natural and effortless, there is often a great deal of careful work behind it.

Is cheese rind edible?

This is probably one of the questions we're asked most often.

And the answer is: Sometimes.

Many traditional cheese rinds are perfectly edible. Bloomy rinds, washed rinds and many natural rinds are intended to be part of the cheese experience. Eating a small amount of rind with the paste can give you a better understanding of how the flavours change from the outside toward the centre. But that doesn't mean you have to eat every rind.

Some very hard aged rinds can be unpleasantly tough. Others may have been coated in wax or another non-edible material. And ultimately, rind can be a matter of personal preference. If you're unsure, ask your cheesemonger.

The rind can tell you how a cheese was aged

Once you start paying attention to rinds, they become clues.

A soft white coat tells you that surface mould has played an important role in ripening.

A sticky orange rind suggests regular washing and a carefully managed surface ecosystem.

A dry, rustic rind may point toward long, slow natural ageing.

A thick hard rind often indicates that the cheese was built to mature for many months or years.

The rind is effectively a record of what happened to the cheese during its time in the ageing room.

More than just the outside

It can be tempting to think of the rind as packaging around the cheese. But in many traditional cheeses, it is much more than that.

It is alive with microorganisms.

It controls moisture.

It protects the paste.

It helps develop flavour.

And in some cheeses, it drives the entire ripening process.

So next time you're standing at the cheese counter, don't just look at what's inside. Take a closer look at the outside too. Because before you even cut into a cheese, its rind is already telling you part of its story.