Author Topic: Best source for info on cultures?  (Read 2325 times)

Offline Tiarella

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Best source for info on cultures?
« on: May 28, 2013, 04:27:14 PM »
Hello Forum Members,

I'm wondering if anyone knows a good source of descriptions for a WIDE range of cultures.  I really wish it was all in one place but so far it seems like it is scattered all over.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Kathrin

P.S. attempting to make a buttery blue with natural rind today......

linuxboy

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Re: Best source for info on cultures?
« Reply #1 on: May 28, 2013, 04:33:56 PM »
The library here has many data sheets. What do you want to know? Often easiest to ask, there are a few thousand commercially available products among all the major makers.

Smurfmacaw

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Re: Best source for info on cultures?
« Reply #2 on: May 28, 2013, 04:38:24 PM »
Kathrin,

try www.getculture.com - has a very good description of each of the varied cultures and molds they carry.  They are the retail side of Dairy Connection.  I've had good luck with them.

also an up and comer is artisangeek.com - website is still under development but some good descriptions and a great selection.  It belongs to one of the members of the group - iratherfly.  Just placed an order for a few things so we'll see how things go but it seems like a quality operation.  Can't wait until he gets his website fully populated.

cheers

Mike

Smurfmacaw

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Re: Best source for info on cultures?
« Reply #3 on: May 28, 2013, 04:48:48 PM »
How about that....the library is even better.  Guess I won't be getting anything done for the rest of the day  ::)

Offline Tiarella

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Re: Best source for info on cultures?
« Reply #4 on: May 28, 2013, 04:58:24 PM »
Thanks, LB and Smurfmacaw,

I do use GetCulture.com but if I remember correctly it doesn't have all the items I have in my freezer.  Not that I have a huge selection of cultures, just that I have a few oddballs I guess.  Yoav/iratherfly's site does not really have descriptions and while I know he intends to get to that it may be a while.  I have bought most of my cultures from him in the year I've been making cheese.  I have printed out the list of cultures from various sources but again, there's not everything there.

What I'm really hoping to find is a simple descriptions for each such as:
MD 89 Culture
(MD 89) Mesophilic
Used in combination with other mesophilic cultures to enhance the flavor in fresh cheeses and soft ripened cheeses: Brie/Camembert, Chevre, Blue This culture is not normally used just by itself (it will not produce enough acid in the cheese). This culture is used to enhance flavor (buttery) and produce some small eyes in cheese such Edam or Havarti. Suggest use as a flavor enhancer for your cheese.
Contains:
   (LLD) Lactococccus lactis subsp. biovar diacetylactis



Just something simple to help me keep track of what does what.  I'd especially like it for things that will influence my rind.  I have a partial listing that has this type of info........
The ones I'd like still more info on but not a hugely technical, wade through it type of info:
MVA, Mycodore, PLA, Abiasa Thermophile Type B, LBC 80


linuxboy

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Re: Best source for info on cultures?
« Reply #5 on: May 28, 2013, 05:52:28 PM »
Quote
(it will not produce enough acid in the cheese).
It will, just more slowly. By itself, generally in commercial, production for most cheeses, it's not optimal. But with a 74F long fermentation of a lactic style, it's a great single strain.

Quote
I'd like still more info on but not a hugely technical,
Trouble is that the info really needs to be technical to be useful, especially when you get into systemics with multispecies interaction.

At a high level:
- MVA: this is staph xylosus. It's a micrococci. Look up the micrococci on the forum. It's a primary or adjunct  smear species. You can use by itself or in combination with b linens and/or arthrobacter for a morge.
- Mycodore,  Kind of a funky rind treatment. Gives you something like p candidum in look, but with different mat and aroma profile. Often in tommes.
- PLA,   Classic peasant look, complete mix  of rind in a package. Makes the classic straw color of many french hard cheese. Not quite as normande specific as ARN in Danisco's line.
- Biena Thermophile Type B.  Use in italian types that are fresher, like mozz. Also decent for alpines with an adjunct
- LBC 80.  rhamonosus. Useful for mild bacterial protection and mild additional flavor potential. Not nearly as much peptidase as paracasei. Look to other LBCs first if you want more flavor, bitterness control, etc. But it can make for an interesting light flavor boost when you don't want a heavier hand.

tnbquilt

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Re: Best source for info on cultures?
« Reply #6 on: May 29, 2013, 12:02:40 AM »
I've been doing the same thing. Comparing recipes and reading about cultures. I want to buy some cultures but I don't want to buy two that could be used for the same thing. I have read on the forum a lot and it seems that a lot of people put the flora danico in their Caerphilly. I want to make a few things, well actually a whole lot of things. I want to make a Stilton, a Caerphilly, and some Gouda. Some of these recipes in my books call for a LM 57 and it's listed as adds a butter flavor to Stilton and Gouda when used with a Mesophilic culture.

Is this what flora danico does? None of my books have flora danico in the Caerphilly, so I am wondering what flavor does it add? Could I buy the LM 57 and use it instead? Or should I buy the Flora Danico for all of the cheeses instead?

So much research to do....