Thanks to all of you for the comments. I'll be able to incorporate all of this advice since my make has to wait until tonight or tomorrow. Too many chores and errands used up the day yesterday.
It's supposed to add a nuttiness to the cheese. Since its a thermophile, I suppose it would be a stabilizer too.
What does stabilizer mean? LH in this case is used as a flavor adjunct.
The classic gouda starter is something from the LD blend. Meaning something meso that also produces some gas and diacetyl.
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I was under the impression that inclusion of a thermophilic culture would carry acidification further, slowly at lower temperature, once the mesophiles were done with their job, perhaps making for more continuity and structure within the cheese. I suppose if this is the case, it would be more apparent in a softer cheese. I guess that's unnecessary or ineffective in a harder cheese, especially in a washed curd. I may be way off the mark here.
I'll assume the TA61 won't add any particularly desireable flavor to the cheese, and doesn't serve any other positive effect, so I'll leave it out.
So Boofer, you got good reviews on your Roasted Garlic Gouda while it's still young. That's encouraging to know. I'll feel confident cutting into mine at 4 months if I need to tap into it for the holidays. Perhaps I'll make anothern one very soon to age longer. It would be a nice cheese for a February afternoon. I don't see how I could possibly wait a whole year without a third cheese. If only had more than one tomme mold I'd make two wheels in this batch.
When our little goat herd's production begins to flag my eye turns toward making more storage cheeses at the expense of my precious bloomies. Alas, that point is ariving early this year. I keep promising myself I'll plan my make schedule better next season.
I'm enjoying learinng about Goudas and looking forward to eating more of them. At this point I know more about Dutch beer than Dutch cheese, but that's changing quickly. I suspect they go together like sunshine and happiness though.