Awake, I'm sure this isn't news to you, so please forgive the intrusion to your thread. But in case other, less experienced people might find this useful, here's my $.02 on Pav and others.
Dig through his stuff. Pav (Linuxboy) has been the single greatest source of help and information for me. He's unqualifiedly the most knowledgeable person I've met, and that goes way beyond cheesemaking and dairy science. There are a few others - in no intended order, as they've all been so helpful:
Alpkäserei, too, has played a pivotal role in my approach to alpine cheesemaking (my singular love, really). It's Alp and Pav who together lit my fire in embracing a traditional approach to making the hard alpines - whey cultures (as opposed to pure, bought culture strains), traditional methods, making one's own rennet, etc. Really, embracing the traditions codified since at least the time of Caesar, traditions that have stood the test of time in making truly extraordinary alpine cheeses (Alp's love is justifiably all things Swiss, and mine, all things Savoie) almost in defiance of the incessant press of modernity.
Jim Wallace is an expert in all things Alpine as well, and he's got tremendous information to sift through (check out his thoughts here, his recipes and/or classes on New England Cheesemaking.com, or his
blog).
Also, for what it's worth, I've learned tons from Francois (in particular, cave construction, pyrenees tomme making, thoughts on Beaufort, alpine affinage, semi-firm makes and cultures generally), and Sailor as well. Sailor is a trained microbiologist.