Stinky's Fast Ripening Double Gloucester #1

[Stinky]

I used Dulcelife's DG with Adjunct Thermo recipe, to see if this was a nice short ripening option.

4/30/15

Ingredients

2 gallons whole p/h milk
1/32 tsp. MM100
1/32 tsp. MM100
1/32 tsp. Thermo B
20 drops annatto [the recipe called for 50!!!!!!!]
1/4 tsp. CaCl2
1/2 tsp. calf rennet
1 1/2 tbsp. salt

10:55 Started heating milk to 86º F
11:11 Reached 86º F, added 1/32 tsp. MM100, ripen for 30
11:41 Add 1/32 tsp. MM100 and Thermo B, ripen for 1 hour
12:41 Add annatto, whisk in, leave for 15
12:56 Add CaCl2, rest for 5, [assumedly add rennet]
1:07 Floc 11 min, 3.5x
1:39-1:46 Cut curds to 1/4 inch, rest for 10
1:56 Jiggle for 5, stir for 5
2:06 Stir, raising to 99º F over 45 minutes
2:51 Drain, stir dry for 5 minutes
9:00 pH ~5.4 Mill to 1-1-1/2 in pieces, salt with 1 1/2 tbsp
Wax

Cut yesterday at 3 weeks. It's very good. Actually pretty much exactly like a mildish storebought cheddar at this point. But there are no defects, it has nice creaminess, and a good paste with very few mechanical holes, and I expect those are all from poor knit.

[jmason]

Nice one stinky.  What's your guess is it at it's prime or will it benefit from a few more weeks aging?  I take it that rather than crumbling the curd to mill it that you cubed it?  Do you think it was the addition of the thermo b that was a ripening hastener or some other factor ( I ask since I added a little thermo to my caerphilly a few days ago, not sure why, I just had a hunch)?  AC4U and thanks for your suggestions on my other post.

John

[Stinky]

Nice one stinky.  What's your guess is it at it's prime or will it benefit from a few more weeks aging?  I take it that rather than crumbling the curd to mill it that you cubed it?  Do you think it was the addition of the thermo b that was a ripening hastener or some other factor ( I ask since I added a little thermo to my caerphilly a few days ago, not sure why, I just had a hunch)?  AC4U and thanks for your suggestions on my other post.

John

Thank you! It's going to be better in a few more weeks, I think. Right now it's pleasant, but not really stunning. I did cube it, yes. I think it was the Thermo B, but I'm not completely sure. I was working off another's recipe and have yet to delve into the theory behind this branch of cheesemaking. What you should not assume is that Thermo=fast ripening. Thank you for the cheese! 

[jmason]

Yeah I wouldn't assume that nessesarily.  I think my rational was that my make reached thermo happy temps, and where a thermo culture may make a cam too firm that extra firmness could be  a benefit in caerphilly.  On the other hand it might have been a case of "oh hell, let's throw some of that in there too".  Interesting pattern left from your mold btw.

John

[Stinky]

Mmmmmhphhhhh.

Taking along the rest of this to a family get-together to finish off, and it's so much better than when I first tried it. Then, it was plebeian. Now, it's delightful. Smooth, buttery, slightly cheddary, creamy... Augh. Will make again if at all possible. And it's been in the refrigerator the whole time since I first ate it.