i dont have a ph tester yet so not sure if it should only be done once i have one.
You can do without. pH testing simply helps you hit targets and refine it, but not necessary when you're starting out.
-"If needed, add CaCl2 diluted in cold water" how does one know if its needed? is that when you have store bought milk? (which i will be doing)
Use CaCl2. Try around 1/2 tsp. diluted in 1/4 cup water for 2 gallons.
- "Add .8 ml double strength rennet..." nvm, just looked at mine and its double strength
If you can't measure that amount, go for possibly 3/16 tsp. double strength
-"Wait for flocculation" what??
Flocculation is a more precise way of calculating when to cut. Rather than waiting for a certain amount of time and eyeballing when the curd is firm enough to cut, you sterilize a container beforehand, float it on top of the milk after renneting, and when it doesn't spin or move around when you tap it anymore is your base time. Example, the tupperware won't spin at 10 minutes. I'm making a cheddar cheese. I've done research, and cheddar often has a floc factor of 3.5x. So I'll multiply 10 by 3.5, get 35, and wait that long from initial renneting to cut the curds. It's not perfect, but better than waiting for a "clean cut" as a clean cut for one type of cheese is different than another. I'm not going to put all the information on floc factors here, you should be able to find nice articles written on it, though.
- "soak the cheesecloth in pH 5.2 whey beforehand" is this the same whey you pour off? or from a previous batch?
Just dunk it into your whey
-"Press under own weight" does that mean no weight added or the equivalent of what it weighs?
This would typically mean you would stack a few other Tommes on top of it, or light pressure. Basically, what it weighs is fine, and it means you don't have to stress out about presses and stuff.
-"Brine in fully saturated brine" i can look this up
Add salt to warm water until no more goes in
-"Age 3-6 months at 50-55F, 85-92% RH (or higher if using special rind treatment or making a b linens variant). Natural or oil rubbed rind." how do you go about choosing which way?
Depends which you prefer. You'll get more flavor going natural, but can't guarantee it'll be flavor you like. Oil you would rub on after at least a week or two, maybe weekly or biweekly, just enough to lightly coat the surface, but there shouldn't be liquid oil. Imagine oiling wood. You do just as much as soaks in, and wipe any else off. This means the rind won't be as funky and you won't have to worry about that.
-"To help with natural rind development, you can use Micodore, Mycoderm, Geo, b linens, Micrococci, etc or a complex surface culture mix like PLA from Danisco." all of them? how do you choose? preference? what are they? whyyyy???
They're just things that you can inoculate the cheese with to get certain characteristics and/or keep wild molds from taking over. Not necessary at your stage.
as you can see, i know NOTHING and am pretty overwhelmed with all cultures/bacterias/words/calculations/methods/and crazy knowledge everyone seems to have :S
Just read around on the forum and you'll learn a lot. Also make sure to take notes of what happens during the process (mine usually has times on it, and just when i did what, and if i messed anything up) don't trust to memory. I can give you a little list of a few useful threads to read on here if you'd like.
And please ask if you have any more questions or if you'd like anything expanded on.