Press-tions?

[MarshmallowBlue]

Hey folks, I have some press-tions (questions about presses).

So first off, I make small batches of cheese (1 gallon at a time). I'll be getting my hands on a small cheese press soon (4"). The press goes up to 50 lbs. A lot of the recipes I see on cheesemaking.com are suited for 2-6 gallons of milk and have pressing amounts for 2+ lbs of cheese. What kind of adjustments need to be made for 1lb cheeses?

Cheerse (cheese & cheers combined)

[smolt1]

Your maximum pressure with 50 lbs on a 4 inch diameter mold is about 4 PSI ( see cheese press calculator on this forum). 4 PSI is probably not enough pressure to get a good knit on a Cheddar type. For 6 gallons you need a larger diameter mold and more pressing weight.

[MarshmallowBlue]

Your maximum pressure with 50 lbs on a 4 inch diameter mold is about 4 PSI ( see cheese press calculator on this forum). 4 PSI is probably not enough pressure to get a good knit on a Cheddar type. For 6 gallons you need a larger diameter mold and more pressing weight.

Sorry, is that for 1 gallon cheese or 5-6 gallon cheese? I'm only making 1 gallon cheese.

[smolt1]

The weight on your cheese is determined by your press.

The pressure on your cheese is determined by your press AND the diameter of your mold.

If the recipe only gives pressing weight and not pressure you can assume ( most of the time and depending on the author ) that a 4 to 4 1/2 inch diameter mold is used. 

[MarshmallowBlue]

Okay, I didn't know if you needed more/ less weight of pressure to knit cheese based on it being 1 lb instead of 2 or more pounds.

[awakephd]

To add to Bob's answer, the key is not really the amount of weight applied; it is the amount of weight per unit of surface area. In the US, this is generally given in terms of PSI (pounds per square inch).

The formula to determine the PSI is weight / ((radius of mold)^2 * pi). So for a 50 lb weight on a 4" diameter mold (2" radius), you would get 50/(2^2 * pi) = 50 / 12.57 = approx. 4 PSI.

If you know the intended mold size for the 5-6 lb. cheese and the amount of weight recommended, you can work out the PSI for that make, then see how much weight you need to apply to your smaller mold to get the same PSI. If you are really a glutton for punishment, here is a post exploring the relationship between volume of cheese and size of mold: http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,14911.msg114054.html#msg114054

Alternately, you can take the empirical approach: at first, add just enough weight to get a trickle of whey coming out; gradually increase, flipping the cheese with each increase, until you get a good knit. In the case of a cheddar or other hard-to-knit cheese, I'd recommend using everything your little press will give you for the final pressing. Evaluate the results, and make adjustments the next time around.

[MarshmallowBlue]

It's a spring loaded press, so I'm not adding any weight (although I know this doesn't change the pressure equation). This one http://www.ebay.com/itm/STAINLESS-STEEL-HDPE-SPRING-ASSISTED-CHEESE-PRESS-/291614781124?hash=item43e5986ec4:g:-bsAAOSw-7RVD~Em , Not sure if it applies up to 50 pounds or 50 PSI, but that's what I got.

If cheddar is out of the question, what other types of hard cheese can I make?

[smolt1]

It is 50 lbs.

50 PSI would take 628 lbs of weight  on a 4 inch mold!

[MarshmallowBlue]

It is 50 lbs.

50 PSI would take 628 lbs of weight  on a 4 inch mold!

I figured this, since my car's tires are only like 33 PSI. So going back to my other questions;

What kind of hard cheeses can be made with only 4PSI of pressure?

[smolt1]

You might still be able to do a milled curd like a Cheddar if you keep the curds warm while pressing.

[OzzieCheese]

A Caerphilly doesn't require as much as a Cheddar

-- Mal

[Andrew Marshallsay]

For what it's worth, the two cheddars I've made have only gone to 48lb on a 16cm mould. Now by my calculations that's about 1.5 PSI and the knit has been fine. I recall seeing a post somewhere on the forum which made the point that a good knit is as much about time as it is about weight. (Unfortunately, I can't locate it)

[MarshmallowBlue]

Ok thanks everyone, I guess the next step is to test it out and see where I get! Cheers!

[Boofer]

What kind of hard cheeses can be made with only 4PSI of pressure?

Tilsit, Tomme, Maasdam, Saint Paulin, Montasio....

-Boofer-