I can't get cow's milk to set

[Martin]

I've been making cheese almost 5 years. I make mostly fresh cheeses, chevre and fromage blanc. I regularly make Mary Karlin's Bloomy Blue Goat. About two years ago I started having trouble getting cow's milk to set. (I have since made a lot of cream cheese.) I use exactly the same ingredients and follow instructions *very* carefully. I now always increase the rennet by about half if using cow's milk. (Should I also increase calcium chloride?) Sometimes it turns hard and rubbery. Occasionally it works out. I think I've had about two successes since this started. I just tried another cheese and it didn't set. Very frustrated. Any ideas?

[Lamblady]

Where do you get this milk from? If this is from one particular cow you may never get it to work as she genetically does not produce components necessary to make cheese. This happened to us...sold that cow.

[Chetty]

There are a couple of things that come to my mind.  Try using filtered water to dilute your rennet I have had problems with chlorine in tap water.  Check the expiration date on the rennet had that problem (when you are making a 40 gallon batch it makes you very upset.). Last but not least is there a chance of antibiotics in the milk it won't set if there is. 

Hope you figure it out. 

[Martin]

I solved this problem by using Strauss milk. Theirs is the only local milk that works. Not even the other high end organic dairys will work. I use only distilled water.