I just cut into my first cheddar, which was also my second attempt at cheese making (my first being a farmhouse cheddar) and it has been a success. Actually, I had cut into this cheddar, as well as my farmhouse, after 2 months of aging and it was fine but obviously needed to age further. So I re-waxed it and put it back into the cave. Tonight we are having a neighborhood get-together and I decided that it was time to see if It was ready for consumption. It has been a week shy of 5 months and I am very pleased with the results, so I will bring it out for it's long awaited unveiling.
The farmhouse cheddar is another story. So far I have tested two of my farmhouse batches and they are both bitter. They will not be shared with friends, but my wife has some thoughts for their use in cooking where the bitterness could be a plus. So they will not go to waste, but I am not sure if I will spend time on the farmhouse recipe again.
At any rate, as a newbie finally getting to reap the results of last winter's foray into cheesemaking, I am happy.