So, finally this post.
I made a gouda on monday 12th October. Eating it during christmas, since I want to age it for 60 days.
I had been thinking for a while about how to handle large batches with no equipment, and this is my final recipe. I know it's not really specific, but it seems to work for me.
Starting point:
2 dl buttermilk starter
4 9-liter buckets of raw milk (from a farm) - probably only 8 liters in each bucket, since 9 is the theoretical volume
4 spoonfuls liquid rennet
Ripening:
Open buckets in room temperature (milk temp around 6C at this point). Pour in 0,5 dl buttermilk in each bucket.
Warm buckets two at a time in sink (poured boiling water in the sink as quickly as my 1,5-liter water boiler allowed). When each bucket reaches 28C, add rennet (one spoonful) and move onto table to coagulate. I had added rennet into each of them after 2 hours (yes, my warming method was slow, and I could not warm them all at once).
When each bucket coagulates (the first one did in a short while after completing the previous step for the last bucket), cut curds, let stand for 5-10mins, mix, cut any large curds, let stand while doing this for bucket #2. Pour out half of the liquid, merge buckets 1 & 2. Wash the merged curds with 1-2 liters near-boiling water until 38C. Move curds to form. By now you should be able to repeat with 3 & 4.
Pressed using one of the buckets filled with water. First one hour, then overnight... all together 9 hours. Then 24 hours saturated brining, 24 hours drying at room temp, then fridge (9C).
The cheese is now 1,5 weeks old, nearly dry to touch, and a nice beatiful yellow rind formed.
Pics taken right after pressing.
The hand with the ring is for picture scale indication only.