Author Topic: Salt Water Brine Milky?  (Read 2652 times)

wharris

  • Guest
Salt Water Brine Milky?
« on: November 28, 2008, 01:39:13 PM »
I am soaking some havarti in a salt water brine.  (1tbsp salt/quart water)

3 hours into a 6 hour soak, my brine water is now a milky white. I cannot see the bottom of my 2 gallon pot that i am using as brine tank.  The cheese is otherwise solid and semi-floating.

Is this normal?

I was not expecting the Brine water to turn milky.

-Wayne.

Tea

  • Guest
Re: Salt Water Brine Milky?
« Reply #1 on: November 28, 2008, 08:06:19 PM »
Mozz is another cheese that I find turns the brine milky.  I think it depends on how much whey is left in the cheese.  That's been my experience anyway.
Keep us updated, I'm looking forward to seeing this cheese.

wharris

  • Guest
Re: Salt Water Brine Milky?
« Reply #2 on: November 29, 2008, 02:54:06 PM »
OK,  well I made two batches of havarti to see if that same milky  brine water would re-occur.  It did indeed re-occur.  So, perhaps this is normal.
Here are some pictures:
4 inch Cheeses: 
(Notice the one Kadova mould)


8in wheel:


Tea

  • Guest
Re: Salt Water Brine Milky?
« Reply #3 on: November 29, 2008, 08:24:52 PM »
I agree that the kadova mould give a very professional finish.  How did you find the mould to use.  Was it worth the price, and do you think that they are going to hard wearing and long lasting?
Seriously looking into these.
Congrats on the cheeses too, they are looking great at this stage.  Are you still going to do the washed rind with the bacteria?

Likesspace

  • Guest
Re: Salt Water Brine Milky?
« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2008, 03:31:54 AM »
Hi guys,
I just posted this same information in a previous thread....
From my experience I've found that the reason the brine turns milky is because it is either melting or leeching your cheese. The cause is that the acidity of the brine is completely different from the acidity of your cheese.
The solution to this problem is really simple...
Simply save the whey from the cheese you make and produce your brine solution from this whey. That way your cheese and the brine solution will be of the same acidity.
I use this method religiously during the manufacture of Gouda, Mozzerella, Provolone and Swiss (except when I forget). Since I've been doing this, I have not had any problem with my cheese melting or leeching out into the brine solution.
Hope this helps.

Dave