Hoop Size vs Milk Volume (& Starter Culture Formats Question)

[sawhett]

Hi all,
Newbie here. Couple of questions; I am using 3 different books for reference, but none seem to go too deeply into moulds (forming) I want to attempt a Stilton using a 2 gal. recipe, but am slighly intimidated by the warnings I've read on being being prepared for quantity. What mould should I use? RC's book says a 2 lb., but that's not too specific.

Also, pertaining to cultures; what exactly is the difference between a "direct-set" culture and any other?

Thanks,
Bill

[Cheese Head]

sawhett/Bill

Our Wiki: Milk Yields discusses final cheese weights from milk for different cheese types. For Stilton you'll probably need a mold/hoop about twice the size of curds before they fully drain and you press a little. Size ratings for manufactured molds are the final cheese weight. What are you going to use for your mold/hoop?

Direct Set or Direct Vat Inoculation is a term for a format of culture that you had directly to your vat (ie stockpot etc) of milk. these are commonly manufactured freeze dried or for some commercial cheese makers, frozen. Other types you have to incubate first. Some more info in our Wiki: Starter Cultures Function, but that article needs some work.

[sawhett]

Hi John,
That was my question; I'm not sure whichmold to use.

[Cheese Head]

OK, got it, sorry for delay, went with family & visitors to Galveston for the day.

In theory a Stilton could be made in many different shapes but historically they are cylindrical shaped with height little taller than diameter. There's some good videos here worth watching. While if I remember correctly they don't press, effectovely they are lightly pressed as they are large cylinders. Therefore for your relatively small Stilton you should press a little, few pounds.

For hoop size I expect a ~15 cm/6 inch diameter x ~25 cm/10 in hoop should work fine for 2 US gallon cheese.

Have fun!

[sawhett]

Thanks John,
I ordered an 8X8X6. Sound OK?

[Cheese Head]

Too big, sounds like you've ordered a Tomme shaped cylindrical 8 in diameter x 6 in tall mold, hope not a rectangular mold! The supplier that you ordered the mold from should have a final cheese weight rating.

6 in diameter mold has a cross section area of 3.14 x 3 x 3 = 28.3 in2, 8" = 50.2 in, almost twice as big.

Depending on recipe and how you make your cut curds, they can shrink by 25-75% which is a big range in initial sized curds. Here's one of my batches which used 2 US gallons in a 6" diameter home made PVC pipe hoop (ignore method, there are better in the Blue Cheese Board and bamboo mat, not good as harbours unwanted molds).

I now make Gouda's using a 7" diameter Kadova brand Gouda shaped mold using 4 US gallons of whole cow's milk, the mold is ~7" high and the unpressed cut curds just fit and my final cheese is ~4 in high.

So I think your 8" diameter will probably be good for 4 US gallon batches. If you are fixed on making 2 US gallon batches I would try and switch your order to a 6" diameter mold. If can't then good news is you have room to upsize in future (bigger cheeses are easier to age)! Meanwhile your wheels will be thin, if you look in the blue cheese threads you will see several people making disk shaped wheels of Stilton. While not the ideal historical shape, it does work!

[Spoons]

Hi sawhett,

Being new to cheese making myself, I asked myself the same question. I usually make 3 gallon batches and here are some notes I took doing pressed cheeses:

4" cylindrical mould : 6.1 inches high (too high)
4.75" cylindrical mould : 4.3" inches high
5" cylindrical mould : 3.9 inches high
6" cylindrical mould : 2.7 inches high
7" tomme mould : 2 inches high

The 4.75" and 5" cylindrical moulds are quite nice for 3 gallon batches if you want a thicker result IMO.