Author Topic: Calcium Chloride - What & Where Buy & What Amount Use & How Well Work?  (Read 55319 times)

linuxboy

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Re: Calcium Chloride - What & Where Buy & What Amount Use & How Well Work?
« Reply #30 on: December 10, 2009, 09:48:51 PM »
Depends on how much. If you go above .02% by weight, you will get a chalky cheese. A little bit goes a long way. In general, for raw summer milk, there's just no need for it.

cath s

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Re: Calcium Chloride - What & Where Buy & What Amount Use & How Well Work?
« Reply #31 on: December 11, 2009, 09:18:07 PM »
I read somewhere in this thread that stupid questions are encouraged!!
so here goes....
CaChloride - dont you have to add it into your brine????  The brine making page states this?

All my milk is raw farm milk so I dont need it for that, but thought if I am going to get this brine thing correct I need it for that? 
PS I my Feta started melting in my brine  :'(.
Next brine I am going for whey instead of water.  and I assume I wont need CaCl.

cath s

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Re: Calcium Chloride - What & Where Buy & What Amount Use & How Well Work?
« Reply #32 on: December 11, 2009, 09:20:17 PM »
another question - do I need to add CaCl if I pasteurise my milk???
I havent so far.

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Calcium Chloride - What & Where Buy & What Amount Use & How Well Work?
« Reply #33 on: December 11, 2009, 09:49:28 PM »
Cath -

Not everyone uses calcium chloride in there brine mix. Some people just use salt and water. I prefer whey, salt, calcium chloride and vinegar for most cheeses. We all have our own thing.

cath s

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Re: Calcium Chloride - What & Where Buy & What Amount Use & How Well Work?
« Reply #34 on: December 11, 2009, 10:28:05 PM »
OK - I understand.  Its a trial and error thing I spose.

Sailor Con Queso

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Re: Calcium Chloride - What & Where Buy & What Amount Use & How Well Work?
« Reply #35 on: December 12, 2009, 05:45:06 AM »
The surface of higher fat cheeses can become very soft and slimy if you don't use Calcium chloride in your brine. If the calcium content of your brine is less than the calcium in your cheese, the calcium in the cheese will leech out into the brine.

cath s

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Re: Calcium Chloride - What & Where Buy & What Amount Use & How Well Work?
« Reply #36 on: December 12, 2009, 06:09:50 AM »
thks for that snippet of info Sailor - our herd is predominantly Jersey and our fat tests out at about 5% fat and will rise to about 7% by May.
I wonder if that will affect it.   I will store it away somewhere in my 'memory banks' -  8)

Offline Boofer

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Re: Calcium Chloride - What & Where Buy & What Amount Use & How Well Work?
« Reply #37 on: December 12, 2009, 08:17:24 AM »
Debi - vinegar in your brine/whey? How much? Why?

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Offline Ginger

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Re: Calcium Chloride - What & Where Buy & What Amount Use & How Well Work?
« Reply #38 on: December 13, 2009, 04:36:09 PM »
I made Havarti yesterday.  I ran out of liquid calcium chloride and bought some in a pellet form.  I mixed 16 oz of water with 1 oz of the pellet calc chl and my cheese came out perfect as far as I can tell.  I refilled my small bottle and put the rest in a jar in the fridge.  I think I have enough to last at least two years.  I have also been making my own meso culture with the buttermilk recipe.  My last six batches have been excellent.  I have another quart of yogurt sitting on the counter now getting ready. 

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Calcium Chloride - What & Where Buy & What Amount Use & How Well Work?
« Reply #39 on: December 18, 2009, 04:09:26 AM »
Boofer I add about a tablespoon to about a gallon of whey/brine. It seems to keep the mold from forming on my cheeses.

Offline Boofer

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Re: Calcium Chloride - What & Where Buy & What Amount Use & How Well Work?
« Reply #40 on: December 18, 2009, 04:41:29 AM »
Thanks, Debi. I'll add that to my list of tweaks.

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Sailor Con Queso

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Re: Calcium Chloride - What & Where Buy & What Amount Use & How Well Work?
« Reply #41 on: December 18, 2009, 06:31:10 AM »
The pH of your brine should approximate the pH of your cheese. You can use vinegar or citric acid to bring the pH down as needed.

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Calcium Chloride - What & Where Buy & What Amount Use & How Well Work?
« Reply #42 on: December 18, 2009, 07:13:14 PM »
That is another good use for vinegar I forgot to mention - adjusting the pH of your brine. It is particularly important if you are not using your whey for you brine mix.

wharris

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Re: Calcium Chloride - What & Where Buy & What Amount Use & How Well Work?
« Reply #43 on: December 18, 2009, 07:30:11 PM »
like sailor, i use a pinch or two (as confirmed by my pH meter) of Citric Acid to adjust brine.
Its cheap.  1lb for 3.75USD

Offline Boofer

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Re: Calcium Chloride - What & Where Buy & What Amount Use & How Well Work?
« Reply #44 on: December 19, 2009, 01:48:05 AM »
I have been adding salt to my whey and using that for the past several cheeses when I brine. That should be acidic enough, huh?

The justification that I read for adding vinegar was to ward off mold.

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Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.