Raw milk and cultures

[Hande]

I use mother culture (1%) my cheddar when I get my extech and it takes over 4 hours to go renneting point.
I was in "danger zone" maybe bit too long time, huh
But I make that mother culture earlier without pH meter and don't know how strong it was.
I should make now new mc with pH meter, and look pH curves with it.

I don't know have anybody else that problem that pH drops too fast in press and it goes over your marks before cheese in properly press ?
And if add more culture to get renneting point in time, how fast pH drops then in press..

Hande

[Sailor Con Queso]

Hande,

You should be able to add rennet within just a few minutes after adding Mother Culture. Your pH should drop by about .1 - example: from 6.6 to 6.5. If your pH is not dropping enough, you need to check your procedures when making the MC and/or add more MC to start. I use 1-1/2% for cheddars.

Bacteria all have different "pH curves". The acid production generally starts out slow and then really accelerates a few hours into the make. If your acid production is too slow, you can also try a different mix of bacteria. Aromatic B for example is a very slow acid producer.

[Hande]

Sailor,
Yes I need to do fresh mother culture and add it after few minutes and look how that goes.
Maybe first of I need to start study what kind curves each one culture have.

Helen, sorry that hijack..

Hande