Cheese Cloth - Plyban

[Cloversmilker]

Does anyone use this?  Have any opinions? 

I've always used cotton cheesecloth or butter muslin.  I've had a couple of spectacular sticking episodes  with goudas lately though, so have started wondering about virtues and flaws of synthetic cheesecloth.

Thank you in advance for any opinions or anecdotes,
Mina

[Cheese Head]

Hi Cloversmilk/Mina, never heard of Polyban, can you provide a link and/or picture?

Sounds like you are looking for material to line molds/hoops to press cheese like Gouda in (vs cloth to drain curds in). There's some info in the EQUIPMENT - Forming Cheese Board including one thread here on Plyban and one here on Nylon/Polyester and one here on plastic mesh.

Also there are some threads on how to avoid sticking cheese cloths in the Methods - Forming Board, another option some people posting here have done is to use cloth to line the hoop in the early pressings then remove and press unlined for the final pressings, which also helps to reduce cloth fold lines.

Hope helps!

[Cloversmilker]

Thanks for the quick reply.  I apologize for misspelling 'plyban' in my post, so alas, there is no new and different synthetic cheesecloth named polyban.  It looks like people use plyban and like it.  And also that it is not the same as the disposable which I was also curious about.  I may order some of one or the other soon.

Is anyone else concerned about chemicals from polyester/plastic meshes leaching into the cheese?  I tend to be a worrywart about such things.  I prefer to use stainless molds, meshes, etc when possible. 

I did read some of the tips regarding cheesecloth sticking to the molded cheese.  I have tried soaking the cheesecloth in whey.  It may have helped, but there remained a serious sticking problem.  In the past I have very serious sticking problems with parms and other cheeses using thermophilic cultures.  I haven't tried making any of those cheeses lately though.  Maybe if I learn more about the 'why of sticking', I'll figure out how to alleviate. 

Thanks again,
Mina

[smilingcalico]

For gouda I would invest in a kadova mold.  I make cheese 3 days a week, and I am grateful for them.  I've not been told there nets are plyban, but they might be.  I've only seen plyban on the web, but it looks quite similar.  They can stick, if you use too much pressure (I have a finicky old pneumatic press).  But there is a trick if that happens.  Turn the cheese and netting out of the mold.  Use a knife or other scraping device to shave the little nubs off all over that have squished through.  Carefully start to peel the netting away and watch for any sticking points you may have missed.  Flip it and put back in netting and mold.  Proceed where you were.
But if money is an issue, there are "tea towels"at Walmart that make perfect cheese cloth.  Cheap, come in a four pack and they are hemmed to boot!  My 2¢.

[susanky]

I LOVE plyban!  I think Sailor uses it too.  I originally got mine from Hoeggers catalog.  It is reusable.  Nothing sticks to it!  It is fantastic.  Now I won't use anything else.  Of course the kadova molds are nice too.  Just costly.
Susan

[susanky]

BTW, it is sold by another cheesemaking company (out of Canada I think) but under a different name.  Maybe someone will post the link.  Or I will look it up later when I get a chance.
Susan

[Hande]

Maybe I can give my experience at cheesecloth here.
Before I use plain cotton fine cheesecloth and have problems especially with hard pressed raw milk cheese.
Now I found synthetic cheesecloth and I don't have sticking problems any more 

Hande

[zenith1]

Glengarry Cheesemaking does carry it .I have used it and it works as advertised. Here is the link their website                                                            http://www.glengarrycheesemaking.on.ca/

[Cheese Head]

Sorry Cloversmilker, should have realized you meant Plyban and was just a typo. Happy trails!

[Cloversmilker]

Well, I haven't tried plyban yet, but the local brew store had an opened bag of the synthetic disposable they sold to me cheap.  They apparently had it for years and I was the first person interested.    That should have tipped me off.  But no, I took it home and cut off enough to press my 2 two pound fontinas.  It gave way at the bottom rim in pressing both cheeses.  One just ripped a little, but a large tongue of cheese was pressed out of the other cheese.     Nothing like this has ever happened to my cheeses before.   It looks to me like the disposable should only be used for draining and light pressing.  It did give me a chance to check the internal texture of the fontinas (my first!) when I trimmed off the tongue.  It looks very nice.    

[albert7]

I have tried to track down the company which makes the Plyban poly cheesecloth. I have been unable to find them. I did find that there is a poly row cover for gardening which seems to be the same thing - only sold in long strips. It looks to me as though the small pieces sold for use in making cheese are just an expensive way to buy the same product. I am waiting for a reply from the company I found selling the garden version: www.hyfab.com / home products / gardener'scorner / products.

[smilingcalico]

Good find Albert7.  I imagine you are right.  I was at a cheese factory last week, and they were cutting off pieces from a larger roll.  As an edit to my previous post in this thread, I now know the kadova mold netting is NOT the same as plyban. 

[Threelittlepiggiescheese]

I have tried to track down the company which makes the Plyban poly cheesecloth. I have been unable to find them. I did find that there is a poly row cover for gardening which seems to be the same thing - only sold in long strips. It looks to me as though the small pieces sold for use in making cheese are just an expensive way to buy the same product. I am waiting for a reply from the company I found selling the garden version: www.hyfab.com / home products / gardener'scorner / products.

did they ever get back to you?

[anutcanfly]

Heoggers Supplies has it, and so the New England Cheese supplies.  The latter calls it disposable cheese cloth.  I forget the former calls it, but you will recognize it.  They are different, but both work well.