Advantages of creamline milk?

[GlennK]

I just found out that creamline milk is available in my area.  I wonder if there is any advantage to using it in my home cheesemaking?  I searched CF and Google but didn't find much info on it except that it's included in many forum users recipes.  If you have an advice about it or can point me to a link I'd appreciate it.  Thanks!

[Cheese Head]

Here's one thread, here's another with some info, if your questions aren't answered then ask away!

[darius]

My personal opinion of the creamline I can buy here is that it is simply a run of the line lowfat or nonfat homogenized milk to which they have added a measured amount of cream (3.4% BF) to the top when bottled.

It makes an okay cheese, but nothing like I think a true creamline milk should make. It's a small dairy and I can't get a good answer from their Rep.

[Boofer]

I used to have access to only P&H milk at the supermarket. Then I found raw milk, but it was $10/gallon. 

Within the past six months I located a source for cream line milk that seems reasonably priced. I believe it is truly milk from the cow with naturally-occurring cream.

It offers flavor nuances to your finished cheeses that P&H milk can't deliver.

-Boofer-

[MrsKK]

It also has the advantage of having less of the calcium and other micro-structures destroyed by the homogenization process.  For my cheesemaking classes, it is the only milk that I've found in my area to work for making hard cheeses.

[GlennK]

Thanks, everyone, for your input.  I also have a pretty reliable source for raw milk which I use whenever I can.  I've been using store bought when I can't get that, but now I'm going to try this cream line and see how that is.

[fied]

My experience in the UK of supermarket-bought so-called pasteurised whole milk is the same as yours, darius; it's also homogenised, though the label doesn't say so. The simple way to tell is to buy pasteurised whole milk, leave it to stand on a table top for about 5 hours and see if cream rises to the top. If it doesn't, it's been homogenised. Milk that's just been pasteurised properly will always have the cream rising.