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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => RENNET COAGULATED - Hard Other => Topic started by: GlabrousD on April 17, 2014, 04:39:05 AM

Title: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: GlabrousD on April 17, 2014, 04:39:05 AM
Hiya All,

well I've decided to try for a Caerphilly this time following the directions from Jeff's post here: http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,8147.0.html (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,8147.0.html)

It's the first time I've tried the "Floc Method" and after 20 minutes my little bowl was still happily bobbing around on the surface of the milk with no apparent inclination to stick. So I foolishly gave up and thought I'd cut at 45 minutes instead.

Checking at 27 minutes the damn bowl was now stuck firmly but I now had no idea when I should be cutting! Oh well. I checked the break at one hour and cut then getting good clean cubes which sank nicely into the whey when stirred.

Due to time constraints, distractions and forgetfulness I have no photos of the stirring, drain, press or flips so when I remove the cheese from the whey brine this evening I'll grab the first pictures. However I'm very pleased with how it's progressing so far.

Just a quick query to the Cheese Gurus if I may: I'm travelling on business for over a week at the end of April - will I be OK Vacuum Packing this cheese do you think?

Thanks in advance for any help and guidance. Cheers, GD.

Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: Matthewcraig on April 17, 2014, 10:03:45 AM
yes i would think vacuum packing would be fine :)

Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: GlabrousD on April 17, 2014, 10:39:24 AM
Thanks very much Matthew - that'll save the FLW from having to care for it in my absence :)

Cheers, GD.
Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: JeffHamm on April 17, 2014, 06:04:25 PM
Caerphilly is a pretty forgiving cheese, so the missed floc point isn't a disaster.  It may be a bit moister, but that's not a disaster or anything.  If it is dry, vac. sealing for a week should be ok.  Even if it leaks whey into the bag, you'll be able to remove it when you get back.  I've only made the 200 Easy Home version the one time I think.  It was quite good.  will be interested to hear how it goes for you.  Don't forget the photos when it's out of the press! And then repost to this thread your tasting notes (keeps everything together, which is the most useful for future archive miners.

- Jeff
Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: GlabrousD on April 18, 2014, 06:22:55 AM
Thanks very much Jeff. It's currently air drying and I'll probably post photos tomorrow once it's had time to breathe :)

I'll keep the thread updated to the (hopefully not) bitter end.

Cheers, GD.
Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: GlabrousD on April 20, 2014, 06:45:24 AM
Well it's been drying for two days under a plastic box. Room temperature here is now at 26 degrees centigrade - about 79 Farenheit so I was wary about over-drying. It looks to be developing a bit of a rind so it's into the cave in a ripening box until Thursday when it'll have to be vac-packed. I'm away on business and am abandoning my poor cheeses :(

Cheers, GD.
Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: JeffHamm on April 20, 2014, 06:49:21 AM
It should be fine, as long as you can ensure it doesn't end up sitting in any whey and/or moisture.  Might get some mould on it, but that won't hurt it any.  How much does it weigh?  Looks on the small size, so I'm assuming this is around a 4 litre make maybe?  I'm curious as to the dimensions.

- Jeff
Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: Matthewcraig on April 20, 2014, 10:56:19 AM
i know this really has nothing to do with the cheese, but what camera do you use to take pictures. all of your pictures seem to be such good quality  :D
Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: GlabrousD on April 21, 2014, 07:42:29 AM
Hiya Jeff, a two gallon make yielding 944g when pressed - haven't weighed it since. I actually thought that wasn't a bad yield... the milk here is pasteurised & homogenised so I'm relieved to get any curds at all. The mould used was a 115x115x130mm open ended job and once completely pressed the follower was about 1cm from the top of the mould... so I guess the cheese is 115x115x115mm... ish :)

I'll have to weigh again and see what it's dropped to now... there's no more whey escaping and it seems pretty dry on the surface.

Thanks very much for the kind comment on the photos Matthew. I'm afraid I can claim absolutely no credit. The camera is a Canon EOS Rebel T1i (sold in Europe as the 500D) the lens cost more than the camera and focusses beautifully with a constant aperture over the whole zoom range. As I say, no skill just a nice piece of kit :-)

Cheers, GD.

Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: JeffHamm on April 21, 2014, 07:57:09 AM
Ah, it's just the diameter is smaller than my makes, my mould is about 158 mm across.  And, 2 lbs for 2 gallons is a good yield, it's what you would expect.  My makes are a bit larger 11 Litres, which would be just under 2.5 UK gallons (or just under 3 US gallons).

- Jeff
Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: GlabrousD on April 21, 2014, 01:27:59 PM
Thanks very much for the reassurance Jeff - you had me worried :)

I've just weighed it and we're down to 893g after two days in the cave. Not sure what the final weight will be but I'm looking forward to trying it regardless.

The reason for the small moulds is that I can fit two side-by-side in my cave... larger cheeses would take up two slots. Also managing anything more than 8 litres (my largest make to-date) is beyond my current cooking pot. Mind you I've just bought a catering sized colander that makes draining curds sooo much easier :)

Cheers, GD.
Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: JeffHamm on April 21, 2014, 06:04:12 PM
The smaller mould gives you a better form factor, more barrel than disk, for many cheeses.  Stilton type blues, for example, would be better in your mould.  And, as you say, they pack better because the barrel shape is more efficient use of shelf space.  Hmm, must look into a 4.5 inch mould myself.  I've just got room for my latest buttterkase, and then my cave is full!  Oh oh!?

- Jeff
Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: GlabrousD on April 23, 2014, 03:37:18 AM
...and then my cave is full!  Oh oh!?

Yes I'm finding the two biggest bugbears of cheese making are the needs for patience and an ever larger cave. I'm currently looking at vac-packing some cheeses so that I can stack them to age. I could also ask the FLW to move some of the wine from her half of the cave but I don't like to live that dangerously! :)

Cheers, GD.
Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: GlabrousD on May 07, 2014, 05:33:31 AM
Well I took some photos before I disappeared on a business trip and have yet to post them... so here we go:

Cheers, GD.

Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: GlabrousD on May 20, 2014, 10:37:09 AM
Well I've given in to temptation and cut the Caerphilly open... stupidly forgetting to weigh it in my hurry.

The good news is it tastes exactly like a "real" Caerphilly... I'm over the moon and have already munched nearly a quarter of one slice... must control the urge to eat it all :)

Cheers, GD.

Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: H-K-J on May 20, 2014, 01:35:22 PM
Looks very nice G-D ^-^
Quote
must control the urge to eat it all :)
one thing about eatin the cheese is, more room in the cave ;D
A cheese to you O0
Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: JeffHamm on May 20, 2014, 06:05:13 PM
Very nice looking caerphilly!  And, glad to hear the taste meets your expectations.  Looking through my notes I see I've made caerphilly following 4 different protocols (the 200 Easy Homemade one, Peter Dixon's, Tim Smith's, and one I found in a 1907 newspaper, which I call traditional).  All of them produce very similar results and make for a very nice young cheese.  Looks like you aged it around a month, which is perfect for caerphilly.  I tried to give you a cheese, but I just gave one so I have to wait an hour.  Will try and remember to pop back and do that later.  Well done.

-Jeff

I remembered to give you a cheese!  Wow!  Memory.  I forget the last time I had that.
Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: GlabrousD on May 21, 2014, 05:01:24 AM
Thanks very much for the cheeses and the kind comments Gentlemen. I'm so stoked sbout this cheese that I'll be making another this afternoon provided I can skive off work early enough :)

I will, naturally, post about my efforts and the results. The problem is that I also want to try a Romano for long-term ageing, another Blue Gouda (although I haven't opened the first yet), another Stilton (ditto), another Chaource, some Brie... I could go on but I think you get the picture :)

Cheers, GD.
Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: Geodyne on May 21, 2014, 08:29:50 PM
It's the marvelous thing about this obsession, er, hobby. One great cheese leads to another! And another, and...a larger cave.
Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: GlabrousD on May 22, 2014, 05:37:19 AM
I prefer to think of it as a mania rather than an obsession... at least that's what the FLW tells me it is :)

I now routinely cruise around gadget shops looking at large fridges instead of laptops or cameras - very unhealthy.

Cheers, GD.

PS. I made another Caerphilly yesterday - I'll post updates in a separate thread.
Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: Rizzo on May 23, 2014, 01:55:16 AM
Your cheese looks great. If I knew how to award cheeses, I would do so..I have made 2 Caerphillys to the 200 Easy Cheese recipes. Both turned out great which was very rewarding as a novice cheese-maker. If you can age them out to 4-5 weeks, I find the taste is so much better.
Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: JeffHamm on May 23, 2014, 03:43:20 AM
Hi Rizzo,

Giving a cheese is easy peasy and is done by clicking the "thumbs up" just under the person's avatar picture that's next to the post you like.  So, for this thread, you might to one of the posts where there are the photo's of the cheese, and click the thumbs up for that post.  Each "thumbs up" a person gets increases their cheese tally by one.

- Jeff
Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: Rizzo on May 23, 2014, 04:01:53 AM
thanks for that Jeff.  I will do it now!
Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: GlabrousD on May 27, 2014, 09:29:24 AM
Thanks very much Rizzo and Jeff. I've cut the cheese into disks and am going to age each one slightly longer... that's if I can resist eating them :)

Second Caerphilly now in the cave... a new thread to follow once work backs down a bit :(

Cheers, GD.
Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: awakephd on May 29, 2014, 01:23:27 AM
I've added a cheese as well. How long did you brine yours? I am trying to decide whether I would like to make the next one a bit less salty ... sometimes I think yes, sometimes no. Of course, in the process of deciding, pieces of the cheese keep disappearing ... :)
Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: GlabrousD on May 29, 2014, 10:47:36 AM
Thanks very much Awakephd :)

Brined for 24 hours in a concentrated whey brine flipping halfway through. Caerphilly is supposed to be salty... something about Welsh miners needing to replenish the salt lost whilst working underground... although that may be an urban myth.

Where in North Carolina are you... I used to work at Chapel Hill and love the whole area?

Cheers, GD.
Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: awakephd on May 29, 2014, 01:01:41 PM
I live about an hour from Chapel Hill, about halfway between Raleigh and Fayetteville. I work at Campbell University.

Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: Rizzo on May 29, 2014, 09:25:12 PM
I have brined all my Caerphilly's in accordance with the recipe in 200 Easy Cheeses; i.e. 20 hours in an 18% solution, turning once after 10 hours.  The cheeses do not taste particularly salty, just seem about right.
Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: JeffHamm on May 29, 2014, 11:59:24 PM
Yes, caerphilly is a bit on the salty side.  If you salt the curds before pressing, and then salt the outside as you flip and redress, it probably overdoes it.  I now tend to salt the curds (2 - 2.5 tbls for an 11 Litre make) and rarely do the salting during the pressing.  If you want to salt during the press, reduce the salt in the curds to 1.5-2 tbls.  As with most things subjective, you may have to tweak the amounts to narrow in on what you like.  Other people's notes and protocols provide you with a starting point, not a destination.

- Jeff
Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: H-K-J on May 30, 2014, 12:54:11 AM
Quote
Other people's notes and protocols provide you with a starting point, not a destination.
I love this  :)
If you are a home cheese maker, make it the way you want and to your liking O0
Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: awakephd on May 30, 2014, 02:27:32 AM
Amen to that!
Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: jwalker on May 30, 2014, 02:33:28 PM
Great looking cheese.

Another CHEEZ LOUEEZ ! ;D

Title: Re: Caerphilly Clone - an attempt to copy Jeff's success
Post by: GlabrousD on June 18, 2014, 07:10:07 AM
Sorry for the radio silence everyone... boy has work been stressful of late... and the weather's been no good for diving :(

Thanks very much for the Cheese Jwalker and my apologies for not responding to your reply Awakephd. As I mentioned I love NC and have fond memories of home smoked venison and delicious pecan pie at a colleague's house. As well as the danger of leaving a Coke can lying around in case someone spat chewing tobacco into it :)

I've now made two more Caerphillies which are ageing as I write. The latest with Thistle Rennet... write ups to follow as I get time.

Hopefully be on-line again soon. Cheers, GD.

PS. H-J-K's comments really hit the spot... I'm gaining confidence and will be starting to experiment :)