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GENERAL CHEESE MAKING BOARDS (Specific Cheese Making in Boards above) => STANDARD METHODS - Forming Cheese => Topic started by: nikro000 on January 25, 2013, 02:42:06 AM

Title: Press Too Small - Recommendations?
Post by: nikro000 on January 25, 2013, 02:42:06 AM
Hi, I am new to cheese making and made my first (hard) cheese a week ago. I pressed it with a can as a follower and paint cans as weights. To make my second cheese easier I bought a simple cheese press on ebay: a board on the bottom, a bar on top, side rods, a high cylindrical mold and a rod that screws a follower into the mold. My problem is - the mold is only 4 inches across and I didn't realize how small that is. The press came with a recipe for a 1 gallon milk cheese (probably bc the mold is only 4" across, BUT all my other hard cheese recipes are 2 gallon milk recipes. Here is my question: the mold is high, so I have no doubt I can fit the curds for a 2 gallon recipe into it. BUT the resulting cheese will be a wheel that is less wide and rather high (like the cylindrical mold). Is that in any way a problem when the cheese dries and ripens?
Title: Re: Press Too Small - Recommendations?
Post by: stratocasterdave on January 25, 2013, 03:19:17 PM
You'll be perfectly fine with a 2 gallon recipe.  Might be a little taller, yes.
Title: Re: Press Too Small - Recommendations?
Post by: Boofer on January 25, 2013, 05:17:22 PM
BUT the resulting cheese will be a wheel that is less wide and rather high (like the cylindrical mold). Is that in any way a problem when the cheese dries and ripens?
Here's an example and accompanying pics of Fourme d'Ambert (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,9508.0.html) which has a similar form factor.

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Press Too Small - Recommendations?
Post by: BobE102330 on January 25, 2013, 05:58:01 PM
Can the press handle a different mold?  Lots of sources, including our own iratherfly. 
Title: Re: Press Too Small - Recommendations?
Post by: nikro000 on January 25, 2013, 11:09:22 PM
You'll be perfectly fine with a 2 gallon recipe.  Might be a little taller, yes.

Thank you!
Title: Re: Press Too Small - Recommendations?
Post by: nikro000 on January 25, 2013, 11:10:06 PM
BUT the resulting cheese will be a wheel that is less wide and rather high (like the cylindrical mold). Is that in any way a problem when the cheese dries and ripens?
Here's an example and accompanying pics of Fourme d'Ambert ([url]http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,9508.0.html[/url]) which has a similar form factor.

-Boofer-


Thank you for the example. I feel better about the press!
Title: Re: Press Too Small - Recommendations?
Post by: nikro000 on January 25, 2013, 11:11:24 PM
Can the press handle a different mold?  Lots of sources, including our own iratherfly.

Unfortunately the siderods are too narrow to support a bigger mold and the follower is a perfect fit too.