This is my 60th Cheese (not counting a bunch of ricotta makes). I decided to make a Gouda. I have 1/4 wheel that is over 2 years old, and another full wheel that is a year old. Seems I have a tendency to age my Goudas out. This one, however, I'm planning on eating younger, perhaps somewhere around the 4-6 month range. Anyway, the make has gone extremely well, or so it seemed at least. I'm pleased with it, but just going into the all night press so we'll see how it is in the morning. The knit looks superb (did the first 1.5 hours under warm whey, which worked a treat) and the curds seem to have expelled all their whey during the make as there's not been a lot coming out during the pressing. It was clumping nicely at the bottom of the pot when I drained the whey to move it into the mould as well.
Since I've aged my gouda's quite long in the past, what is a good time for a young gouda? As I say, I was thinking 4 to 6 months, but do people find it worth trying closer to 4 or 6?
I'll post photos tomorrow when it comes out of the press. For now, here's my make notes:
Saturday March 24th, 2013
Indoor Temp 220C, sunny, Barometer: 1012
11 litres Homebrand Standard (3.3% fat, 3.1% protein; P/H)
3 ice cube buttermilk
1.65 ml calf rennet 280 IMCU
½ tsp 50% CaCl in egg cup water
1) Add Starter and warm to 32 C (time 7:45 ish am final temp Temp 32.0 C @ 8:02 am)
2) Ripen 15 min (start time 8:02 finish time 8:17 temp ??.? C)
3) Add CaCl, stir in, then immediately
4) Add rennet (time: 8:19:30 floc time 8:33:30 14 m 00 sec 3x multiplier=42m 0sec cut time 9:01:30)
5) Cut into 1 cm cubes
6) Let stand 10 minutes (start time 9:11 - 9:21 temp 30.9 -> placed in pot with 36C water -> 30. C)
7) Stir 10 minutes, cutting any larger pieces (9:21 - 9:31)
8) Let Stand 10 minutes (9:31-9:41)
9) Drain 1/3 whey (9:41)
10) Add 80 C water until temp 33.3 C (start time 9:45 finish 9:57 temp 34.0 C) (didn’t require much as the curds around 32 ; bumped up to 35 or 36, so added some cold. Still lower volume of liquid added than whey removed)
11) Stir 20 minutes (start time 9:57 finish time 10:17)
12) Drain to level of curds
13) Add 55 C to reach temp 37 C (start time 10:21 end 10:29 temp 37.0 C)
14) Stir 30 minutes (start time 10:29 finish time 10:59)
15) Drain whey
16) Move curds to mold
17) Press under whey with 10 kg (0.72 PSI) 30 minutes (start time 11:15 finish time 11:45)
18) Flip and redress
19) Press under whey with 20 kg (1.43 PSI) 1 hour (start time 11:50 finish time 12:50)
20) Flip and redress press (30 kg 2.15 PSI) (start time 1:00 – 2:00 pm; great knit at 2:00)
21) Flip and redress press overnight (35.2kg 2.53 PSI, 2:05–6:50pm flipped/redressed-5:45am; 1442g, 15.5 x 6.2 cm = 1.23 g/cm3)
22) Place in saturated brine for 1 hour per lb per inch of height (7 hours 45 min) (start time 7:00 am; projected flip at 11 and finish time 2:45; cheese didn't get removed until 3:30 ish)
23) Air dry then cave.