Most recipes call for 65-70*F during the warm phase so that the Propionic Shermanii can produce the eyes.... Some here have used temperatures as high as 75*F with success as well.... Recently I read that lower temperatures within that range will produce larger eyes, but fewer of them, while higher temperatures create more but smaller eyes....
The cheeses we make are all an 8-9 litre make, which means a Swiss style cheese comes our at 2 lbs., give or take, depending on fat content.... Our first we used 75*F, but are gradually reducing the temperature of the warm phase, and the last one we did at 70*F.... All of them swelled nicely, but all of them collapsed after about 3 weeks, but mostly without splitting.... they just "deflated".... I have asked on this forum if anyone else has had this problem, without luck....
My question for today is.... what would you recommend for the temperature for a 2 lb. Swiss style cheese for the eye-producing stage?.... We just made a Maasdam, but the question also applies to Jarlsberg, Emmental, and Baby Swiss....
Bob