Jarlsberg

[lazyeiger]

Well here it is just out of the brine.

I will let it dry for a day or so at room temp, then put into the "cave" at about 50F for 4 weeks before warming up to hopefully make some eyes!

Jon

[Stinky]

Hopefully you get nice big eyes!

Did you try pressing it under warm whey? How much PS was in it?

[lazyeiger]

So I am a bit worried, I got up this morning and there was the start of a bulge on the top, it is mostly dry so I moved it to a cooler location, 50F in the garage.

here are my make notes.

2 gallons whole P/H
2 gallons 2% P/H
1.00g FD
1.00g PS
5cc 33% CaCl
3cc rennet

Milk Ph 6.74
ripen at 96F for 1 hour 10 minutes  Ph 6.70 (FD is a slow acidifier!)
CaCl stir wait 5 mins
Rennet
Floc time 11.5 mins x 3 = 34.5 mins
Cut curd into 1" cubes wait 5 mins
Stir gently then with whisk
After 1.75 hours Ph 6.47  (very slow) T = 96F
After 2 hours Ph meter gave up the ghost, erratic readings, then reads -1. tried to reboot with no avail!
removed 1 .5 gallons whey
replaced with 1 gallon water at 140F over 30 mins
T rises to 107F stir for 10 mins
pack into mold and press under whey at 3psi
Flip redress press at 9.4psi overnight

Make up brine. 1 gallon water 2lbs salt 5cc white vinegar 15cc 33% CaCl
Brine for 12 hours flipping at 6.

Comments.
Very disappointed with the Extech PH100 this is only the second time I have used it. ordered a new probe end as I want to make a Cheddar on Monday as it is a holiday.
I am concerned at how slow the Ph dropped, I have seen this with FD before when making Brie. however No one else seems to have this problem?

Jon

[Stinky]

A note on the language here, burg means castle and berg means mountain. In this case, it's not talking about a castle. 

[Spoons]

So I am a bit worried, I got up this morning and there was the start of a bulge on the top, it is mostly dry so I moved it to a cooler location, 50F in the garage.

Only a day after brining? That's a sign of early blowing caused by coliform bacteria.

[lazyeiger]

Only a day after brining? That's a sign of early blowing caused by coliform bacteria.

Never had a problem with this before, any reason why this would crop up now? Are there any other tests I can do to confirm this?

Jon

[Spoons]

There's ''early blowing'', a coliform bacteria that produces a defect within the first few days and then there's ''late blowing'', a butyric acid bacteria that produces a gas defect between week 3 and week 6. This looks like ''early blowing'' judging by the time of the blowing defect.

The usual suspects:
Poor sanitation (Boil equipment or use Star-San)
Poor acid development in the vat (before draining)
Slow chilling of milk after collection (should not a problem if milk is store-bought)

How you can identify it:
Unfortunately you can't test without opening the cheese. Once open, a coliform infected cheese will have lots of tiny round shiny eyes. Mechanical holes are not round and not shiny. A coliform infected cheese is not safe to eat.

[lazyeiger]

OK so would a coliform bacteria infection just go away?
I now see absolutely no signs of any bulging, I have flipped twice a day at 55F.
The only thing I can think of to explain the bulging is my imagination? or the sides slumping a bit making it look like the top had bulged?  The cheese does seem softly rubbery if that makes any sense. I wonder if that is normal for this type?

Jon

[pastpawn]

If I were you, OP, I'd continue on as you planned, finish the cheese, then send it to me for proper analysis. 

[Spoons]

OK so would a coliform bacteria infection just go away?
I now see absolutely no signs of any bulging, I have flipped twice a day at 55F.
The only thing I can think of to explain the bulging is my imagination? or the sides slumping a bit making it look like the top had bulged?  The cheese does seem softly rubbery if that makes any sense. I wonder if that is normal for this type?

Jon

I didn't factor in ''imagination'' as a possible cause If you knew how often that happens to me. LOL! Sadly, I'm not even kidding... Sometime, I open my cheese cave and stat flipping the cheeses and I'll ''notice'' a slight bulge on one of them... It's just paranoia... lol. The bulge isn't even there.

So continue to age it. Just remember not to eat a cheese with lots of tiny shiny holes. Coliform doesn't go away and can make you very ill if eaten.

[lazyeiger]

Thank you for your help and encouragement!

I don't suppose there is anyway to tell the difference between eyes formed by Coliform bacteria or PS, as they are both formed by CO2?

Jon

[Stinky]

Thank you for your help and encouragement!

I don't suppose there is anyway to tell the difference between eyes formed by Coliform bacteria or PS, as they are both formed by CO2?

Jon

Like he said, coliform bacteria form lots of small, shiny holes.

[lazyeiger]

Like he said, coliform bacteria form lots of small, shiny holes.

Doesn't PS form lots of small shiny holes too?  I know I am probably looking for large holes / eyes in a Jarlsberg, However I have seen pictures on the forum of Swiss type cheeses with lots of small holes as well.

I was under the understanding that both Coliform and PS make the holes by producing CO2 gas, so is there another way to tell them apart?

Sorry for my ignorance, I am just trying to learn!

Jon

[Danbo]

Lazyeiger: Thank you for asking - I'm interested in hearing about this too...

[qdog1955]

  All of my Alpine style with ps ---has had small shiny holes----and have smelled and tasted great---I haven't been able to achieve the larger eyes, yet----even opened a Leerdammer early because it swelled so much I thought it might be late blowing----rookie mistake----it was fine----so stay the coarse and see what happens---sorry can't help with a bad cheese description----but I would think the smell would be off----though my understanding of listeria, is that it has no bad oder--- could be wrong about that one.
Qdog