Should I use Lipase alone or together with Mesophyllic?

[artmustel]

Hi everyone! I am new to cheese making; all my experience has been with Queso Fresco, using Store Milk, Mesophyllic, calcium chloride, animal rennet and salt. Now i want to add Lipase for more flavor or piquancy but i am unsure if i should use it in addition to mesophyllic, or not using mesophyllic at all if using Lipase...pretty confused here Thanks!

[awakephd]

Lipase is an enzyme, not a ripening bacteria, so you will need to include mesophilic (or thermophilic) bacteria. Note that in a fresh cheese, lipase will add just a little tang - not much time for the enzyme to work. In an aged cheese, even a little lipase can go a long way as the enzyme does its thing.

[artmustel]

Andy, thanks for your response. I don't have patience/infrastructure to make aged cheeses, at least for now. I like this fresh cheese but I would like it to have more flavor, so i wonder if increasing the lipase (I am planning to use sharp one) would work better for this particular kind of cheese. Thank you!!!

[awakephd]

Yes, in my experience lipase adds a nice little extra to a fresh cheese, especially one that can sit for a few days.

But the first time I tried it, in a Manchego, the lipase was way too much - the cheese was rather challenging by 3 months, nearly inedible by 6 months, and radioactive by 9 months.

[DoctorCheese]

Use very little lipase! Even 1/32th tsp in a 4 lb cheese will add plenty of flavor.

[H-K-J]

my advice,
don't use it at all 

[Gregore]

I tend to only use lipase on feta made with cow milk ,

i always have some in the fridge

[artmustel]

Yesterday I made my first 'aged cheese (manchego type), using the following recipe:

8 Litres of milk
1 teaspon calcium chloride diluted in i/4 cup of water
1/16 tsp Meso MO-30
1/16 tsp Thermo (MOT-0920
1/2 tsp Lipase diluted in 1/4 cup of water
1/2 tsp liquid rennet diluted
Cheese salt to make fully saturated brine

Now after reading some responses here i am afraid that my manchego could be over-lipased. What do you think?   

[Duntov]

I can understand using Lipase in p/h milk that has killed everything off.  But you shouldn't need it using raw milk I would think.

[artmustel]

John, unfortunately i don't have access to raw milk. I wish i had!

thanks

[5ittingduck]

I have used a recipe very similar to yours to make Manchego styles.  I use raw milk.
The results have been very satisfactory, and the taste is great from 3 months on.
I have Manchego up to 2 years old in the cave, and the older ones i have tasted have very robust flavours, we love them.
I think you will be fine if you like Italian style cheeses.