Hi from Northampton, UK

[BungalowJB]

Greetings folks! Cheese making has become a bit of a hobby of mine during lockdown - it has preserved my sanity!

Most of attempts have been moderately successful, however I seem have made a very grim looking Gouda (it's more bad-a than gouda).

It was originally the same shape as my small round cheese mould, but it has now spread out to look like a wobbly disk. Some of it has a solid rind but other parts of it are slimy and overall it has the consistency of putty. It also tastes rather bitter. What have I done wrong?

thanks a lot

[Bantams]

Welcome!!
We can help you out a bit more easily if you can provide some additional details. 
Which recipe are you using?
How are you aging your cheeses - rind treatment, what kind of aging space?

[BungalowJB]

Hi folks, thanks for the reply Bantams.

I'm using a gouda recipe in a book called `Mastering Basic Cheesemaking' by Gianaclis Caldwell.

The culture I used is a mesophilic culture bought from www.cheesemakingshop.co.uk

After a bit of research I'm wondering if

I didn't drain the curds well enough, and
B) I didn't salt the brine enough.

[Marco]

No experience with Gouda but a welcome wave.