Cheddar Cultures

[MarkShelton]

Mine arrived also, and I was worried I was going to have to wait until next weekend!
Thanks Wayne!

[wharris]

My biggest fear is that i got someone's address wrong.  I hope you all get them.

[Sailor Con Queso]

Mucho gracias Wayno.

[deb415611]

Received mine yesterday also.  Thanks Wayne

[MarkShelton]

Unless someone has beaten me to the punch, I may be the first one to try out the new cultures. I just innoculated the milk. Wish me luck! I'll post later on the progress.

[wharris]

I have not yet broken the seal

[scubagirlwonder]

Unless someone has beaten me to the punch, I may be the first one to try out the new cultures. I just innoculated the milk. Wish me luck! I'll post later on the progress.

Good luck Mark! I've been having fun reading everyone's posts about this culture, and how excited you all are about diving in! Can't wait to see photos of your gorgeous cheeses!! Saturday must be cheese-day, 'cause I have a pot of milk warming right now that's destined to become Crosta Rossa with Pistachios by the end of the day!!
~Cheers!

[wharris]

Love your signature line...

[scubagirlwonder]

THANKS!! 

[Sailor Con Queso]

I have now made an Edam, a Colby and a Cheddar with the R707. Although the R707 uses exactly the same bacteria as MA11 (which I was using before), the R707 has a MUCH steeper pH curve (because of differences in the strains). So you should be aware that the make may go faster than you have been used to. If you look at the pH curves for this culture, the pH really starts dropping about 4 hours after adding the R707 to your milk. If you are doing a cheddar for example, a more rapid pH drop may hit during the cheddaring process, so you need to watch the pH and adjust times accordingly.

This is why I don't make cheese without a good pH meter. Yes, the ancient cheesemakers never used pH meters (and pressed with rocks ) but most of us are not making cheese with indigenous bacteria and have to make adjustments to the process. In this case, you could EASILY end up with an over acidified cheese.

[wharris]

Good point Sailor.  I think the acidification curves are posted in the attached docs earlier in this thread, but its good to get first hand validation on the behavior. Also, I  agree 100% about a good pH meter.  I don't do anything these days, with respect to cheese and wine, without one.

Essential tool.

BTW,  did everyone get their cultures?

[FarmerJd]

I have been on a family vacation for the last week and a half, so I am kind of out of the loop. I did get my culture in, Wayne. I look forward to using it. Thanks again.

[homeacremom]

I didn't post here, but yes, I got mine as well. Thanks.

[Brie]

My first try at cheddar with this culture is yet to be seen; yet it did not knit together as well during pressing. I have never used a PH tester, with no problems, and supposed I had cooked the curds too long. Thanks, Sailor for your input, as usual. I did notice the better aroma of the cheese with this culture. Any suggestions on adjustments to basic cheddar recipe that uses this culture without PH tester? I realize, athis point, that we are experimenting....

[Sailor Con Queso]

I made a Gouda tonight with the R707. Ironically, it took longer to hit my pH targets. This culture has relatively slow acid production up until about 4 hours, then it drops quickly.

So... for a relatively short make or a washed curd, it's going to need more time for acidification. That can happen during rippening or by extending times during the make - don't want to overcook the curds though. Working with cheddar is going to be just the opposite. Since acidification really kicks in during the cheddaring phase, then things are going to start to go a lot faster. I hit my pH target about 20 minutes earlier than usual on the cheddar.