Tangy Curds While Making Cheddar - Excess Starter Culture

[jeremy102674]

I made a cheddar this weekend that seems to be quit a bit tangier than my previous attempts(just tasting the curds). Will this mellow with age or is it a sign of something I did wrong?

[MrsKK]

You'll have to give more details - type of milk, method of the make, etc. for anyone to be able to give you any feedback.

Curds do, however, taste very different from aged cheese.

[jeremy102674]

Sorry, I used cows milk from the store, added CalCl and meso starter just as I did before. I did add slightly more meso than my previous batches and I added 1 quart of yougurt before rippining also as a starter. That would be the biggest difference.

[MrsKK]

How much milk did you use?  When I use yogurt or buttermilk as a culture, I use about 1/3 cup per gallon, per recommendations from another member here (sorry - I can't remember who).  The recommended amount is 1.5 - 2.0 % of total volume.

The yogurt is different this time?   Then I would suspect that is the culprit.

[jeremy102674]

4 gallons of milk and 1 pint yougurt. How will this affect the finished cheese? Did this ruin it?

[FRANCOIS]

You added 3% bulk starter and then more meso, that is the problem.  Your pH was probably far too low for cheddar, hence the tanginess.

[linuxboy]

Most yogurts will have both S thermophilus and L acidophilus or bulgaricus. Any of those will get the pH down, past the usual 4.6-4.8 threshold of Lactococcus. Bulgaricus for example can go all the way to 3.2 or so in some strains and cases. So you completely changed the pH profile, and also used a LOT of starter, like Francois said. Cheddar should be 2% max, and even then that's not for all culture blends. Most of the time, right around 1.0%-1.5% is the right amount.

[Buck47]

Hey jeremy: 

When did you mix the yogurt with the milk?

What was the time factor for letting the milk ripen?

Did you mix in the yogurt with the milk the night before and allowed the milk to sit at room temp, or did you ad the yogurt at the start of cheese making? 

Thanks

[jeremy102674]

I added the yougurt at the begining of the ripining. Let it ripin for 1 hour then began the cheese making. So-what will the cheese turn out like? Is it ruined?

[Buck47]

So-what will the cheese turn out like? Is it ruined?

Assuming the rind development/aging phase goes well, I would think you will have an eatable cheese.  As to what type of cheese it is ... I have no idea.

Example: Basically I've used the same recipe to make my first two dozen cheeses. Because of the learning curve resulting in variations of times, temps, ingredients etc. many of the cheese are different. All have been good to eat. Slowly I'm gaining the ability to acheave constant results.

I would think someone like Sailor or linuxboy could take Raw milk, yogurt/buttermilk, rennet, salt, oil, and make a wide variety of different cheeses.
Just by changing times/temp/process.

I view this as learning a skill.

All of it has been fun.   Regards:  john

[jeremy102674]

Thanks everyone. I will keep and age the cheese just to see what happens with it. i have learned some valuable leasons here. I will attempt to remake the cheese this weekend the correct way. i will use only starter meso and no other starter material. i am wondering though what a cheese with this kind of extra starter will turn out like, will the tangyness mellow with aging? Should I wax it or not?