Coagulation, Rennet - No Clean Break > Semi-Lactic Coagulation

[CdnMorganGal]

I used a culture that had been in my freezer for several months - the rennet was used only 2 days earlier and I had good curds then.  After 12+hours still no clean break, although the milk has thickened (clabbered?).  What can it be used for?  Thanks.

[CdnMorganGal]

Actually, I think it is thicker than clabbered milk - the break wasnt clean and the sorta curds are mushy...

[linuxboy]

Something is off about your rennet or the way you diluted it, or amount, or something of that sort. You have just made a semi-lactic curd. If you drain it, you will have a spreadable fromage frais, which you can season and use as is, unaged, or cook with it.

[Gustav]

what about the temperature? apparently hot water/temp destroys rennet
?

[CdnMorganGal]

This was the first time I had heated the milk to 90degrees - previously only to 86.  Water for the rennet was cool.  The only thing I did different there was added the rennet to the cup, then added the water, other times I do the reverse.

[linuxboy]

That's likely the culprit. Also, are you using chlorinated water? Some rennets are very sensitive to even 2-3 PPM.

[Gustav]

oh yeah. Tap water isn't cool.

Luckily we got a well.

[CdnMorganGal]

Water supply is mountain spring water, non chlorinated - no problems previously with many batches of cheese

[Tomer1]

You can let it acidify and thicken (lactic cheese) ,then putting in a cheese cloth to drain,salt and use fresh or ripen with PC.

[iratherfly]

Could be a milk quality issue. Milk that has been overly pasteurized, lack of calcium or even milk from cows that were treated with antibiotics (though that last thing usually affect starter culture more than rennet). Was the milk old? Fresh? Where did you get it?

I am with Tomer, Strain is an you are on your way to make Chaource or Saint Mercellin cheese!

At the very least, a good Fromage Blanc or Quark, maybe Cottage...