I am really happy with the smooth initial knit on this cheddar. I tucked it into the cave just now. My plan is 2 months of natural rind and then probably bag it due to space limitations. Pressing was 27# to start and finished with 135# at the end of about 18 hours of pressing! It started with 4 gallons (2 gallons raw jersey and 2 bought creamtop holstein) and ended with 3# 11oz of cheese. Pretty textbook, but a different culture mix.... Kazu instead of 4001, and a little FD. The pH was a little slow - perhaps due to LH rather than ST?
Oh that looks soo good... Have you considered cloth bandaging your cheddar? I can say it is definitely worth the effort.
AC for your Cheese
--Mal
Yours did look good Mal. Do you let it air dry a few days first?
I do let mine dry out 4 or 5 days in the 'cave' - this also cools the cheese as well. I like the rind really dry and just before I bandage it I wipe the cheese with vinegar to know out any surface moulds that might be present.
-- Mal
Suzan, I put LH in almost every cheese I make, especially the cheddar types. I'm an LH believer, lol! Depending on the LH strain, it will even promote sweet and or savory undertones in the cheese. Check out this brochure on the effects of different LH strains in a cheddar. I have since bought some FLAV 54.
Too bad I don't make cheddar often enough to form a taste memory for comparison purposes. I have made it with MM100+Thermo C (has LH as well as the ST) for a more short aged cheddar with good results. Also a couple of makes with just 4001- my notes say good flavor, smokey, smooth, creamy and crumbly. Then with a little FD thrown in with the 4001 and that was better yet. I have one that is MM100+a pinch of Kazu - not yet tasted. This make was primarily Kazu with a pinch of FD. Notes do help, but the actual taste memory cannot persist long enough.