This was MY weekend and last night I did Munster. This is the first time I used the B. Linens though. Pricey little buggers they are! I was surprised when I opened the packet and saw there was only enough in there for maybe 10 pounds of cheese. Yikes!
Anyway I bought a few 4x4 square molds from Glengarry Dairy and Cheese a few months ago and finally got to try them. I like them a lot. Only $7. I think I will order a few more.
So this batch was also 7 gallons of raw milk. I only had two of the square molds so I had to also use the 2 kg mold for the remaining curds.
Here's this weekends cheeses:
The large wheel is the Manchego I made Friday night and the small wheel and the squares are the Munster which theoretically will turn reddish in 10 day or so.
Wayne - the 2kg mold will press all the way to the bottom unlike the smaller 450 gram and 1 kg molds so if you are a little short on curds you still get a nice shaped cheese! Both of the round cheeses were pressed in the 2 kg mold.
Debi, they look great, very envious!
I also have some B linens and should give this a try, how are you applying your B liners, atomizer?
Actually someone at beer forum told me he mix it in with the cultures and it worked - we will see.
I think i missed the thread about your new mould.
Wow, what size is that mould? I definately feel some mould envy building.... Looks great.
What size, how much, where bought.... Love to hear all the detatils..
B. Linens are commonly added to brine. unfotunately we use our brine tanks for other, non slimy cheeses so we get the b.linens growing via wash. Basically we make up a bucket of 3% salt solution and add b.linens. We then dunk the cheeses in it 1x daily for the first 3 days. After that we smear the solution on the rind with a lint free cloth. You should have used geo 13 with yours no? B. linens take so long to start you should have a placeholder culture, othrwise you risk cross contamination from blues etc.
Francois -
I don't usually do blues, I don't care much for them. I have done gorgonzola in years past (my Dad loved it) but I didn't like it either it still tastes like blue cheese!
I have never bought the b. linens before so I thought this time I would try it. I mixed it in with the starter cultures as was suggested by a friend on a beer forum but maybe I will use the remaining linens and try your method. Thanks for the advice.
It looks pretty but doesn't add much flavor when sliced IMHO. Still want to make a batch with chopped pistachios for some reason. Must be the Italian in me I use pisachios in a lot of recipes.
Wayne -
I had Margaret Morris from Glengarry Cheese order these for me back in April. It was supposed to be the 1.5 to 2 kg molds but I think they are a 3 to 3.5 kg molds. It held the entire 7 pounds of curd with room left over! I also thought I had ordered 2 but I got billed for 4 and 4 were delivered in July. I was only charged $85 each for the 2 kg molds but the 3 kg molds go for $186. If your interested I have 2 extra in the box I don't think I will ever use.
The neat part is they are not tapered like the 450 g and the 1 kg molds the follower can go all the way to the bottom so you'll always have enough curds for a good press. You can have them for one for what I paid plus shipping if you want one. I thought of selling them on eBay but I thought of you first. I figured you could use them with that MONSTER vat.
BTW this cheese took 1 #10 can of tomatoes and 1 can of Bush beans to press about 10 pounds and 24 hours. ::)
Here's what the 450 gram, 1 kg and the 3 kg look like in comparison:
if you try my way add geo, kl71 and possinly mva to the wash as well to give the b.linens a foot hold. you will get a ripe, sticky rind. just be sure to keep the rind extra moist.
I have Geo 15 ... but not Geo 17. I don't know what KL71 or MVA is.
I used CHOOZIT™ Linens W Visbyvac LYO 1 D from Danlac
KL71 (Klyyveromyces) is an aroma devloping yeast. It also neutralizes the rind so b.linens can take over. MVA is a micrococci that also works on aroma, texture and rind.
Danisco has both (Margaret Morris will know them).
Ah I will look into it for the next batch. To late to order it for this batch.
Well I tried a few slices of my Muesters tonight. Never did grow the red sides like the recipes suggested. I checked the book again it Debbie Amerein Boyes also suggested mixing the B. Linens in with the other cultures. It has only been 2 weeks - Not bad a bit mild maybe another week or two.
You can also do a brick recipe, or raclette. ANny of those cheeses in that shape and smeared will give you good results.
Never had raclette I always thought that was like a brie or camembert.
I have a tiny bit of the B. Linens left I'll try your method next time but I think I will skip them after that they are way to pricey! I can make a whole batch of cheese for what the B.linens cost me.