Hey Gang,
So, I opened and tried my first waxed cheese today but it had a bitter after taste? Its no cheese in particular, its just a generic hard cheese from my John Seymour book. I used full fat pasturised store milk with a freeze dried starter culture and liquid animal rennet. I also added calcium chloride before the culture, is this ok? The PH was 4.5 at 10 hours after cutting. I then salted and pressed for 24 hours, left for it 4 days at room temp 20c and then waxed and left in a cheese cave at 11c for 3 months turning weekly. When it was cut there was a milky residue, the cheese looked fine, slightly dry like a Cheshire. It smelt and looked fine, it just had a bitter after taste and didn't have that nice cheese taste. Maybe it needs longer to mature as my cheese cave is pretty cold? I rewaxed it and put back in the cave to try in 2 months.. Or maybe I'm wasting my time?
Help much appreciated! :)
steve
How much rennet did you use?
I used 1 tsp of animal rennet for 7.5 liters of milk
That's why, it should be about half of that, even a little less. You have excess proteolysis due to the rennet. Also, the acidity was too low at salting, which doesn't help. Acidity should be 5.4 at salting.
Thank you so much.
Damn damn... I have a feeling my other 6 cheeses will be bitter :¬/
sorry, just one more question.
I did try less rennet on my first batch but I couldn't get a clean break even after an hour which is why I added more? So should I just stick to the right dose and leave it until I do, even if it takes a few hours?
The idea of clean break is too subjective. Use the flocculation method (search the forum). If your sets are weak, try a different brand of milk. Some milks are just not suitable for anything but lactic curd. Also try adding CaCl2.
Maybe its the pasturised store milk, Ill try find some raw milk, its hard in London :¬/
Thanks again!