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Hi, i recently made chedder for my first time and I found that while it definitely had the chedder flavor, it was very bitter. I made 3 possibly mistakes and wanted to know if either of them could cause this:

1) I used too much rennet (possibly double/triple the amount called for)

2) I Used normal melted candle wax rather than specialty cheese wax

3) Before I waxed the cheese, I waited too long and it developed a good amount of mold on the outside

Thanks
Roman

Roman, welcome to the forum!

I am only 8 months into cheese making, so take my answers with a grain of salt -- but I'll take a try at answering your questions:

1) Yes, especially if it is vegetable-based rennet

2) Don't know, but wouldn't think this by itself would be an issue

3) Possible, depending on the mold -- but often the off-flavor will be limited to the rind

Hopefully others with more experience will be along shortly to add to, or correct, my answers!

Thanks awakephd

It was vegetable-based rennet!

I often use unscented candles as a source of paraffin wax. I've never found that they impart any flavours either.

Hi Roman (great name for a USC Trojan, I presume ) and welcome to the forum.  Bitter cheese is a pretty common outcome that affected my first chedder.  Here is a link to a good and short answer to your question from Eric (Spoons).   Jeff Hamm also had a post about too much rennet (something like anything past twice as much as recommended can result in bitter cheese.

A question for you: you are a recently-joined member and we've had problems with prospective members joining.  Did you have any issues getting you're activation? 

Thanks for the reply guys!

I did have problems registering at first. I never got an an activation activation email for my gmail email, but I was able to get it after a few attempts for my usc email....

Thanks for the info on registration Roman as it parallels recent feedback on this thread.  Then again it could be the NSA clamping down on us cheese makers  .  I guess one thing it speaks for is the popularity of the forum (closing in on 8,000 registered members by my count).