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Doing a Cheddar today.  I'll post image and make note during the day.

Time for some notes.
This is a STD 10 litre make.  Though there was 10 litres of Melany milk at the supermarket some of it was a bit old so, this time I have a 8 Litres of Melany milk and 2 litres of another local milk called For Real.  For Real have a 100% Holstien herd and the milk is very different from the Guernsey Milk from Melany.  The fat content is less and there was less cream.  To compensate I have added 100mls of Cream. 

so ..

8 litres G milk / 2 litres H milk
heaped drop (GLA Mini Spoon measure) of Sacco MO 36 R (MA 4000 equiv.)
CaCl2 1/8th teaspoon in 1/4 cup of un-Chlorinated Water
1.2 ml of Annato in 1/4 cup of un-Chlorinated Water
3 mls of 200 IMCU rennet in 1/4 cup of un-Chlorinated Water
3 TABs Salt

I'm also attempting to use the Duo Test pH strips.
Ph of milk 6.5-6.7

Heated milk to 32 Deg C
Add Culture
Ripen for 30 minutes
Add CaCl2 and Annato and stir, rest for 5 minutes

Add rennet.
Using the Floc. Multiplier 3.5 for cheddar. 
Floc Time 12.5 minutes which gives a cut time from adding rennet of 43-44 minutes.

Cut Time - @ 11:30

Notes -
The rennet last time was 2.6 mls but this time I used 3.0 mls this time and well within the expected time frame.

More later...

So now its cookin time.

raise the temperature from 32 DecC to 38DegC over 30 minutes.  This stage is where the Curds turn into little Lactose factories. Our friendly bugs turning sugar into acid.  Ooooh I love this bit... My aim is to get a pH of 6.1-6.2 and with the pH strips it's a bit of guess between two sets of closely related colours.. meh !!! After an Hour of stirring I'd had enough.

Time to Texture... 

Drain the curds in a colander for 10 minutes - keep covered. Return to the pot and let the curd mass sit for 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes cut the mass into 2 and stack one on top of the other.  Every 15 minutes turn the stack every 15 minutes.  Tilt the pot so the whey drains away from the Curds.



 

My Control Sheet for this one.

I also did a comparison between the two milks and it is no small wonder that cheese made from Guernsey or Jersey cows is more luscious and creamy.  I'm not saying Holstein cows milk is lacking - it just doesn't have the cream.  I added a 120ml of cream - 35% fat content to compensate for the difference between the two.

Here are this image I took during the making of the cheese.  the first is a comparison of the milk - can you guess which is which ?  There is a subtle difference - but I'm not sure it is viewable in the photos.

Name it Ed. Ed the Ched.

The first press was 2KG @ 1000mm = 13KG for 15 min
Second Press was 4kg @ 1000mm = 24kg for 30 min
Third 5 Kg @ 1000  = 30 Kg for 2 hours - the pH was getting nicely down to 5.3 by then.
Forth 9kg @ 1000 = 52 kg for 24 hours

Use Jeff's calculation sheet should be about 3.5 PSI.  I can't hang near enough weight to get 25 PSI without modifying my press to use pulleys.  The last cheddar we cut had a few mechanical openings and it didn't really affect the cheese.  This time I'm almost doubling the weight.  I'm probably going to have to make something like the Study Press with a pulley system to press any heavier.

I'll keep you posted as it progresses.  Still haven't made the decision to Wax or Cloth bandage it !!

-- Mal

@TimT  - -haha 

Quote from: TimT on November 30, 2014, 12:52:23 AM
Name it Ed. Ed the Ched.

I was leaning toward Fred myself

Quote from: H-K-J on November 30, 2014, 04:07:02 PM

Quote from: TimT on November 30, 2014, 12:52:23 AM
Name it Ed. Ed the Ched.

I was leaning toward Fred myself

I'm with HKJ.

Fred.

Or...

Charlemagne.

Thanks for the naming suggested names.  And with some of the other I've see like 'Drunken Goat' and 'Winter Sky' blue I chose "Banded Brother". This cheese was Cloth banded and joined it's sibling for long term storage.  This was done with 3 layers of close weave Butter muslin and rubbed with lard.  Although these can get quite funky at times, the flavour is heavenly.

6 months 

-- Mal

Cheddar Alert... 12 Months to the Day.. 

And here it is in all it's glory.  12 months of watching and waiting, brushing and patience to be given this wonderful cheese.  If anyone still has any doubts in the preserving capability of cloth bandaging a Cheddar then how's this ?

The funny looking spots are interesting but not soft or actually penetrate into the cheese.  The smell, as the layers revealed the golden cheese, is amazing.

But now for the real telling of a great cheddar.  The tasting ... it a bit like watching something slow cook and the anticipation was almost too much to bear.

The first taste was that great cheddar hit right along the sides of the tongue and as it dissolved in the mouth there was this wonderful silky smoothness.  My lovely wife declared it 'The Best Ever'.  It is definitely worth the wait.
 
--Mal

Fantastic results! You are definitely the chedder guy! A cheese to you. I would love to see a picture of your bandage wraps in the cave all together to see how they look at their various stages. How many do you have in line now?

Congatulations Mal. Another magnificent looking cheese. Please accept another from me.