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So far, I have only used microbial rennet that either came in a kit or that I ordered online.  I have read that in cheeses that are aged 6 months or more microbial rennet can cause a bitter taste, and that calf rennet is better for those.  There is a store near me that sells a small selection of cheesemaking supplies, so I popped in there and bought a small bottle of calf rennet.   Now though, it's occurred to me that I have no clue whether it's single strength or double.  There is no information on the label, and when I called the store and asked about it they were quite unhelpful to say the least.  "I think it's medium strength.  Not too strong, not too weak.  Just use the amount called for in the recipe."  The person I spoke to was also unable to tell me the brand so I could look it up for myself.  Needless to say, I've learned something from this.  But, I'd like to attempt grana padano or romano this weekend if I can.  Is there a way to figure out what it is?  Can I use it not knowing?

Does the label have any usage instructions i.e. 3/4 tsp per 16L ?

No, they repackage it at the store and all the label says is "Natural Calf Rennet".

Do calf rennet and microbial rennet both coagulate milk the same?  If I do a side by side comparison of the calf rennet and the double strength microbial rennet that I have and if they both produce about the same firmness of curd, then I can assume that the calf rennet is also double strength?   Or would I be better off checking for how long they each take to coagulate rather than the firmness?

Quote from: tashad on March 24, 2016, 06:11:55 PMOr would I be better off checking for how long they each take to coagulate rather than the firmness?

It doesn't matter if it is single or double strength or calf or microbial. What matters is how long it takes to coagulate your milk. You can/should test for this. You need to search the forum for flocculation method.

I was mostly interested in whether it was single or double strength so I had an idea of how much to use.  I understand the concept of the flocculation method, but don't know how to use that to determine quantity of rennet required for the amount of milk.  In the end, it was a non issue.  When I tested it to see how fast it coagulated in comparison to the marzyme, it didn't coagulate at all.  So I tossed it.  I'm glad that it was a very small bottle, and that I tested it in a small amount of milk. 

Quote from: tashad on March 24, 2016, 09:39:03 PM
I was mostly interested in whether it was single or double strength so I had an idea of how much to use.  I understand the concept of the flocculation method, but don't know how to use that to determine quantity of rennet required for the amount of milk.  In the end, it was a non issue.  When I tested it to see how fast it coagulated in comparison to the marzyme, it didn't coagulate at all.  So I tossed it.  I'm glad that it was a very small bottle, and that I tested it in a small amount of milk.

The floc method basiclaly just ensures that you end up cutting the curds at an appropriate time for the amount and strength of rennet you use. So even if you used a normal amount of double-strength, it would enable you to adjust for that in the course of the make.

So if I used an amount that would be appropriate for single strength and it was actually double, (or vice versa) there would be no problem with the cheese as long as I was paying attention to the flocculation time and using a multiplier appropriate for the type of cheese I'm making?  Lol, this is the kind of troubleshooting that books for beginners don't seem to cover, so I really appreciate being able to ask experienced people.

In the end, I went and picked up a new bottle (from a different store, that had a proper label with usage amounts) and used that.  It seems to have gone well.  My parmesan is looking lovely in the brine right now, and I have a nice container of ricotta to boot. Two actually, one from the caerphilly I made on Thursday and one from the parmesan yesterday.  

Quote from: tashad on March 27, 2016, 04:06:52 AM
So if I used an amount that would be appropriate for single strength and it was actually double, (or vice versa) there would be no problem with the cheese as long as I was paying attention to the flocculation time and using a multiplier appropriate for the type of cheese I'm making?  Lol, this is the kind of troubleshooting that books for beginners don't seem to cover, so I really appreciate being able to ask experienced people.

In the end, I went and picked up a new bottle (from a different store, that had a proper label with usage amounts) and used that.  It seems to have gone well.  My parmesan is looking lovely in the brine right now, and I have a nice container of ricotta to boot. Two actually, one from the caerphilly I made on Thursday and one from the parmesan yesterday.

Yes, as you're then cutting the curds at a finite point based on how they are doing there and then.