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Hello everyone.  I've wanted to do this for a long time and so I finally got a cheese making kit and I am ready to start.  I did some reading and contacted local dairies and I have 2 gallons of milk that they tell me was not high temperature treated.

Any advice for a first timer?  I'm ready to sanitize well.  (Been making mead and wine for years).  Not sure what else I should be aware of.  My first recipe will be a cheddar (I don't like mozzarella).

Welcome to the form RedDawn, All I can say is read the kit instructions a couple of times to make sure you totally understand them. It is best to use a double boiler it helps to gradually increase the temperature so as to not over shoot the target temperature and aids in keeping target temperature while ripening and rennet times. I have also filled the sink with target temperature water and put the pot in to hold the temperature of the milk. I hope all goes well with the cheddar and do keep us updated on how it goes.

John

P.S. Pruned my Frontenac vines today.

Well, this batch may be FUBAR.  I made a mistake and put the rennet in before the culture.  Realizing that, I dumped the culture in anyway.  It is setting up but I have no idea what it will taste like. 

Also need to buy a new digital thermometer, I don't think mine is accurate any more.

did someone mention READ THE INSTRUCTIONS THOROUGHLY? 
Not trying to be mean, the Lord knows I make more than my share of mistakes 
As we say, practice, practice, practice

So, what happened with the batch? If you put the rennet in, and immediately put the cultures in, I can imagine that it might have gone ahead to make something tasty, even if not quite what you were intending. But if you tried to put the cultures in after it was already setting up, I suspect you may have wound up with mush.

I got curds:





The curds had the texture of cheese and very mild flavor.  I don't know if that will improve, seeing as how I probably destroyed the culture.

Pressed it for two days, air dried it for 5 days. It seemed a little soft at first but it developed a nice dry rind.   Noticed a spot or two of green mold last night, which got cleaned up before I waxed it (today).  It's in the fridge now, I haven't taken pictures yet.

I made ricotta with the leftover whey and it was good.

Going to try a 2nd batch soon, and try not to get the culture and rennet mixed up. 

How long do you plan on ageing this cheddar for? I am interested in knowing how the flavour turns out.

John

The instructions suggest at least 2 months.

Here it is after waxing.  It was a little gnarly around the top edge, maybe I should have trimmed that off?

OK, It is a bit gnarly around the edges.  But it color coordinates with your name, RedDawn.  On this basis plus the fact that you are a virgin in the cheese award department, you get your first cheese from me.   

When I was using wax, I found it very helpful to trim off any sharp edges -- it was hard to get good/even wax coverage over a sharp edge. (Since then I've gone to vac bagging.)

Curious to see what will happen. I'd guess you probably lost quite a bit of the culture by adding it at that point, but who knows. I certainly don't.

Looks great 'Dawn...congrats! There may be a ridge on the top of heavily pressed cheeses (such as cheddar) from between the follower and walls of the mold... Easily managed by trimming it off ridge excess with a sharp small knife for smooth and neat lines. Proper flipping, weight and cheesecloth folding over cheese, pressing time (48 hrs pressing seems a bit long) helps too.
On a side note about your ale and wine making ... Be careful about yeast spreading between that and your cheese projects ... Keep them separate and well sanitized to avoid yeast contamination....or bad things will happen

Just wanted to follow up.  Cheese #1 still looks like it did in the photo above.  Hasn't cracked, puffed up or grown mold.  It's been in the mead fridge and I turn it every week or two.  Looking forward to trying it soon.

Cheese #2 is on the stove.  Hoping for good results.

Nice... We want pics!...  Or it never happened