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 and here it is, fresh out of the press...ta da...my Sage Derby Cheese.

Congratulations on a great looking cheese, as well as (belatedly) for your cloth bound cheddar.
Have another cheese for your efforts.

Looks great. Have a cheese on me!

 Wax coated heading for the cheese cave... taste test in 6-8 weeks

Another cheese Jay for your cheese and "Mr. Smiley Face" in the background 

Here comes the dumb question, why do we have to turn our maturing cheese, remember i'm a newbie and just follow the recipe and how they say to mature it? (hard hat) is on...lol's

My understanding is that the denser components of the cheese tend to settle to the bottom over time and that turning is to keep a uniform composition.

Quote from: Raw Prawn on May 28, 2017, 10:21:43 PM
My understanding is that the denser components of the cheese tend to settle to the bottom over time and that turning is to keep a uniform composition.

Thanx for answering, after pressing you would think it would be uniformed and consistant.

Hmm, I didn't think it was necessarily components in the cheese (unless perhaps a soft cheese), but more the overall shape of the cheese, especially before the rind sets up - as in, especially with a somewhat softer cheese like a Gouda, you can get elephant foot - ??

Quote from: awakephd on May 29, 2017, 02:01:38 AM
Hmm, I didn't think it was necessarily components in the cheese (unless perhaps a soft cheese), but more the overall shape of the cheese, especially before the rind sets up - as in, especially with a somewhat softer cheese like a Gouda, you can get elephant foot - ??

k.. I'll bite, elephants foot refers to the bulberous shape that a cheese can form?? right...hard hat back on...lol's

  I cracked and tasted my first cheddar way before it's time...definitely a cheese but extremely mild at the momet...after my taste and curiousity quencher I wax coated it in four pieces and weighed around 600 grams per block, so i can taste with out disturbing the rest of the wheel at intervals.

Yes, elephant's foot refers to the shape. (Fortunately not the taste ... !)

I have found that my cheddars take a good 6 months to mature; before that, they are disappointing. Note that this is referring to a true cheddar, not a semi-in-the-cheddar-family cheese like a Lancashire, which has a lot more moisture in the cheese.

Quote from: Jay-1 on May 30, 2017, 10:37:14 AM
I wax coated it in four pieces

You've got enough wax to open a candle factory on those. I am very fickle with my wax application because it is stupid expensive and buying less leaves me more room to buy other cheese stuff. They look cool with the way you did it though. Probably more durable too.

Quote from: DoctorCheese on June 02, 2017, 01:27:55 AM

Quote from: Jay-1 on May 30, 2017, 10:37:14 AM
I wax coated it in four pieces

You've got enough wax to open a candle factory on those. I am very fickle with my wax application because it is stupid expensive and buying less leaves me more room to buy other cheese stuff. They look cool with the way you did it though. Probably more durable too.

I tried to do three coats, but yeah there well coated. I do like the feel of wax compared to the greasy feel of cloth banded.

I wax my full wheels and vacuum seal the quarters when I cut them and want to age longer.