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I've never tasted this Spanish cheese, but it sounds interesting. Basically a Pyrenees style Tomme it seems to me, but with a rind that is specific to this cheese.
So, I'm experimenting tomorrow with 4 gallons of milk to make something akin to Garrotxa.


Here's the recipe I've worked up based on the things I've read about Garrotxa. Anyone have any better insight into this cheese?


4 gallons raw La Mancha goat milk
Kazu 1/4 tsp
MD 88 1/4 tsp
LM57 1/8 tsp
KL71 1/8 tsp
Mycodore 1/4 tsp
Geo 15 1/16 tsp
Geo 17 1 /16 tsp


Heat to 86 F [Actually got to 87F]
Add cultures and ripen until pH delta of 0.02 [This took 10 minutes]
Add 1 ml rennet
Goal for Floc time 20 min with a Floc Factor of 4.5 [Floc time was 18.5 min, so I cut it at 83 minutes]
Cut curds to 1/2 inch and rest 10 min
Stir gently x 10 min
Remove 7 cups whey
Wash curd with same amount of 130 F water. [It was 131 F] Goal is 93F (heat externally if needed)[temp went to 91.5--had to heat externally just a bit]
Stir till curd holds together but breaks apart with light press
Drain to level of curd and allow to mat together under whey until pH 6.4 [molded at pH 6.41]
Mold and press with 10 # x 15 min
Turn and press 15# x 30 min
Turn and press 20# x 1 hour
Turn and press 30# x 1 hour
Increase weight if needed to close rind completely [not necessary]
Hold until pH 5.4 [occurred at  4 1/2 hours of pressing]
Brine 4 hours/lb [ended up with a 5 pound 5 oz cheese]
Dry at cave temp and 70% RH x 1 day
Then age at 50 F and 80% RH
Wash with 3% Brine + 3% by volume  of whey.  Wash every day until growth appears.
Then 2x/week for 1 week
Then once weekly for 2 weeks
Discontinue wash. Allow natural rind flora to grow without brushing
Age at 52 F for 6 weeks more.

I'm no expert but that seems like a lot of starter for that much raw milk. I would think you may have problems with acidity getting out of hand no? Especially with Tomme style where you have a lot happening in a short time and then a brining ph target to hit it could be dicey. You have a lot more experience with it than I do though

The Kazu blend is only a moderate acidifier and I'm using it at about 50% normal. The MD88 and LM57 are both very mild acidifiers and usually only used as adjuncts, not primary acidifiers--also in low-end quantity. By ripening based on very minimal pH change and not time, and then later with washing the curd, I think I'll be ok.  But we'll see.  I'll keep good notes at each step along the way, and after the make, I'll post what actually happened compared to my "plan."
Admittedly though, it's an experiment at this point.
I'll keep you posted.  Thanks for weighing in.

The cheese is out of the mold and into the brine.
I'm going to modify the initial post by putting in brackets (along side the original planned recipe) what really happened during the make.
Thoughts?

Congratulations on a good cheese make Gort. AC4U!

Thanks! Now let's just see if it really is a good cheese....clocks is ticking....T minus 2 months and counting.