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I keep meaning to let these age, but they never seem to make past 6 months! 

Traditional Cheddar #3

4 gallons raw Brown Swiss cow milk
½ tsp Kazu
24 drops Chymosin
2-½ tablespoons salt

Warmed milk to 88 degrees, added culture and let rehydrate 5 minutes.

Stirred in culture and let ripen for 40 minutes.

Added rennet and let sit for 45 minutes—should have taken 30 min.  Increase rennet to 26-28 drops next make.

Cut curd into 3/8 inch cubes and let sit 5 minutes.

Increased temp to 102 degrees over 45 minutes—on target

Let sit at 102 degrees for 30-40 minutes--I let it sit 60 minutes until the pH was 6.3.  Did the squeeze test and it seemed correct.

Drained at 6.3 then cheddared the curds (turning every 10 min) for 65 minutes until whey pH was 5.5.

Cut into ½ by 2 inch pieces, tossed with salt and hooped--pH after hooping 5.2

Pressed with 70 lbs for 1 hour, redressing once.  Pressed with 204 lbs overnight. 

Yield at unmolding 3 lb 10 oz—2 ounces higher than target weight

Hit all target temps and waited for the pH target to proceed thru steps.    Took longer than recipe indicated, but given how fast the pH dropped during milling and salting I don't think I want to increase the culture used. The yield suggests I was close to being on target for moisture. 

All in All I think this was a good make--hope it melts! 

How are you liking your Kazu blend?

Haven't gotten to taste it yet.  I'll let you know in 6 months. I've made enough cheddar styles that I should be able to tell the difference between MA & Kazo.

How will you be aging it.  Wax, bandage, etc?

I gave up on wax, too many pinholes you can't see until mold starts forming.  I vacuum sealed it. I do let many cheeses hang out naked for a week or two, but that's about it before they get sealed.  I reserve just enough space for 3 ripening containers for bloomy, blue and washed rind cheeses. That way I can really pack 'em in!      

I like Kazu. It's more for dutch style cheeses but I think it will work very nicely with a cheddar. Perhaps make it slightly nuttier, sweeter and smoother. This should taste good.

I'll remember to post the results in full mouth watering detail! 

I also use Kazu in my starter mix for Cheddars.

How do you like it?  How would you described the difference between  MA & Kazu?

I cut into this cheese and though it tasted good I was confused as it didn't taste like a cheddar should.  Later I looked over my recipe and remembered that I had used Kazu instead of MA11.  That explained it!  The cheese tasted like a cross between cheddar and Gouda.  I liked this cheese, but I think I will stick to MA11 for cheddar and Kazu for Gouda.

Did it melt?

Yes, it melts.  The texture was very good.  Slices nicely and melts perfect!  Sorry, I still don't have a working camera.