Had my first real cheese failure over the weekend. My first batch of goat milk Feta about a month or so ago yielded a great Feta cheese. This latest batch was dead in the water almost immediately. First of all I used Flora Danica for my starter instead of the plain old MA and followed the instructions on the package for the amount to use. Second I used liquid animal rennet instead of the tablets also using the recommended amount. I added the starter and let the milk ripen as I normally do, about an hour. Once I added the rennet I stirred for about 2 minutes. Before the 2 minutes was up, it had already started to coagulate. The curd never developed at all. After an hour, the solids were just a loose, fragile mass. I did not use any Calcium Chloride which is consistent with my last batch. Actually I was planning on using some but forgot to put it in. I used the same goat milk as the first batch. The only thing different is the starter and the rennet. Anyone have any theories?  I did try to salvage what was left of the solids. I drained them and hung them for about 4 hours. Now there in the fridge cut into cubes. We’ll see what happens, maybe it’s not a total loss.

I had a batch of Cottage cheese that would not solidify, but ended up draining them and using them for ricotta.  Not a total loss. 

With the milk that I have available to me, Grade A Pasteurized, I have to use CaCl2, and I still find that with the rennet, regardless of vegetable or animal, the setting times are considerably longer than advertised in the recipes.  I made a Cheddar this weekend and used 2 gals whole milk, not ultra P, 1 tsp of CaCl2, 1/2 tsp of animal rennet, and 5 drop of vegetable rennet, 86% F constant temp and it took 6 hours to curd.  I know milk has a lot to do with it, but the recipe indicated that it should have set in 45 minutes with just the animal rennet.

So many variables to deal with.

Your rennet may be more diluted, double tripple it and see what happens. The more CaCl added the harder the cheese is created.

Yeah, I was thinking about doing that.  That Cheddar took so long to do I did not get to bed til midnight, and I started it at 9 in the morning.  Got a real nice wheel though.  I used 20 drop of color and it still is a pale yellow and not orange.  I will try 30 drops the next time.  Cheese came out the color of scrambled eggs. 

Next on the list is a Monterey Jack.  Should be an easier cheese to do.

This was my first time using the liquid rennet. I find it hard to believe that the instructions on the bottle would be that inaccurate. I ordered it from New England Cheesemaking Supply. Maybe the tablets weren’t such a pain in the neck after all!

I got the rennet that I use there as well.  Are you using whole milk or getting the pasteurized stuff at the store?

It is fun anyway.  I have having a blast doing it.

I use the vege rennet in powder form and is made in Israel I thingk it was, 1 packet makes 100L so its easy to measure our when I dissolve it in a 100ml bottle.

I think that the next time that I have to purchase rennet I will try the Marshall Tabs from Leener’s.  They have some great stuff and reasonably priced.  Hopefully will be able to wax my Colby tonight or tomorrow.

I was using pasteurized goat milk, store bought. I used the same brand of milk in my first batch of Feta which turned out great. The only difference in the first batch and the second is the rennet and starter….

I tested the rennet today by using 1 cup of milk at 86 degrees and added 4 drops of rennet, diluted. The milk was only partially coagulated after an hour and a half. I’m thinking that the rennet has some issues….

I should have looked at mine to see if there is a date on the bottle.  I’ll look when I get home.  I used 1/2 tsp of rennet from Ricki’s and 15 drops of vegan rennet in the two gallon batch I did last night and had excellent curd in one hour.  Once the vegan is gone, I will be using Junket tabs along with the liquid rennet from HCS.

Junket is the poor mans custard LOL, If u can I would suggest getting the proper rennet anim/veg. Junket has not been sold in Canada for some years.

I do have proper rennet, but also have 30 tabs of Junket to use up, so I will use it in conjunction with the Animal rennet from HCS.  1/2 tsp animal rennet, and 1/2 tab junket.  Should give me a good curd.  Will let you know how it comes out.

Something that I forgot about, I always dilute my stuff with RO water, some of u may be using tap water. Well the chlorination can affect the rennet etc..

Handling Rennets

  * Repeatable performance depends on accurate measurement. For most varieties the quantity of rennet is selected to set the milk to a firm coagulum in 30 - 40 min. Measure the rennet accurately and monitor to ensure that coagulation rate is uniform from day to day.
  * Rennet must be diluted (about 20 times) in water and well mixed when added to ensure uniform distribution.
  * Use nearly the same dilution each time to improve the consistency when adding the diluted rennet to the vat.
  * Watch out for chlorine. It is imperative that the dilution water contains no chlorine. Only 2 ppm of chlorine will destroy 40% of rennet activity in 3 minutes. Similarly, do not sanitize the container used for the rennet with chlorine.
  * Another water quality issue is pH. Typically hard water also has pH greater than 7.0 which also decreases rennet activity.
  * Finally, dilute immediately before adding the rennet to the vat. After the brined rennet is diluted in water, its activity declines quickly.

Thanks Neil, that great info.