I made a triple sized batch of Fromage Blanc, 3 gallons of milk.

After letting it sit for 12 hours the thing didn’t look like any Fromage that I’ve ever seen. It didn’t look shiny and yogurt like. It looked frothy like industrial waste and only the top part was curds, the rest seemed to be water.

What could possibly cause this?

Sounds like fermentation, corrupted enzymes. Too bad no pic If it looks like it separated and the lower part is water then maybe try making ricotta or mix it up and add more rennet, very hard to say without seeing it.

Some sort of contamination I would guess.  I wouldn’t like the frothiness aspect.  Any off smells?

Smelled just a bit more acrid than it normally does - not too bad though

Did you taste it?  If I remember correctly you don’t let it set around the house very long, family eats it up

9mmruger - 04 September 2008 05:02 PM

Did you taste it?  If I remember correctly you don’t let it set around the house very long, family eats it up

Gawd no, it looked like my grandmother’s thighs! I couldn’t get that out to the compost pile fast enough!

Don’t know what Fromage Blanc recipe you were using, but if it was from Ricki Carroll’s book - look across the page.  I have done the Fromage Blanc and now the Lactic Cheese.  The Lactic cheese has as good a flavor and is just a bit softer.  And it uses the mesophilic starter that most of us keep on hand, so no special order is necessary.

I have been making fromage blanc for over a year with no problem, then made it at my in-laws house with what sounds like similar results at you.  mine had a very yeasty smell.

made it at home a week later and all was fine.

you might want to really sterilize your equipment AND the area you are working in

I just tried it again with greeat success. I suspect my milk might have been a little off. I bought it at the dollar store. I may be getting a cow and a goat so I can control the quality of the milk.

By the way, Fromage on toast with fig jelly is just a slice of heaven.

And thanks Green Cheese Maker, I’ll be doing Lactic cheese in the next couple of days. I have that re-culturable mesophillic and am dying to try that out.