Been lurking on this board for a few months as I have started to make cheese. Finally got around to documenting one of our cheese adventures from cow to brine.  This was the first really large batch we have made (50 liters) and seems to have worked out well with the exception of the cheese cloth sticking to the bottom rim of the cheese it seems OK.

here is the link:

http://sites.google.com/site/urbanfarmsteadcheeselog/parmesan-2-281208

One question as well.  I have been searching all over for more information on which cultures have what end cheese properties.  I have little information on what flavors or characteristics different cultures (e.g., Ma 101, Ma4001, Ma62 etc.) have.  I can go to Danlac and understand the different make up of the cultures (what are the ripening agents and percentages) but this does not give me direct info on which culture makes a better chedder/swiss/other cheese and why.  I undersand that much of this info can be gleaned from trial and error, but with ripening times of many months, I dont want to wait that long. would love to experiment with a little sense of direction.  Has anyone seen this type of info anywhere on the web (New England Cheesemaking supply has some but not much)?

As per the link, I am starting to document and publish on the web some of what we are doing (I have seen another cheesemaker on the forum (the cheese hole)).  Would love more info or pointers on cultures to try

Enjoyed your pictorial.  With all the data you collected, you should be able to tweak your recipe where needed to zero in on a really great cheese.  By the way, that’s quite a chunk of cheese! Since it has to age a year, its good to have a lot made.

Excellent job in the documentation !
Welcome to the group!
As too cultures, if u want to know what is the best, the best way is to get a sample from every producer and then do a test cheese with each one having to duplicate ALL conditions when making the cheese. Personally I as a home cheese maker dont feel like doing such a massive test. I would go with a company that supplies to the industry, Danlac supplies to the industry others are more geared towards the home maker and are more then adequate for that purpose. So it boils down to personal preference and experience with the company. Danlac has given me great support, Glengarry Cheesemaking has given me very poor service so i would not get supplies from them.
One of the best things u have is that u have access to raw milk, that is a major bonus in flavour (and the process you do).
To reduce the cheese cloth creases and sticking i flip ofter to eaven out the cheese.
Hope this helps !!
Happy cheese making!

One other thing - with raw milk you do not need to use Calcium Chloride.

Rich,

I have been having a problem with my raw milk source PH.  It has been variable from 6.7 (normal out of the cow) to almost 7.  My understanding is that this can be from a cow that is getting mastisis or can be from residual detergent in the farms collection system.  My adding calcium chloride is an effort to bring the PH down to a point where the Culture will take effect (PH of over 7 and no action at all).  I have had the high PH off an on and am working with Codi (my farmer) to fix it.  I figured the Calcium Chloride wouln’t hurt anything as it hust frees up calcium ions that are good for cheese making and would lower the PH to an acceptable level for the culture to start its job of reproducing and lowering the PH at the prescribed rate.

Interesting.  Have you taken pH levels before and after CaCl introduction?  Wondering just how much it reduces it.  Also, if there’s the possibility of mastitis, I’d be leary of using the milk, as it usually will have blood in it.

I know Codi pretty well now and we have talked abut it after I took the PH meter out to the farm last week. He is concerned and is both getting the vet out and is going to get his labourors to rinse everything much better.  He believes his labour is lazy and not rincing all the detergent out well enough, which would cause this as well.  I am picking up 50 liters tomorrow morning and will check at the milking pot as well as the collection bucket. may even determine which cow is contaminating the milk or at least get it down to which 5 (by testing the milk after each string of 5 is milked