Hi Everyone, I haven’t been making cheese very long, and so far have only used my homemade buttermilk as a starter. I’ve had great success (beginner’s luck?) so far, but was wondering if I continue to use the buttermilk, what happens - Will the cheeses all taste the same, or not age properly? Thanks for your advice! I really enjoy reading the daily posts - they’re helpful and entertaining.  Annie

Whether you use your home made starter or commercially prepared starter makes no difference in the variation of taste.  The differences come from manipulating the processing - temps are a big factor.  If you have some recipes, you’ll notice that the basic ingredients are pretty much the same - its the process that differs, and that’s what gives each cheese its individuality.  Good question.  Have fun.

Actually taste does get influence by the starters, your not going to get a swiss taste by using buttermilk. Buttermilk basically gives u “Farmhouse” type cheeses.

Annie, the ultimate flavor and texture of a cheese is influenced by two (high-level) factors: biological and mechanical. The biological factors are the milk you use including its butterfat, flavors from the diet, and naturally occurring bacteria, etc; as well as by the cultures and additive you use when making the cheese. So, using different cultures will impart different flavors and textures. The “mechanical” factors include the things you do to manipulate the cheese like temperature, time, stirring, draining, pressing, waxing, etc.

So, there are many, many “knobs to turn” when making cheese!