I made another Manchego yesterday - hickory smoked.  I haven’t had any trouble with this cheese, its been fantastic; but I decided to try the whey brine method instead of a water brine.  We’ll see if there’s any noticeable difference by next weekend when I slice into it.  One thing I’m thinking about the whey brine method is that one would really need to make a fresh brine solution for every cheese.  I’m assuming that one of the reasons for using the brine is that the pH is the same as the cheese from which it was derived.  So you really wouldn’t want to use Manchego brine on a Gouda, would you?

I used the same whey for 6 batches, the salt keeps it. keep yout nose to it, if its no longer sweet then replace it.

You need to keep the salt level up as each batch you put in it takes some salt out. I check my fresh brine with a winemakers hydrometer and make a note of it. When I re-use it I add extra salt to regain the original “Specific Gravity”. Usually takes about 30 grammes per 2 litres (1oz per 2 quarts).

You also have to add 1 ts of CaCl flakes per 1 liter of water for the same reason as for the salt.

I can see adding additional salt periodically to keep the concentration up, since salt is being absorbed into each cheese you brine; but I don’t see the reason for the CaCl.  Perhaps if you’re using pasteurized milk; but if one is using raw milk, there should be no change that would require CaCl.  Am I not seeing something here?

Calcium is added to pasteurized milk cheeses during making. During the brining, in order to keep an equilibrium of the CaCl you have to add it not to wash the CaCl out from the cheese. The Ca in the brine may neutralize the effect of creating a soft layer arround the outer surface of the cheese due to reaction of Na with Casein .

u need to add always more salt and very very little CaCl for each whey recycling cycle ...

and i do boil it to keep it very clean