Yup, hasent been killed off or changed chemically.

Cracked my 2.5 year old Gouda. What a flavour, Gouda with a cheddar after taste. Rich in flavour, had to stop tasting it. it also melts, surprised about that because back then didnt know about the excess acid etc, but I guess the long aging changed it.

Neil…
At 2-1/2 years the cheese might have “leveled off” in the acid department.
Ph will increase during aging and even a very low acid cheese (think Ph 4.8 - 4.9) can increase to the 5.0 - 5.1 range, if given enough time.
As for the cheddar aftertaste I think you will always have that until you start using a starter culture like MM100 or Flora Danica.
Also MA culture is a very fast acid producer which is not good for a Gouda style.
Regardless, the cheese looks very interesting. Somewhat crumbly, but with a moist looking texture. That’s really unusual and makes for a nice looking cheese.
Congrats!

Dave

Likesspace - 21 January 2010 12:08 AM

Neil…
At 2-1/2 years the cheese might have “leveled off” in the acid department.
Ph will increase during aging and even a very low acid cheese (think Ph 4.8 - 4.9) can increase to the 5.0 - 5.1 range, if given enough time.

Dave, I believe you have your numbers reversed.  The pH decreases as acid increases.  Hope I’m not being to nit-picky.

Rich,
During the make, you are correct.
During aging the PH of cheese actually increases as the acidity decreases. That’s one of the reasons that a harsh cheese can sometimes mellow out with additional aging.
Depending upon the type of cheese, this can begin within just a few days to a few weeks, and given enough time it can raise quite a lot.
This is according to both things that I’ve read on the University of Guelph website as well as information from a commercial cheesemaker that visits the other forum. I found it interesting.

Dave

Thanks!
I am intending using a dif starter in my next order. Thats what I figured was the chemistry changed during aging. Crystals have also formed. I have a couple others that are a couple years old so probably the same happened to them
Was a very pleasant surprise.

Used the cheese yesterday to make a pizza

oh man that pizza looks amazing!!
so not fair! i am starving right now :)

acid acid

Nabil, how are you? Where have you been? How’s the cheese “business”?

Alex - 12 March 2010 12:56 PM

Nabil, how are you? Where have you been? How’s the cheese “business”?

no cheese “making” since last winter , i made only few batchs of fresh mozz

i quit my ex-job, and now i started other , so i was so busy, hows cheesemaking with u, u r my cammabert guru

Nabil - 12 March 2010 06:25 PM

Alex - 12 March 2010 12:56 PM

Nabil, how are you? Where have you been? How’s the cheese “business”?

no cheese “making” since last winter , i made only few batches of fresh mozz

i quit my ex-job, and now i started other , so i was so busy, hows cheese-making with u, u r my cammabert guru

Good Luck with your new job, it’s more important than cheese making although it might be less satisfying then cheese making .
As for me, I’m making cheese all the time, every couple of weeks, small batches from a total of 12 l of milk. I’ve just finished some Mozz and Haloumi and waiting to strain the Ricotta. I’m going to smoke a piece of Mozz tomorrow.

hooray for gouda! i just opened my first gouda at a little over 9 weeks to try it out, and it is delicious!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/djpiebob/4430187858

i’m going to re-wax half the 2lb wheel and put it back to age some more, but i am very pleased! it has that lovely smooth tang that gouda is supposed to have, and none of the sourness i saw in my pepper jack and last cheddar attempt.

thanks again for all the info and support, guys!

looks great !