My micro cheese system

I figured I should post the pictures of my micro cheese system in the cheese section of the forum if I plan to keep updating them.

In case some didn't see my post in the introduction forum I have been building a micro cheese system that works as close as possible to the real deal.

I purchased the batch Pasteurizing vat and press table from Micro Dairy Designs. I made a couple modifications to that equipment and built a heated drain table myself.

Today is the first time trying out the drain table with some cheddar.

Here are some pictures from the make day so far today.

Here is the drain table in action.

Wow! Just WOW!
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Did i mention Wow!

A few more pics.

Lovely set-up. Are you making cheese for sale or is this simply for yourself?

Nice set up.

bernardsmith said:

Lovely set-up. Are you making cheese for sale or is this simply for yourself?

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For now, just for me. I am hoping to someday get the building remodeled and get licensed as a small dairy. I made sure that all my equipment would be legal, so now it is just getting the building to code and some licensing.

Wow, that's pretty impressive. What are you making there? I'll bet you can get some torque with that press

Why did they include a chart recorder? I assume that's to plot the temperature during the make, but it's pretty old school.

I'm making cheese this afternoon, but it won't look anything like that!

passedpawn said:

Wow, that's pretty impressive. What are you making there? I'll bet you can get some torque with that press

Why did they include a chart recorder? I assume that's to plot the temperature during the make, but it's pretty old school.

I'm making cheese this afternoon, but it won't look anything like that!

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In the pictures I am making a traditional milled cheddar.

The chart recorder is needed to make the system legal if I choose to set the dairy up and sell the cheese. I have to be able to record the temp of the milk and the temp of the airspace above the milk during pasteurization.

That is a pretty neat set up.

Reminds me that I need to get my wife's homemade cheese press fixed.

Are you just using milk from the grocery store, or do you have a trustworthy dairy farm nearby that you're friendly with?

Kent88 said:

That is a pretty neat set up.

Reminds me that I need to get my wife's homemade cheese press fixed.

Are you just using milk from the grocery store, or do you have a trustworthy dairy farm nearby that you're friendly with?

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I am using raw milk from a nearby farm. I had to purchase a cow share to be able to get it. Buying raw milk in Oregon is illegal if you're not a licensed dairy, but if you buy a share of the cow then it is fine.

I've been using raw goat milk and have had the tightest squeeky curds. They don't knit in the press! Argh. I've been making a washed curd cheese (cabra al vino) and have had 2 failures in a row.

I was hoping for better with the raw milk.

ophiuchus_99 said:

I am using raw milk from a nearby farm. I had to purchase a cow share to be able to get it. Buying raw milk in Oregon is illegal if you're not a licensed dairy, but if you buy a share of the cow then it is fine.

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Illegal for good reason. A few years ago I heard of a farm that got caught selling raw milk products because people were getting sick from eating them. You really have to trust that the farmer keeps his cows and equipment clean.

I'm not completely against raw milk products. My wife and I actually own several jersey cows we keep with her family and she made a wheel of raw milk cheddar cheese from a few gallons we collected from one of our own. I got to learn all about how it needs to age more than 60 days before being consumed. I usually stay away from raw milk because I'm not used to it and I hear it can be a tough transition, even when everything is clean, but I tried that stuff with no ill effects.

What breed of cows does that dairy have? Are you collecting from a specific individual, or are you just taking from the bulk tank?

I agree that raw milk must be handled properly and that there is a reason licensing is required to be a legal dairy that can sell its products.

My milk comes from the same couple cows every time, jerseys I think. The milk is tested and is safe but I still pasteurize it before making cheese. I'm not into raw milk cheese without pasteurizing.

I tried making cheese with store bought milk and though it did make cheese, the cheese wasn't quite the same.

For truly great tasting cheese I believe it needs to be made from raw milk and pasteurized right. Before the make.

ophiuchus_99 said:

For truly great tasting cheese I believe it needs to be made from raw milk and pasteurized right. Before the make.

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Not sure about crazy regulations in the US, but in the Netherlands true "Farmer's Cheese" is made from raw milk. From what I understood, the cheese is pasteurized at a later point, but the original enzymes (and other bugs, of course) from the raw milk will give it the flavor any great cheese deserves. I really miss having really good cheese. I may have to take up cheese making after all, just need to score a good local source for milk.

Your posts are very inspiring! Thank you.

IslandLizard said:

Not sure about crazy regulations in the US, but in the Netherlands true "Farmer's Cheese" is made from raw milk. From what I understood, the cheese is pasteurized at a later point, but the original enzymes (and other bugs, of course) from the raw milk will give it the flavor any great cheese deserves. I really miss having really good cheese. I may have to take up cheese making after all, just need to score a good local source for milk.

Your posts are very inspiring! Thank you.

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Ben jij een Nederlander?

Norselord said:

Ben jij een Nederlander?

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Wel, ja!
I was born and raised in the Netherlands. Lived there the first 30 years, then moved to the US where I've lived the past 30 years.

I think I still remember what good cheese (and butter) tastes like.

IslandLizard said:

Wel, ja!
I was born and raised in the Netherlands. Lived there the first 30 years, then moved to the US where I've lived the past 30 years.

I think I still remember what good cheese (and butter) tastes like.

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I've lived in the US 32 years, and the first 14 in the Netherlands.
Haarlem en Bergen op Zoom.

It's, illegal to sell raw milk here in WA too, but I have a local dairy that is famous for it's great raw milk that is sold on a donation system... it's $10/gal. You show a camera the money, place it in a slot, then take your milk from the fridge... completely self service honor system.
Never done it, but I'm collecting gear for a future creamery now.
When you pasteurize just prior to making cheese, what method/temps are you using?

acidrain said:

It's, illegal to sell raw milk here in WA too, but I have a local dairy that is famous for it's great raw milk that is sold on a donation system... it's $10/gal. You show a camera the money, place it in a slot, then take your milk from the fridge... completely self service honor system.
Never done it, but I'm collecting gear for a future creamery now.
When you pasteurize just prior to making cheese, what method/temps are you using?

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For batch pasteurization you have to heat the milk to 145 and hold that temp for 30 minutes.

To be legal you would also have to heat the airspace above the milk to 150 and hold that temp for the 30 minutes as well.

Got it. Thanks!

IslandLizard said:

Not sure about crazy regulations in the US, but in the Netherlands true "Farmer's Cheese" is made from raw milk. From what I understood, the cheese is pasteurized at a later point, but the original enzymes (and other bugs, of course) from the raw milk will give it the flavor any great cheese deserves. I really miss having really good cheese. I may have to take up cheese making after all, just need to score a good local source for milk.

Your posts are very inspiring! Thank you.

Click to expand...

Making your own cheese is very similar to making beer. You're trying to hold certain temps while enzymes and microbes do their thing. I kind of like helping my wife (or just looking over her shoulder) while she makes mozz and cheddar.

After 60 days I think most raw milk cheddars (and probably other cheeses) are considered safe. I'm not 100% sure why, I'd guess that this is assuming that the raw milk didn't have anything in there too harmful, and that the microbes have made the environment into one where the harmful bacteria can't function.

If you are a real dairy products enthusiast and up for traveling Wisconsin regularly holds the U.S. and World Champion Cheese contests (they alternate every year) in March. In 2017 they'll be in Green Bay, and in 2018 I bet it will be in Madison or Milwaukee.

I made a 17 minute video showing cheddar cheese being made with this equipment if anyone wants to check it out.

https://youtu.be/LRMZbFF_K1I

cool.

Was a little concerned when you started using raw milk and didn't say anything about pasteurization.

That curd cutter worked really slick.

At about 7:20 you stuck your hand in the product and all I could think was "You aren't pasteurized!". I'm sure you washed your arm, though.

A little background music and some comments about what and why you're doing things would be helpful too. Maybe some references to basic cheddar making instructions could have been linked to as well.

Kent88 said:

cool.

Was a little concerned when you started using raw milk and didn't say anything about pasteurization.

That curd cutter worked really slick.

At about 7:20 you stuck your hand in the product and all I could think was "You aren't pasteurized!". I'm sure you washed your arm, though.

A little background music and some comments about what and why you're doing things would be helpful too. Maybe some references to basic cheddar making instructions could have been linked to as well.

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Thanks for the input.

I did wash and sanitize my arm before checking the curd. When I was working as a cheesemaker (long ago) sticking ones arm in the product was just part of the process. All open vat cheese that is made requires a lot of hands on work to be done properly.

I will have to think of some good music for the background. Any suggestions?

ophiuchus_99 said:

I will have to think of some good music for the background. Any suggestions?

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I think youtube is really cracking down on people using music they don't have permission to. If you know someone musically inclined, maybe ask them (or if you are musically inclined, do it yourself) to put something together for the video that wont distract to much from what you are doing.

Beyond that, this is your video, you should pick something that you like and think would be appropriate for it.

Kent88 said:

Beyond that, this is your video, you should pick something that you like and think would be appropriate for it.

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Like maybe cows mooing and goats bleating in the background?

Enjoyed the video.

Reading my Moos-letter today, there was this great article, and I realized I know that set up from HBT.

Nice write up.
http://blog.cheesemaking.com/?s=ERic+Olson's+Amazing+Home+Set-up

This is awesome. I just started getting into cheesemaking more recently and this gives me so many ideas for DIY projects. Great set up!

Kewl setup. Where you located, I'd love to find someone to show me how to make cheese

I'm in Oregon.