Ale-washed Cheddar

Made this 2# wheel last night. It's drying right now.

I used non-homogonized milk and ended up with the squeekiest curds. Eating them was like chewing on a latex balloon. Tight!

After the curds were drained, I soaked them in a quart of pale ale for a half hour. Then pressed overnight into a nice dense wheel.

I want that

Awesome!!

What all does one need to make cheddar? I see kits for mozzarella and ricotta but not hard cheeses. Is it a simple process?

FastAndy said:

What all does one need to make cheddar? I see kits for mozzarella and ricotta but not hard cheeses. Is it a simple process?

Click to expand...

You need a press. That's why there's no kits. You can make a cheese press with a piece of 6" PVC and some weights, but to do it right a press will set you back $100, and maybe more.

Also, cheddar needs a bit of aging time to develop the characteristic flavor. A culture is added to the milk, and after the cheese is made that culture continues to break down lactose and create that sharp taste you expect in cheddar. But it takes at least a month, maybe more.

I think cheddars are easier than mozz. But the cost of the press is a barrier to entry.

At what temp do you age them? Also, do you have to wash the rinds while its aging?

I'm a chef and have always been interested in making my own cheese. I really wanna give it a go.

SmokeyMcBong said:

At what temp do you age them? Also, do you have to wash the rinds while its aging?

I'm a chef and have always been interested in making my own cheese. I really wanna give it a go.

Click to expand...

Most cheeses age properly at around 55F. I keep mine in my fermentation fridge in the garage, which is usually 60-65. Humidity is a big deal too, so that they don't crack, but since I bag mine that is irrelevant. Some styles of cheese (i.e., camembert, bleu, brie) require air contact, so in those cases humidity is important.

I considered not bagging this cheese and washing the rind on this cheddar with ale at least once a week, but it developed a small crack while drying on my counter, so I just vac bagged it. It's in the fridge now. I'll probably give it 2 months and take it out for test.

Thanks for the reply bro.

I assume that's 2 months at 55 in the ferment fridge? Do you use the same fridge for homebrew and cheese simultaneously?

SmokeyMcBong said:

Thanks for the reply bro.

I assume that's 2 months at 55 in the ferment fridge? Do you use the same fridge for homebrew and cheese simultaneously?

Click to expand...

Yea. I've been meaning to buy a craigslist wine fridge, which is perfect, but haven't yet. Ale and lager temps are fine for the aging of cheeses, but when I cold crash for a few days it's not ideal.

You don't have to wait 2 months. You can eat it right when you make it. But it truly gets better and better over time. Many cheeses require time to become the type of cheese you're expecting.

With cheddars, the longer you wait, the more sharp the cheese gets. E.g., mild cheddar is only aged for a month or two, sharp is 6 months, and extra sharp is 1 year (my last cheddar got pretty frigging sharp in 2 months though). Other cheeses (surface-ripened soft cheeses like french brie) require time for the culture to soften the cheese inside the rind. I think this is why a lot of people like making mozz, because it's perfect only hours after you've made it.

I recommend this book. Everything you need to know is online, but it's smothered in a lot of fluff (and maybe misinformation). I have this book and it's concise and loaded with great recipes and pictures.

Artisan Cheesemaking at Home

Awesome, thanks again bro.

I be just made the beer washed cheddar from that book, although I only did a 1lb batch. Currently pressing in my Mad Millie's cheese press, which is one of the cheaper options (it was a wedding present), although it has a few idiosyncrasies. The beer is a dry stout I made about a month ago.

Hope mine looks as good as this one when it's done.

And on unwrapping it this morning, I need to make a note to self:

Don't fold the cheesecloth under the follower, you'll just end up with a big indentation in the middle of the cheese. Now trying to press it again without the cheesecloth under the follower to flatten it out.

This is only my second hard cheese, so I'm still getting the technique down.

dyqik said:

And on unwrapping it this morning, I need to make a note to self:

Don't fold the cheesecloth under the follower, you'll just end up with a big indentation in the middle of the cheese. Now trying to press it again without the cheesecloth under the follower to flatten it out.

This is only my second hard cheese, so I'm still getting the technique down.

Click to expand...

One layer of cheesecloth under the follower, then pile the rest of it on top of the follower. I did the same thing you did the first time I pressed a cheese, so one side of it was pretty messed up.

Did you add annatto? Got pics?

I've been looking a cheese press plans for a couples days now. The wife is thrilled that i am working on yet another hobby. Thanks internet.

passedpawn said:

One layer of cheesecloth under the follower, then pile the rest of it on top of the follower. I did the same thing you did the first time I pressed a cheese, so one side of it was pretty messed up.

Did you add annatto? Got pics?

Click to expand...

I used a tiny bit of annatto, maybe half as much as for orange cheddar (orange "cheddar" is a very odd thing to me as a Brit, all cheddar should be yellow - about the same colour as parmesan). It's not as orange as the picture shows

Not sure it knitted quite as tightly as it should have done.

Looks like cheese!

I'd be worried about the crevices. If you're going for a natural rind, you might watch those and scrub with saltwater if they grow bad mold.

Yes, I used too much annatto. This is the first time I've used annatto that I didn't make myself, and it was much stronger than I expected. But mine's not as electric orange as it looks. My camera and kitchen lighting seem to oversaturate colors in that part of the spectrum.

Why, why do you tempt me PP

passedpawn said:

I recommend this book. Everything you need to know is online, but it's smothered in a lot of fluff (and maybe misinformation). I have this book and it's concise and loaded with great recipes and pictures.

Artisan Cheesemaking at Home

Click to expand...

The book by Mary Karlin I assume, your link goes to a bunch of books.

ChefRex said:

The book by Mary Karlin I assume, your link goes to a bunch of books.

Click to expand...

Yes, that book. Link fixed. Thanks!

ChefRex said:

Why, why do you tempt me PP

Click to expand...

This. So damn tempting. I mean it's cheese, my fav food group.

passedpawn said:

Looks like cheese!

I'd be worried about the crevices. If you're going for a natural rind, you might watch those and scrub with saltwater if they grow bad mold.

Yes, I used too much annatto. This is the first time I've used annatto that I didn't make myself, and it was much stronger than I expected. But mine's not as electric orange as it looks. My camera and kitchen lighting seem to oversaturate colors in that part of the spectrum.

Click to expand...

I'm going to wax it in the next day or two, once the surface has dried. Getting the wax out of the crevices is also a pain, but I'll give it a saltwater wash, then wax it at 250F or higher to sterilize the surface.

Now it's drying, the surface is going a much darker orange, like an aged gouda. I'm pretty sure I won't be using annatto again in a cheddar - the colour is just wrong to me.

The right amount of annatto should give the expected color. Just use a bit.

Or, don't use any. Depending on the season and what the cows are eating, some cheeses will end up white to a yellowish color naturally.

It seems orange is a popular color for cheddar cheese here, but I think it's overdone.

I got a cheddar that I hope is coming along nicely in it's wax. I should make another one soon. Maybe add a bit of flavor to it.

passedpawn said:

I recommend this book. Everything you need to know is online, but it's smothered in a lot of fluff (and maybe misinformation). I have this book and it's concise and loaded with great recipes and pictures.

Artisan Cheesemaking at Home

Click to expand...

Book's ordered along with a sampler of green coffee, damn you PP

I just looked back at my posts and discovered I made that beer cheese about a month ago.

Man it seems like it was longer than that! I am so curious to try it, but the last time I made cheddar it took about a year before the flavor was real nice.

Homercidal said:

I just looked back at my posts and discovered I made that beer cheese about a month ago.

Man it seems like it was longer than that! I am so curious to try it, but the last time I made cheddar it took about a year before the flavor was real nice.

Click to expand...

I opened a 2-month old white cheddar and it was sharp as hell. I aged it a little warmer than normal, but it seemed to expedite the aging process.

passedpawn said:

I opened a 2-month old white cheddar and it was sharp as hell. I aged it a little warmer than normal, but it seemed to expedite the aging process.

Click to expand...

Yeah, the last one I made (first cheddar) I opened at 2 months and immediately waxed the cut and put it back on the shelf. I tried again a few months later and it was better.

It wasn't that it was not sharp, but just had an off flavor. About a year after making it I was making cheese soup and figured it would at least go good in there, so I got it back out and tried it again and it was really nice.

I ended up eating some of it with crackers and sausage and putting the rest in the cheese soup.

I probably should have wedged this last one before waxing. That way I could sample portions during the upcoming months AND it would have been easier to wax! I use a very small sauce pan to melt my wax in and it's not big enough to dunk a whole wheel in.

Sneak peek at this wheel. I've been using a new milk (non-homogenized) and I wanted to know how it was going.

Sweet! Flavor could use a little more salt, and it's a little bland, but time will fix that. Texture is almost perfect, nice flexibility, not dry/crumbly. There are some holes in it - apparently I didn't press hard enough. Will make a note.

^^That looks amazing ^^. I've been reading up on making cheese off and on for the last 8 months. I really need to pull the trigger and order everything I need to make hard cheeses.

I'm so bummed it takes to long to find out if your cheese is any good. Mine isn't even 2 months old yet!

Homercidal said:

I'm so bummed it takes to long to find out if your cheese is any good. Mine isn't even 2 months old yet!

Click to expand...

Don't wait. Cut a wedge and re-bag. That's what I do.

I made a Jarlsberg (swiss cheese) a few weeks ago and my dumb dog pulled it off the counter while I was drying it. I found it two days later buried in the side yard. I pitched it, but I admit I tried it and it was delicious!

BTW, while looking for it I also dug up some waxed cheese wedges that had been buried for months. I did not eat those.

I may have to check the vacuum sealer. I'm currently waxing and it's a small chore to cut a wedge, heat wax, and rewax.

If it's any good, it might be nice to be able to share some of this with friends and family.

When I re-bagged that cheese above, the vacuum almost completely closed up that hole were the wedge was.

I was going to try the cheese last night but was too busy. By the time I got home and got a snack I had forgotten it. I'm hoping to make another batch this week/weekend sometime. I will try waxing wedges instead of a whole wheel if my vacuum sealer is not up to snuff. Seems like I remember having issues sealing hops last year.

Well I tried it Sat night when friends came over to celebrate my wife's birthday. I didn't think it was very good yet, but my friend's wife liked it.

I think it almost had an ammonia aroma, but that could have been my imagination. I can't remember which beer I used when I made it. Maybe that has something to do with it.

passedpawn said:

I made a Jarlsberg (swiss cheese) a few weeks ago and my dumb dog pulled it off the counter while I was drying it. I found it two days later buried in the side yard. I pitched it, but I admit I tried it and it was delicious!

Click to expand...

HA HA There's a true fan of cheese, willing to eat a little dirt to taste it.
If only I had the time for another hobby this would be it (because cheese is the 3rd food group after beer and sausage)

johngaltsmotor said:

ha ha there's a true fan of cheese, willing to eat a little dirt to taste it.

If only i had the time for another hobby this would be it (because cheese is the 3rd food group after beer and bacon)

Click to expand...

ftfy

I just got a Schmidling Cheesy Press and I'm gonna break it in with the brew-curds cheddar recipe from the Karlin book. Anyone who has made this, have you followed the pressing schedule? It says 8 lbs for 1 hour, then 10 lbs for 12 hours. That does not seem like enough pressure for a cheddar. Having read the internets I see people pressing at 40 or 50 lbs. Any thoughts?

slarkin712 said:

I just got a Schmidling Cheesy Press and I'm gonna break it in with the brew-curds cheddar recipe from the Karlin book. Anyone who has made this, have you followed the pressing schedule? It says 8 lbs for 1 hour, then 10 lbs for 12 hours. That does not seem like enough pressure for a cheddar. Having read the internets I see people pressing at 40 or 50 lbs. Any thoughts?

Click to expand...

Yea, it seems really light. I have a press that doesn't allow me to know the pressure, so I just crank it whey up

She recommends a 5" mold for that cheese. Pressing with 10 pounds force (weight) results in only 0.5 psi. I've seen numbers as high as 40 psi for cheddar.

I'm confused as to what to do, but I think I'll just use more pressure than the recipe recommends. Also, here's my psi calculation:

P = F/A
P = 10 lbs/(pi*5^2) = .127 psi

Either way it is not very much pressure.