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I'm experimenting with my failed mozarella rounds. One is going into the Sous Vide, starting at 100F in a vacuum sealed bag. I'm going to gradually raise the temp up to 150 over the course of the day. Hoping that will change the texture. At that point the microbial ripening on the interior...

Thanks Ron: I've been active here for quite some time, but have yet to meet another member in person. The highline with it's cold winter winds, and hot muggy summers, and mosquitos the size of buzzards, is not a place I usually frequent, though I'm thoroughly familiar with it, from...

Thanks for all the good wishes and support. It's been fun, and I'm not going anywhere.................. H.W.

I'm not a great success at cheese making as some others here seem to be. I think my cheese cave environment isn't good enough........ but I don't give up easily ;-) Fortunately, like a wet dream, you really can't screw up feta.......... but I'm trying hard!! ;-) With each batch of...

I more or less followed Ascher's instructions for slow mozarella. Formed the cheese into a couple of molds, and after they were fairly well formed, set them in their own whey on a seedling mat to sour overnight..... mistake! In the morning, I began regularly testing bits of curd in hot water...

This is not a "crash program". I will consume and share what is in the pipeline, keeping my consumption rate low, and never refill it. Other lifestyle changes have already begun as of a week or so ago and are having a noticeable and measurable effect...

My first homebrew was in 1967, at age 12...... on the sly. I've brewed beer and wine off and on since. I've brewed close to 200 batches in the last 3 years, most 2.5 gallon. My relationship with alcohol goes back over 50 years!! It is not doing me any good. A year or so back, I...

My first couple of batches of feta were quite successful, then for some reason I started having issues with it softening in the brine. Unfortunately I didn't document exactly what I did, nor did I completely follow any particular recipe, for several reasons. I resorted to storing it in olive...

I have no idea what the port sprayer is............ I'd be interested in hearing an explanation. It is not necessary to chill your wort down to a temp where infection is possible. Once below the minimum DMS formation temp, the cooling rate really isn't important in my experience, and...

I found this too interesting not to share. I've had a passion for microbes and microbial cultures of many kinds since childhood. A fascinating world. Yeast is a fungus, and it appears that G Candidum bridges the gap between conventional yeasts and fungi. Enjoy ;-)...

I started a Chevre of sorts on Sunday. A very simple soft cheese in which you add your culture, and rennet, etc, all at the same time, cover it and walk away, leaving it at room temp for 12 hours, or several days, or even longer. The quantity of rennet in this is far less than in most...

I just use an ordinary metal collander which I've made a couple of clips out of aluminum to allow the handles to reach out far enough catch the edge of the brew kettle. Personally I think you are making far too much of rinsing the grains. Start with a full volume mash. Then try the sparge...

Keep it simple............ That's my motto. Actually most BIAB brewers do a full volume mash and don't sparge at all. Your efficiency may be slightly less, however that is not necessarily so. I've exceeded 90% efficiency at times doing this. In reality a full volume mash will usually...

First of all, I brew small...(2-3 gallons)....... I don't want to deal with 5 gallons, and I like to brew more often. It allows me to experiment more. I'm an advocate of BIAB. There are methods for greatly reducing your brew day........ Don't listen to those who say it must take 4 or 5...

Brewing procedures vary from brewer to brewer. I'm sure if I followed the "correct" procedure for that particular product, it would work, but the product does not come with a stipulated procedure. Perhaps allowing the wort to cool to pitch temp, and allowing cold break to settle for a long...

Having to adhere to a specific process to make the fermenter work really isn't acceptable. I'm not careless, and usually leave most of the trub in the boil kettle, however my process varies. I may cool the wort to pitch temp before racking to the fermenter, or I may fast cool only to take it...

The collection jar on the Fast Ferment is intended to collect all the trub in one or two cycles, leaving the brew trub free, and to allow racking from the bottom. An attachment is provided to replace the collection jar for this purpose. There is no other way to rack unless you want to use an...

Threats get results............ the "squeaky wheel get's the grease" syndrome. The company has not been very responsive to my inquiries until now, after I wrote a strongly worded letter letting them know that I would plaster my dissatisfaction all over the internet. This does not rectify...

There are a few articles to be found on the net on using salt substitute in cheese for people who need to control sodium intake. The obvious problem is that these are not pure potassium chloride, but include other things. I'd be interested in hearing about various experiments in this area by...