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Questions about Starters What is the difference between type A and type A Farmhouse starter? What is the difference between type A and type B starter? What is the difference between type B and type B flora? What is the difference between type C-aBt and Type C aBY yoghurt culture? What is the difference between type c1 and c3 yoghurt? Why should I use yoghurt starter rather than just subculturing from actual yoghurt? Can I use the starter past the expiry date? Can I add the culture directly into the milk? What happens if I use too much starter?
Questions about Rennet Can I use the rennet past the expiry date? What happens if I use too much rennet? What is the difference between rennet and junket tablets? Does rennet work the same way as junket tablets?
Questions about milk What milk do I use for cheesemaking? Where can I get a source of milk for cheesemaking? Can I use UHT milk in cheesemaking? Do I have to pasteurise my milk? What milk do I use for making yoghurt/prepared starter? Can I make cheese from soy ‘milk’? Can I make yoghurt from soy ‘milk’? Can I make cheese from raw milk? Can I make cheese from raw milk (i.e. unpasteurised milk)? Can I use rice ‘milk’ to make yoghurt?
Questions about yoghurt What is the difference between regular yoghurt and AB yoghurt? What should I do if my yoghurt is too runny or stringy? Why should I use yoghurt starter rather than just subculturing from actual yoghurt?
Other questions When and where are your classes? How much postage should I include? If I place my order today, when will I get my order? Do you have a shop I can visit? Do you have a ‘beginner’ pack? Do you have an outlet in any other states? What does calcium solution do?
Questions about Starters What is the difference between type A and type A Farmhouse starter? There is very little difference between the two, other than the fact that the Type A Farmhouse comes in a smaller pack. We call it a 'farmhouse pack' because it is the typical size pack used by farmers when making a 5kg truckle of farmhouse style cheddar cheese.
I noticed that a number of cheeses use either type A or type B starter culture. What is the difference between type A and B? Type A Starter is a standard lactic acid producing starter. It produces acid, and not much else, and this means that it is suitable for a range of cheeses. The type B Starter is the same culture as type A but has additional cultures as well. It has bacteria which are flavour and gas producers. In many cases type A and B are interchangeable. When making the following cheeses you can use either type A or type B:
However, there are some cases where only type B should be used. For any cheese that has bubbles in it, for example, Edam, Gouda, Swiss, etc, you will need to use type B, as the bubbles are caused by the gas the starter will produce in the cheese.
What is the difference between type B and type B flora? The type B Flora is the same basic starter as type B with 20 or 30 other strains of bacteria also added. There is a whole 'flora' of bacteria in there which help broaden the flavour profile of the product. However, most people wouldn't notice the difference between type B and type B Flora. For recipes that use type B, type B Flora can be used interchangeably.
What is the difference between type c abt and aby yoghurt culture? Both are culture variants that contain acidophilus and bifidus - probiotic cultures with a variety of health benefits. Type C aB&t contains acidophilus, bifidus and thermophilus cultures - a special blend of cultures with three bacteria grown together. Type C aB&Y contains acidophilus, bifidus, thermophilus and bulgaricus cultures. The additional of the bulgaricus cultures is the only difference between the two, and this will make a slightly stronger flavoured yoghurt. The bulgaricus culture is not considered a probiotic.
What is the difference between type c1 and c3 yoghurt? These are both commonly used yoghurt cultures - the number refers to the flavour of the yoghurt. Type C1 is more mild whereas type C3 is a stronger flavoured yoghurt. They are both the same viscosity, texture, and thickness. Type C1 grows a little bit slower, taking 8 hours to make yoghurt, whereas the type C3 matures in approximately 4-6 hours.
Why should I use yoghurt starter rather than just subculturing from actual yoghurt? Subculturing is the process by which you make yoghurt by adding a small amount of already made yoghurt to milk and incubating at the required temperature. This is a popular way of making yoghurt at home, but there are a variety of problems associated with this method.
One problem is that over time the bacteria in yoghurt die out, and the older
the yoghurt is, the fewer live bacteria that are left to subculture from.
Connected to this is the various strains of bacteria die out at different rates,
which means that after subculturing a few times the bacteria remaining in the
yoghurt often get out of balance. This can cause your yoghurt to be overly
runny, or have an abnormally strong flavour. It is much more reliable to add
yoghurt culture directly to your milk.
Can I use the starter past the expiry date? If you are using a prepared starter, not direct vat set, then there will be no difference in the cheese whatever the best before date is on the pack. The difference that will be noticed will be in the setting time to set the prepared starter. If you are using the starter as direct vat set and measuring pH you will be able to continue using it, just be aware that the times taken in the initial stages may be longer, or you may want to add a little more. If you are adding directly into the vat and not measuring pH you will have no idea if the starter is working at all.
Can I add the culture directly into the milk? In a commercial situation, the starter powder is added directly into the milk. The problem that exists for home cheesemakers is that it is very difficult to measure the exact quantities. If you have an analytical balance, then you will be able to do it, but otherwise, the amount that you will add may not be the right amount, or may not be the same from batch to batch. The consistency of your cheese will be affected by this. That is why it is recommended to make up a liquid starter before cheesemaking, which will ensure you use the correct quantity of starter bacteria.
What happens if I use too much starter? The characteristics of the cheese will change. The amount of acid that is produced will affect the amount of moisture that is expelled from the cheese, therefore with too much starter the cheese may be dreir. More acid production also can lead to bitterness developing in the cheese.
Questions about Rennet Can I use the rennet past the expiry date? Rennet loses activity over time, and will last until at least the best before date. As it is getting to the end of its life, you will notice that it takes longer to set the milk. This is an indication that you should think about getting some more. When it takes about 10 minutes longer than the time indicated on the recipe, you should get more rennet. If you add extra rennet to make the cheese set in the required time, you may end up with bitterness developing in the cheese. Provided that you haven’t contaminated the rennet in some way, the problem with keeping the rennet past the best before date is not one of danger from it being ‘off’ but because it is not setting in the correct time (or in some cases not setting at all), the characteristics of the cheese will be different. What happens if I use too much rennet? There is the risk that the cheese will go bitter as it matures. This is not a health problem but a taste problem.
What is the difference between rennet and junket tablets?
Junket contains the same enzyme as calf rennet. The difference is that junket
often has a high pepsin content, which means that when used in
cheesemaking the cheese may develop bitterness. However, rennet is a more highly
refined product with a higher chymosin content and lower pepsin content and as
such, is less likely to develop a bitter flavour in cheese. Junket tablets are
also a more expensive method of obtaining the same level of milk coagulation, in
comparison with rennet.
Does rennet work the same as junket tablets?
Yes, rennet coagulates the milk the same way junket tablets did. It is just
in a liquid form instead of a tablet form. Using the rennet rather than the
junket tablets will also ensure your cheese does not end up tasting bitter (if
used to the dosage rates on the bottle). Questions About Milk What milk do I use for cheesemaking? It is best to use unhomogenised milk for cheesemaking, which means that the best way is by either obtaining a source of milk from a friendly local dairy farmer. There are a few types of unhomogenised milk available in the supermarket - Pauls/Parmalat Organic, or Biodynamic Milk is available in most Coles and Safeway stores, but be careful because these may also be available in homongenised form. Any milk obtained should be no more than 3 days old, so check use by dates if buying packaged milk, they should have at least 7 days left on them an the day of cheesemaking to allow maximum yield.
Where can I get a source of milk for cheesemaking? There are a variety of options for milk. For cheesemaking you need a source of unhomogenised milk. You can buy fresh milk directly from local dairy farmers - this is a popular option for people who live in country areas... If you don't have any dairy farms nearby, there are options from the supermarket. Pauls/Parmalat Organic, or Biodynamic Milk is perfect for cheesemaking but be careful because these may also be available in homongenised form. These are readily available from coles and safeway supermarkets. Any milk obtained should be no more than 3 days old, so check use by dates if buying packaged milk, they should have at least 7 days left on them an the day of cheesemaking to allow maximum yield
Can I use UHT milk in cheesemaking? UHT milk is fine for making yoghurt and for making up starters, and is fine for making lactic curds like quarg, but is not always appropriate for making cheese. Do I have to pasteurise my milk? It is quite common to make cheese using milk from a house cow but if you use raw milk (i.e. without pasteurising) you need to be aware of some health related issues. For example, raw milk may contain undesirable bacteria – eg. Pathogens that can be harmful or spoilage organisms that can affect the flavour of your cheese. Pasteurising ensures a more uniform bacterial level before starting to make cheese which helps to produce a more consistent flavour. You will not notice much difference in the making procedure, so all the recipes in our book can proceed the same whether the milk is pasteurised or unpasteurised. What milk do I use for making yoghurt/prepared starter? It is best to use UHT milk for making yoghurt and prepared starter, Can I make cheese from soy ‘milk’? Any cheese that requires the addition of rennet cannot be made from soy ‘milk’, which cuts out most of the cheeses on the market. However, there are certain types of soft curd cheeses, like cottage cheese or quarg that can be made. These types of cheeses are typically made by adding a starter culture (bacteria) which acidifies the lactose (milk sugar) in the milk to produce lactic acid. There is no lactose in soy ‘milk’ but there is sucrose and other sugars, and the starter culture acts in the same way with the these to produce acid, which will coagulate and sour the liquid which can then be drained to form a type of soy ‘cheese’. You should note, however, that the flavour of any cheese made out of soy ‘milk’ will be different to what is produced from real milk, so don’t expect it to taste the same or look the same!
Can I make yoghurt from soy ‘milk’?It is possible to make yoghurt from soy ‘milk’ although the results will vary greatly depending on the type of soy drink that you use. Yoghurt is made by adding a bacterial starter culture to milk, which acts by acidifying the lactose (milk sugar) to make lactic acid. There is no lactose in soy ‘milk’ but there are other sugars, and the starter culture acts in the same way with those sugars to produce acid, which will coagulate and sour the liquid to form a type of soy ‘yoghurt’. You should note, however, that the flavour of yoghurt made out of soy ‘milk’ will be different to what is produced from real milk, so don’t expect it to taste the same or look the same!
Can I make cheese from raw milk (i.e. unpasteurised milk)?Yes, but in home cheesemaking this is not generally advisable. You need to be EXTREMELY careful with your sanitation. If you use raw milk you need to be aware of some health related issues. For example, raw milk may contain undesirable bacteria or pathogens that can be harmful. Raw milk may also contain spoilage organisms that can affect the flavour of your cheese. Pasteurising ensures a more uniform bacterial level before starting to make cheese which helps to produce a more consistent flavour. You will not notice much difference in the making procedure, so all the recipes in the book, ‘Home Cheeemaking’ can proceed the same whether the milk is pasteurised or unpasteurised. Can I use rice ‘milk’ to make yoghurt?If you add starter culture to rice ‘milk’ you will create a kind of sour rice liquid, more similar in thickness to a drink like yakult than even drinking yoghurt. The protein level of rice ‘milk’ is much lower than regular milk which means that it will not thicken in the same way. Also, don’t expect it to taste or look the same as regular yoghurt!
Questions about yoghurt What is the difference between regular yoghurt and ab yoghurt? AB Yoghurt is also known as yoghurt with acidophilus (Lactobacillus acidophilus) and bifidus (Bifidobacterium bifidus). The acidophilus and bifidus cultures are special bacteria that have been isolated from the human digestive track, and it is widely claimed that they have positive health effects on the human body. Whereas most bacteria in regular yoghurt do not survive passage through the stomach and intestinal system, the acidophilus and bifidus bacteria do. This means that they continue working throughout the intestinal system. The benefits claimed by consuming these cultures include reduced flatulence, improved regularity, fewer stomach and intestinal problems caused by the positive effect on controlling harmful bacteria in the digestive system.
Why should I use yoghurt starter rather than just subculturing from actual yoghurt? Subculturing is the process by which you make yoghurt by adding a small amount of already made yoghurt to milk and incubating at the required temperature. This is a popular way of making yoghurt at home, but there are a variety of problems associated with this method. One problem is that over time the bacteria in yoghurt
die out, and the older the yoghurt is, the fewer live bacteria that are left to
subculture from. Connected to this is the various strains of bacteria die out at
different rates, which means that after subculturing a few times the bacteria
remaining in the yoghurt often get out of balance. This can cause your yoghurt
to be overly runny, or have an abnormally strong flavour. It is much more
reliable to add yoghurt culture directly to your milk.
What should I do if my yoghurt is too runny or stringy? To make yoghurt thicker there are a couple of things that you can do. Firstly you can drain the yoghurt and get rid of some of the excess liquid that way. Another option is to add 100 grams of skim milk powder to each litre of milk, then heating to 90 degrees before cooling to make the yoghurt, which gives a thicker set due to the increased amount of protein in the milk. Type C ABY is probably a better culture to use than type C ABT because the mixture of thermophilus and bulgaricus strain of starter bacteria gives a thicker set. In terms of procedures, one thing that you should be aware of is that if the milk is too cool when setting the yoghurt has a tendency to go ‘stringy’. If the milk is at or below 35 degrees when it is set this is a common problem. This is more common in winter than summer, as the outside temperature is cooler.
Other Questions When and where are your classes? We usually run workshops on weekends at Little River and a variety of other locations around Victoria, NSW, SA, Queensland and WA. Click here to see information about our workshops.
How much postage should I include? If your order is below 500 grams postage will usually be $10. For orders between 500g - 3kg postage will usually be $15. For orders between 3kg - 5kg postage will usually be $20. For details of how much certain products weigh follow the following link: Postage Information If your order contains large, bulky items (such as baskets) the postage cost may be calculated by volume, not by weight. If in doubt, contact us on (03) 5283 1396.
If I place my order today, when will I get my order? Am I in the next day delivery area? We send orders out on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. For goods that require freezing or refrigeration we send express post, otherwise we send regular parcel post. When you submit your order please remember to include your phone number, because if there is any delay or issues with your order we will contact you by phone. The following post codes are within next day delivery area from our location and orders should usually be delivered before 5pm on the next working day: 0200-0250 1000-1920 2000-2249 2555-2574 2740-2786 2250-2263 2280-2300 2302-2310 2484-2490 2500-2530 2600-2639 2640 2641 2708 2900-2920 All locations within Victoria 4000-4209 4210-4299 4300-4305 4350 4352 (PO Box only) 4500-4510 4520 4550-4601 4650 (township only) 4655 (township only) 4670 (township only) 5000-5199 5800-5999 6000-6005 6800-6899 7000-7019 7050-7053 7055 7892 7248 7325 8000-8899
Do you have a shop I can visit? Yes, we have a small warehouse that doubles as a shop if you are interested in having at look at some of our products in person. We are located in Little River, Victoria, which is 55km south west of Melbourne. Please call us for details.
Do you have a ‘beginner’ pack? Yes we do - but there are so many different types of cheeses and different ingredients for each of these cheeses that it is not possible to make just one beginner pack that allows you to do everything - so instead we have cheesemaking kits for a variety of different cheeses - camembert, blue, washed rind, mozzarella, fetta, romano/parmesan and cheddar. If you want to make a combination of cheeses we also have a number of beginner packs for a number of cheeses. If you are a beginner, it's also a good idea to check out the following link: I want to get started! and go from there.
If in doubt as to what hoops you should buy, check our list of cheeses and how to make them. This will help you choose hoops that are appropriate for the cheeses you want to make. Here is a list of the most common cheeses and baskets: Camembert P00627 or 800516 Brie P00608 or P00712 Cheddar P00653 Blue Vein P45350 Fetta P00631 Gouda/Edam - mini gouda hoop F0361700 Washed Rind P00627) Romano/Parmesan P45340 But, remember, there are no rules with what size and shape a particular cheese needs to be - it's up to you. Feel free to experiment with less conventional sized and shaped baskets and you may get some very pleasing and very popular results!
Do you have an outlet in any other states? No, but as we supply primarily by mail order we are able
to serve all states in Australia and even some overseas locations!
What does calcium solution do? The calcium solution you ask about is added to homogenised milk to help produce a firmer set, and is also added to goat’s milk to produce a firmer set. The nature of goat’s milk means that it sometimes does not set as firmly as other milks, so calcium solution is recommended to achieve a more consistent set when making cheese from goat’s milk. (This is related to the fact that the calcium in goat’s milk is bonded to the protein, and therefore doesn’t set as well. When you add calcium solution, it is isolated as ‘ions’ in solution, and this makes a nice firm set). Note that it does not help with soft cheeses that are set by acidification, as these cheeses do not use rennet.
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