No, I put them back into the pot, and put the pot into a sink of hot water to keep the curd warm while cheddaring. As the curd cheddars and additional whey collects, I will drain off the whey.
I made a 5 gallon cheddar this weekend. After cutting a cooking the curd, they were perfect. I used 5 gallons of Spartan whole milk. 2 tsp of Cal Chloride, 3/16ths dry calf rennet. (Also the culture). Raised milk temp to 86. Put in culture, let it age for 45 minute. Added Cal Chloride...
I use Spartan Brand whole milk. I get great curd with it. 1 to 2 gallons I use 3/4 tsp calcium chloride and 1/16 tsp of dry calf rennet. Of course the starter that I need depending upon the cheese. Here is a pix of my last weekend cheddar in the press. Second pix is of my Blue Stilton from...
When using oak chips, I understand, according to what I have read, that you boil them and then let them soak for a bit. When adding to the mead, do you put in the "broth" as well as the chips, or chips only?
Unlike beer, mead will benefit from de-gasing by either stirring it gently or sloshing it around in the fermenter. This removes excess carbon dioxide and makes the yeasties happy.
loveofrose, thank you so much for this thread. I have read this in it's entirety. Great information. I am ordering the 1388 today as this is on my list to do. I have one mead in progress right now and it is going along nicely. Have made the step nutrient additions and stirred to degas every...
Well, it's looking really good at this point. What exactly does the toasted oak chips impart to the mead? (Newby here, although I do have a batch going right now).
I've had a couple of blow ups as well. Never used a blow off tube, instead I went to AIH (Adventures in Home-brewing) and ordered their 8 gallon fermenter. Has plenty of room for the Krausen now. Haven't had a blow up since on any 5 gallon batch that I brew.
I never do a full boil, usually about 3 gallons and with about a gallon of boil off it leaves me with approx two gallons. I have my fermenting bucket with 2.5 gallons of cold water - pre-sanitized. I use a wort chiller to drop the temp of the wort in about 15 minutes, then pour the wort into...