Milk brands good for cheesemaking

[Matt B]

Hello! I'm new to the forum as well as new to the hobby of cheesemaking. I have help/watched a friend make a batch of mozzarella a few months back. He mentioned that you have to be careful and not purchase ultra-pasturized milk that it will not make cheese. Is there a list of brands that only pasturize their milk and not ultra-pasturize? Or are there any tips you can give me when it comes to picking out milk for cheese making?

Thanks in advance!

-Matt

[BlueCheese]

I thingk u have to ask people in your own area since it varies so much from were u live. maybe phone the companies in your area that produce the brands that are in your area.

[Matt B]

What about cheese "types"? Like 1%, 2%, skim, Vitamin D? Are there certain ones of these that will make better cheese? I'm trying a batch of cottage cheese right now that I'm using Vit-D to make so I guess I'll see how it turns out here in about an hour.

[Matt B]

Well, I think I have successfully made a batch of cottage cheese. It tastes pretty good. The recipe I had said it made about 2lbs and I ended up with around 3 3/4lbs so I'm thinking I didn't drain off enough of the whey. But, that can still be fixed fairly easy.

[BlueCheese]

What I ended up doing is buying 2% and adding 10% or 18% cream. That has worked the best for me (and a little CaCl)

[Matt B]

Hmm, I may have to give that a try until I can find someone who has a dairy that will sell me milk.

Have you had any luck with powdered milk? I've read one place that said it works really well and one place that said it doesn't work at all.

[BlueCheese]

On another forum I guy did that and reported it was not good at all.

[Matt B]

I am doing another batch of cheese. It's been a while since my first two tries. I went to my local store and picked up two gallons of milk and was going to do as suggested with getting 2% and then adding 10 or 18% heavy cream but all the heavy cream they had plainly said "Ultra-Pasturized". I'm guessing that would not work, correct?

[saucisson]

Matt, I'm assuming you are in the US, is that correct? Most of our cheesemakers aren't from that part of the world so as a whole we can't help out too much as our milk sources are completely different. Using UK sourced milk powder was pretty much a disaster for me, maybe US milk powder is different. Any thoughts Blue Cheese?

Dave

[Matt B]

Yes, I'm from the Southern US. Didn't realize most of the members here where from elsewhere. I'll update my "Location" tag so people can tell.

[saucisson]

The expertise is worldwide, from Zululand to Australasia and back again, which makes this such a nice place to be in. If you need help, just ask.

Dave

[clarep]

Hello - I am hoping to try to make my first cheese at the weekend. I live in The south East of England and unfortunately have No dairy farms anywhere around here - all boring arable Can someone please tell me is it ok to just use full cream milk from the milkman?
Thankyou in anticipation
Clare

[Mike D]

Hi Clare, welcome to the forum !!!

When I make cheese I just get my milk from Tesco or Morrisons. I find that Morrisons gives a bit more yield.

I would presume that the stuff from the milkman would be pretty much the same as that in the supermarkets, although I have never used milkman stuff as I don't have a milkman. (Probably quicker for me to do a deal with a local farmer)

Sorry I can't be of much more help


Mike.

[clarep]

Thanks very much for that - can't wait for the weekend now!!

[saucisson]

Welcome Clare, I like your signature

Dave