62 DAIRY LABORATORY GUIDE 



Cheddar Cheese 



Weigh the milk to be used. Take accurate sample 

 for fat test, acid test, and rennet test. The Marshall 

 rennet test is perhaps the most commonly used in 

 the Cheddar cheese process, although the Monrad 

 test is very efficient. The rennet test is made by 

 fining the graduated cup to the zero mark with milk 

 at 86° F. Add 1 c.c. pipette full of 5 per cent 

 rennet solution. Allow the milk to pass through the 

 narrow glass bore of the cup and note amount that 

 passes through before coagulation begins. The riper 

 the milk the quicker it will thicken, with a corre- 

 sponding less reading on the scales. The acidity of 

 the milk should be about .2 per cent for Cheddar 

 cheese. By once determining the acidity of the 

 milk and the corresponding rennet test the latter 

 may be substituted for the acid test in the following 

 exercises. If milk tests less than .2 per cent acid it 

 may be ripened with starter. After reaching the 

 proper acidity pour the milk into vat and heat to 

 86° F., the temperature at which rennet works best. 

 Add rennet if in liquid form, two to four ounces to 

 each 1000 pounds of milk; if in tablet form, dilute 

 one tablet in one-half pint of cold water and pour in 

 as indicated on directions. If pepsin be substituted 

 for rennet, only scale pepsin (strength 1-3000) should 

 be used. Use .5 of a gram for every 500 pounds of 

 milk. Dissolve in cold water before adding to milk. 

 Why? Mix thoroughly and allow to stand until 

 curdled enough to break clean over a thermometer 



