Lactic Cheese

The lactic series of cheese are primarily made with little to no rennet and rely primarily on the action of the bacteria converting the milk lactose to lactic acid. When the milk acidity becomes high enough, the milk will coagulate even without the use of rennet. They can range from very moist fresh curd cheeses to somewhat dry small cheeses depending how much draining and drying take place in the initial process.

For more information on the Lactic Cheesemaking process and methods, check out our article here on cheesemaking.com!

What cultures can I use to make a lactic cheese? Any of the buttermilk or aroma type cultures, such as MM100, Aroma B, or Flora Danica, will work, but you need to add a few drops of rennet for the more open texture. A dose of MA11 can produce a more compact lactic cheese, and the milk characteristic will be more dominant. For a tangier cheese, a longer set time before draining will help, but also tends to dry out the cheese more.

What temperature and humidity should I age this cheese? In a ripening box or open in my cheese cave? The aging depends on what you are looking for, since this cheese can be quite the chameleon. It can be aged from just a few days to a full year. Most folks go with a shorter term for fresh cheese. Aging temp should be around 52F, with a moisture range of 75-90%. Lower moisture will give a dry surface, while higher moisture would encourage selected mold treatments to develop.