Cheese Making Kit

[garciaBernal]

Has anyone used any of the Mad Millie cheese making kits available on Homebrew West or any experience making cheese and could recommend some starter kit? Homemade cheese with the homemade beer might be nice over the festive period. Cheers.

[Eoin]

Has anyone used any of the Mad Millie cheese making kits available on Homebrew West or any experience making cheese and could recommend some starter kit? Homemade cheese with the homemade beer might be nice over the festive period. Cheers.

I don't have it, but the main reason is that I don't have access to raw milk, if you don't either then I'd say you should reconsider, or seek out a source of raw milk.

[garciaBernal]

Surrounded by dairy farmers where I'm living so the raw milk shouldn't be an issue.

[bigreddog]

Bought from here: http://www.kaese-selber.de/, found to be good quality and shipping wasn't too bad.

[LordEoin]

I just buy the rennet and make the rest up.
cheese making kits seem to cost a lot more than they're worth

[HomeBrewWest]

Has anyone used any of the Mad Millie cheese making kits available on Homebrew West or any experience making cheese and could recommend some starter kit? Homemade cheese with the homemade beer might be nice over the festive period. Cheers.

I don't have it, but the main reason is that I don't have access to raw milk, if you don't either then I'd say you should reconsider, or seek out a source of raw milk.

Eoin, I think its the homogenization process that you want to avoid. Ideally milk should be pasteurised but not homegenized. There used to be milk like that in Ireland back in the day, but I can't find it these days.

It will work fine with ordinary full fat milk, just not as good.

[dcalnan]

We get unhomogenised milk from the farmers market, €1 per litre, and its the nicest milk I've ever had. I'm sure the must be similar offerings at other farmer's markets.

[HomeBrewWest]

Perfect for cheese making! Must take a look around Galway.

[Will_D]

Non-homegenised (i.e. Full fat) milk is one thing but is it legal to sell unpasteurised milk?

[dcalnan]

Yeah I wondered the same thing when I saw it for sale , they changed the law in 2012 was what I was told. It's really nice as well.

[LordEoin]

Non-homegenised (i.e. Full fat) milk is one thing but is it legal to sell unpasteurised milk?

No. Dairy farmers are only allowed to sell raw milk to the creamery/coop

[Leann ull]

It is legal to sell raw milk although there are still potential dangers with its consumption
http://www.rawmilkireland.com/governments-position.html

I get it from my local dairy farmer who I know personally and he uses a robotic system which still freaks me out watching them but "the girls" seem to like it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hojnPpvI6-I

but you can buy it at the farm gate
http://www.rawmilkireland.com/where-to-buy-raw-milk.html

[LordEoin]

Hmm.. my dairy farming neighbor must be telling porkies to avoid selling me raw milk...

[Leann ull]

He may be worried about product liability

[LordEoin]

maybe a few brews will soften him up