Caerphilly — Jim Wallace

Caerphilly — Jim Wallace adapted to a 10 L batch. 10 L milk. Shared calculations and pH notes.

Milk: 10 L milk
Make: about 1–2 days
Salt at: before moulding
Affinage: ≥2 months, 11 °C/90–95% RH

Ingredients

Whole milkPasteurised, not UHT: 10 L
MA 4002 starter: 0.8 g
Calcium chloride: 3.3 mL
Rennet, 200 IMCU/mL: 2.4 mL
MycodoreOptional: about 0.8 mL powder
Cheese salt0.5% in curd +0.5% surface: 1% curd weight total
BrineSource≈21%w/w, not 27%w/w; plus 4 mLCaCl₂ and 1.3 mLwhite vinegar/L water: 270 g salt/L water

Stage	Time	°C	pH	Do	Notes
Milk
Pasteurise				Skip for this cheese	Use already-pasteurised milk; this heating stage is skipped.
Culture	11 min	24.4	≈6.5predicted, milk	Heat 24.4 °C with calcium chloride; add cultures, rehydrate 1 min and stir 10 min.
Ripen	5 min ramp +45–60 min	30.5	≈6.4predicted, milk	Raise to 30–31 °C over 5 min; stop stirring and hold 45–60 min.
Rennet	40 min or clean break	30.5	≈6.3predicted, curd	Dilute rennet just before use; stir up/down 30 s, still milk and cover.	Allow up to 20 min extra if needed; stir 1 min before stilling.
Curd
Cut and rest	12.5 min rest	30.5	≈6.3predicted, curd	Cut to 13 mm cubes; allow cut faces to heal without stirring.
Stir	20 min	30.5	≈6.2predicted, curd	Stir gently and maintain 30–31 °C.
Scald	15 min +45–60 min	33.5	≈6.0predicted, curd	Raise to 33–36 °C over 15 min; stir 45–60 min until firm throughout but slightly sweet.
Pitch	until settled	34.5	≈6.0predicted, curd	Settle under whey; duration 5 min is a model assumption.
Shape
Drain and form	3–5turns, every 15–20 min	35	5.65source target, curd; act on measurement	Transfer to cloth-lined colander with board/warm-water weight; keep 33–37 °C, halve/restack 3–5 times.
Mill	5 min	34	≈5.7predicted, curd	Break to thumbnail-size pieces.
Salt	mix	34	≈5.7predicted, curd	Mix 0.5% of actual curd weight salt until no longer gritty.
Press	about 14.8 h / closure	22	5.35source target, curd	Press 1–2× cheese weight 45–60 min; flip; repeat 45–60 min. At pH 5.3–5.4 rub remaining 0.5% salt, rewrap and press 12–14 h, turning halfway; increase load only to close cracks.	First-phase pH gate shown; after overnight acidification may fall further.
Brine	45 min per 907 g	11.5	≈5.2predicted, curd	Brine at 10–13 °C, turn and re-salt top halfway.
Cave
Affinage	at least 2 months	11	≈5.2make-end baseline; recheck during aging	Complete the described drying or rind-finishing stage, then mature under the stated cave conditions, turning as directed.	90–95% RH; turn daily, pat mould down. Dry down/lower RH if unwanted blue-green appears.

Source and cheese-specific notes

British Territorials Recipes.txt — Caerphilly — Jim Wallace

≈ marks an illustrative prediction. Source targets and recorded readings are labelled separately; recorded readings are historical context, not targets for a new batch. Use a calibrated meter and the correct sample medium. Read the shared method and assumptions.