Shropshire Blue — fast / mild

Shropshire Blue — fast / mild adapted to a 10 L batch. 10 L milk. Shared calculations and pH notes.

Milk: 10 L milk
Make: about 12 h plus 5 days draining
Salt at: before moulding
Affinage: 6–8 weeks, 12–13 °C/85% RH

Ingredients

Whole milkPasteurised, not UHT: 10 L
Calcium chlorideSource solution concentration unspecified: 1.65 mL
Annatto: 6.60 mL
Bulk mesophilic starter1% v/v; DVI alternative per label: 100 mL
P. roqueforti powderHalf traditional source spore dose; use direct powder only: 0.040 tsp
Rennet, 200 IMCU/mL: 1.65 mL
Cheese salt: 1.5% actual curd
weight

Stage	Time	°C	pH	Do	Notes
Milk
Pasteurise				Skip for this cheese	Use already-pasteurised milk; this heating stage is skipped.
Culture	2 min hydration +mix	30.5	≈6.6predicted, milk	Add calcium chloride and annatto to milk; warm 30.5 °C. Rehydrate spores in 125 mL drawn milk; add starter and spores.
Ripen	30 min	30.5	6.58source target, milk	Cover and ripen, maintaining temperature.
Rennet	90 min or clean break	30.5	6.5source target, curd	Dilute rennet just before use; stir up/down 30 s, still milk and cover.	Floc 18 min×5; same through renneting as traditional.
Curd
Cut and rest	2 h rest	30.5	6.35source target, curd	Cut vertically only 25–30 mm; leave undisturbed 2 h.	Source immediate cut pH≈6.4; end rest 6.3–6.4.
Pitch	draw whey	30.5	≈6.3predicted, curd	Draw whey to curd level.
Stir				Skip for this cheese
Scald				Skip for this cheese
Shape
Drain and form	45 min +2×30–40 min +45 min +6–8 h	25	5.1source target, curd; act on measurement	Drain in cloth 45 min; tie ball and drain 30–40 min, retie/turn and repeat once. Cut 75–100 mm pieces; turn every 15 min 45 min. Rest 6–8 h as curd cools 20–22 °C.	Model central rest 7 h, two 35 min cycles.
Mill	5 min	21	≈5.1predicted, curd	Halve to 40–50 mm pieces.
Salt	2 additions	21	≈5.1predicted, curd	Mix 1.5% actual curd weight salt in 2 additions.
Press	gravity drain; no external load	16.75	≈5.1predicted, curd	Pack tall mould firmly; no external pressure. Drain 15.5–18 °C, turn daily; unmouldday 5 and smooth surface.
Rind finishing	day 5	16.75	≈5.1predicted, curd	Bandage briefly to wick moisture, remove once dry, then move to 12–13 °C cave.
Cave
Pierce	day 7–10	12.5	≈5.1make-end baseline; recheck during aging	Once coat has set and pH is rising from its floor, pierce with 3 mm skewer on 20 mmgrid.	Source expects pH≈4.8–5.0 at this stage; ripening rebound is not modelled as ongoing lactic acidification.
Affinage	42–56 days total	12.5	≈5.1make-end baseline; recheck during aging	Complete the described drying or rind-finishing stage, then mature under the stated cave conditions, turning as directed.	12–13 °C/85% RH; turn every 2–3 days. At target, wrap/vacuum-seal and refrigerate≤4 °C; refrigeration slows further change, does not stop it absolutely.

Source and cheese-specific notes

British Territorial Blues.txt — fast/mild Shropshire Blue

Source explicitly calls this combination untested. Coarser curd, less salt, shorter acidification and fewer spores all change behaviour; predicted checkpoints are provisional.

≈ 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.