How is Cheese Made?

Step 1

It all starts with milk
Quality milk, whether it is sourced from cows, sheep or goats, is essential for the making of great cheese.

Standardisation

Milk is standardised so that the protein and fat levels in the milk are uniform which is important for quality and consistency.

Pasteurisation

Milk is pasteurised by being heated to 72°C for a short period to destroy any pathogens and improve keeping qualities.   

Step 2

From liquid to solid

Addition of cheese starter cultures

Selected bacteria or moulds are added to the milk to assist in developing the flavour and texture of the cheese. The type and quantity of each starter culture varies with each style of cheese.

Coagulation of the milk

Milk is set it into a junket-like solid by either the lactic acid produced by the starter culture and/or the addition of rennet (an animal derived enzyme).

Cutting the curds

The set curd is cut into cubes to release moisture (whey). The finer the curd is cut, the drier the texture of the final cheese.

Stirring the curds

Gentle stirring releases more whey from the curds and the amount of stirring required will vary with the type of cheese being made.

Heating

Although fresh cheeses are never heated, with some firmer cheese styles, the curds are cooked or gently heated to release yet more whey. This produces hard textured cheeses, such as Parmesan.

Hooping

Cheese curds are hooped into moulds to form the shape of the cheese. The cheese stays in the hoops for up to 16 hours, dependant on the size and type of cheese being made.

Pressing & turning

Firm cheeses are often pressing and turned to extract more whey and produce a close textured cheese. Most soft cheeses are not pressed but turned in their hoops to gently remove excess whey.

Salting

Salting is important in cheesemaking for flavour, texture and maturation, and to assist in preserving the cheese. Salt can be added to the curd prior to hooping (such as when making Cheddar) or added to the cheese after hooping and draining (for soft ripened cheese). If added after, the cheese can be ‘dry-salted’ or ‘brine-salted’.   

Step 3

Maturing

The cheese matures in controlled conditions for temperature (around 12°C) and humidity. During this time, which varies with each style of cheese, flavour and texture changes as the fat and protein are broken down by the enzymes from the milk, starter cultures and any moulds used.

Blue cheeses are pierced after salting to aerate the cheese and encourage the internal growth of blue veins, which takes around 2 weeks.

It takes 8 days for white moulds to develop on the surface of soft white cheeses such as Brie and Camembert. Washed rind cheeses are scrubbed or washed during maturation to encourage the growth of aromatic surface cultures to produce colour and flavour effects.

Step 4

Wrapping

Soft white cheeses, like Brie and Camembert are wrapped after 8-10 days maturation; blue vein cheeses – 2 months; Cheddars after a minimum of 6 months and up to 24 months and longer.

Packaging is specifically designed for each type of cheese, depending on flavour and moisture content. Some cheeses are waxed to protect them and mature their flavour differently. Soft white cheeses come in specialised wrapping that allows the cheese to continue to mature and blue cheeses are packed in laminated foil to prevent the rind from drying out.