beginning cheese making

So I worked on making my first thermophyllic culture like you talked about in the SOTS class and my results are not at all what I expected.  I divided up the different parts into jars just to examine and maybe try to use what I made, though I’m not sure what it is 

. The top was very yellow and dense like a spongy cheese.  Below that was a liquid with some bits of clabbered milk, but the liquid was very fizzy, lime a fully carbonated soda.  It doesn’t smell bad.  I’m just not sure how to use it or what it is.  I remember you saying the bubbles are due to bacteria.  So I’m thinking it probably won’t work to use this as my culture to make yogurt, right?  Or can I anyways?  Can I use it as a thermo culture to make cheese?  Or is it safest to just toss and start over ?

Someone else was saying as long as it doesn’t smell putrid its fine.  I got the Art of Natural Cheesemaking book and it seems like maybe I can use it for a cheese?  Really curious on your thoughts on this.  Thank you!!
Rachael Faber

Hi, ,Rachael, 

Thanks for the email!  These are classic results for early in your milk experience.  What has happened is there is yeast in your milk.  The source is probably airborne, probably from your kitchen, maybe just from pollens and other airbornes in the autumn air.  Not a problem at all.  Your clues are the bubbles and the fizziness.  I would also wonder whether you want to lower the temperature at which you incubate your yogurt - the sponginess of the curd tells me that either the temp could have been a bit lower, or you gave the milk a very long incubation - 24 hours or more.  

If this were my kitchen, I'd either drain the curds for a soft cheese spread, or give it to the pigs or chickens, both being great uses of milk.  For soft cheese, I'd hang it in cheese cloth for a couple of days, then add some salt and herbs.  Wonderful on toast, bagels, crackers, raw veg, or hot cooked veg.  Great with rice.  

You could use it for a culture, but you'd know the culture included some very happy yeast.  Since you already have a clean culture (coming out of your cow's teats), I would just start over with fresh milk.

And remember - raw milk doesn't go bad, it just ferments.  That said, if you don't like how it smells or tastes, then it's a ferment you don't like, so why consume it?

The chickens and pigs will always be delighted to help you.

May I use your question and pictures for a blog post?

Beth