# How long does buttermilk actually last for making chevre?



## supermom (Feb 24, 2009)

My cultured buttermilk expired a few days ago, but I went ahead and used it tonight to make chevre. It smelled and looked the same as always. Will it affect the cheese at all? Will the cheese go bad faster? How long after the expiration date will it normally work? 

Thanks!


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## nightskyfarm (Sep 7, 2009)

I don't ever use buttermilk for chevre - don't like the flavor. Try some MM100 of Flora Danica direct set culture from

www.dairyconnection.com I think you will be pleasantly surprised with the results. Just 1/8 tsp per 2 gallons of milk and it lives in the freezer!


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## supermom (Feb 24, 2009)

Thank you. I will try that, but I LOVE the chevre from buttermilk. It would be awesome if it got better.


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## linuxboy (Oct 26, 2009)

What you have to remember about using a mother starter like buttermilk is that as soon as it's in the fridge after it sets, the bacteria are slowly dying. They die at an increasing rate, going from about 5-10% death in 5-10 days to an increasing 15, 20, etc % dead as more time passes. So that means you need to use more and more starter as time goes on to achieve the same amount of initial, viable bacteria.

Meaning that if you add a cup of day-old buttermilk, it will be about the same as adding 2 cups of about 3 week old buttermilk.

That being said, I have successfully recultured buttermilk as old as 8 months by first culturing it again in new milk, and then using that fresh buttermilk as the inoculant. That is, bacteria can survive for a very long time, but they do die off.

So in the end, it depends on the buttermilk. Chances are, using expired buttermilk will work, but it's more hit and miss. I personally try to use mother culture within a week of it being made.


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## hsmomof4 (Oct 31, 2008)

For the few times I used buttermilk, I froze the excess in ice cube trays and then used that, defrosted, the next time I wanted to make something with it.


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## supermom (Feb 24, 2009)

Okay, I am confused. MM100 says Mesphilic and Flora Danica is listed separately. Which should I order? 
Thanks.
Monica


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## hsmomof4 (Oct 31, 2008)

I think he meant "or". We make chevre with just FD. Yummy.


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## supermom (Feb 24, 2009)

So using just one gallon of milk, how much FD and do I add 1/4 rennet tablet? Anything else? Do I let it sit for 12 hours and then hang for 12? Salt at the end?

Also, do you let your cheese hang in the fridge or on the countertop? 

Thanks a bunch!


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## hsmomof4 (Oct 31, 2008)

I use 1/8 t. FD, if I remember correctly, for 1 gallon of milk. I use liquid rennet, and only use 2 drops in 1/2 c. distilled water. Yes, sit for 8-12 hours, hang for about 12, at room temp.


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