# My Chevre won't set up



## eam

Hi Everyone, I've just joined this board and this is my first post. I've lurked a bit but only recently discovered the site from the Homesteading Today site. And, I'm looking for some help. For some reason, the last several (like 6 or 7) batches of chevre won't firm up. 

I'm using goat's milk (obviously) with goats in their 4th month of lactation. I heat the milk to 86F, add the chevre starter, and let sit overnight, at least 12 hours and I've gone as much as 36 hours. It tastes delicious but runs right through the muslin when I strain it. I've tried adding just a drop of rennet with no difference. The last batch I addded calcium choride and rennet, still the same results.

Any ideas?

And, on a related note, what can I use a gallon of runny chevre for?

I've also posted on the HT website but I think this one gets a lot more activity!

Thanks for the help.
Elizabeth


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## nightskyfarm

How old is your rennet? I would try again and add rennet and culture at the same time. Then allow it to sit for the 12 hours in a cool place. It should coagulate if the rennet is good. You shouldn't need the calcium chloride.


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## eam

Thanks for the input. My rennet should be good; it's less than 6 months old, always kept in the frig. I don't have any trouble with hard cheeses giving me a clean break, nor feta, nor mozz. It's just the chevre that's giving me trouble. That's what has me so flummoxed!

Any and all leads welcome!
Elizabeth


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## nightskyfarm

I forgot to ask. Are you using the same culture for all your cheeses? Old culture will have that effect too.


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## eam

Actually, no, I'm not using the same cultures for all the cheeses. This is a chevre culture from Hoegger's supply and I have to admit it's on the older side, probably 10-12 months? I thought cultures lasted for at least two years; is that incorrect?

Thanks.
Elizabeth


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## NubianSoaps.com

I don't use culture from Hoegger's but cheesemaking.com I simply freeze the cultures. I just add culture to freshly milked and then strained milk, add the culture, stir and pour into pillow cases, although I make double and triple batches you can't that much in one case, the inside simply not dry. Perhaps the rennet in your culture is the problem...are you freezing them? I am still using culture, FD that I purchased from a coop we had on here since I add so little of it to my cheese.

Oh and Welcome! Vicki


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## linuxboy

What is your ambient room temp? Also, any specific reason you're heating to 86F?

and as for


> And, on a related note, what can I use a gallon of runny chevre for?


You can make tvorog 
http://www.wacheese.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=68


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## Tallabred

I have been using hoegger's culture - it NEVER sets up on its own. You have to add rennet. Cheesemaking.com has a wonderful chevre culture that nothing has to be added to it.

I made sauce for noodles out of my first runny batch - it freezes too.


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## Sondra

I still just love useing rennet and FD works every time but I also use the goat milk fresh from the goat and don't heat. Gona try some this week tho from frozen milk so guess will have to heat that some.


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## eam

Thanks everyone. I got new chevre culture from cheesemaking.com and tried again. It worked like a champ. So clearly it's my Hoegger's culture that isn't working. So now I need to figure out if I should just toss the Hoegger's culture or if I can do something with it, perhaps add more rennet to the cheese? I hate to just throw it away but there's no point in wasting the milk if the failed cheese just ends up going to the pigs!

Elizabeth


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## nightskyfarm

Old culture is old culture and no amount of rennet is going to fix that. Toss it. 

Glad the new stuff is doing what you want it to. Had the same problem myself not too long ago. If you take your culture in and out of the freezer frequently, that freezing and thawing breaks down the culture over time and it will not work as well. Take it out of the freezer only very briefly and return it. Do not allow it to sit on a counter and thaw.


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