The Universal Guide to Cheesemaking
by The Beverage People
1) Condition the Milk
- Warm to the temperature specified in the recipe
- Add calcium chloride if pasteurized (or add later, per recipe)
2) Make the Curds
- Acidify as needed
- Direct acid addition for some simple cheeses
- Introduce lactobacillus cultures to ferment lactose into lactic acid
- Add any other cultures such as candidum or roqueforti
- Continue to apply heat and stirring per recipe
- Add rennet if specified in recipe
- Continue to apply heat and stirring per recipe
- Cut the curd as called for
- Let curds settle
- Usually just long enough to pour off whey
- Control temperature as specified
3) Separate Curds and Whey
- Pour off whey
- Ladle curds into a bag, cheesecloth, or cheese mold
- Condition the curd as needed: cut and stir with cut for cheddar, stretch for mozzarella, etc.
4) Drain Excess Whey
- Squeeze and drain if in bag for finish
- Transfer to molds if shaping after bag draining
- Hold on draining mats
- Press as specified in recipe for hard cheese
- Salt as needed—sprinkle with dry salt or place in brine
5) Age the Cheese
- Skip this for quick cheese—enjoy right away
- Let fuller flavors develop (a few days to several months)
- Allow mold to develop if appropriate (scrub mold spots off with a saturated solution of salt in vinegar otherwise)
- Wrap, oil, or wax
- Hold at proper maturing temperature
6) Eat!

All cheesemaking makes use of a common set of basic steps. This guide will help you get started.