Curd Herder™ Universal Cheesmaking Equipment Kit

The Curd Herder™ Universal Cheesmaking Equipment Kit contains all the reusable equipment, supplies, and instructions you will need for every new batch of cheese, including instructions, curd handling, the aging environment, optional humidity control and monitoring, and as well as special cheese wrapping paper for the final product. When this base kit is paired with one or more of our Specialty Cheese Kits and the appropriate quantity of milk, you will be fully prepared to make several batches of any given style of cheese. Keep expanding your cheesemaking repertoire by adding on Specialty Kits as you master each style. The included book, Artisan Cheesemaking at Home, by Sonoma County local, Mary Karlin, is our favorite book on making cheese and even contains recipes provided by staff of The Beverage People! If you're whey serious about making some curd, we suggest purchasing this kit with the Specialty Cheese Kit for Fresh Chevre for the ultimate starter package. Note: A Cheese Press is not included and will be needed for the Specialty Cheese Kit for Hard Cheese. Also consider enrollment in one of our Upcoming Cheese Classes where we'll help take those cheesemaking skills to the next level.

The Equipment Kit includes the Curd Herder™ Cheese Aging Humidity Box - Complete Set which is a home cheesemakers solution to the challenges of affinage, or cheese aging.  Many cheesemaking hobbyists struggle to maintain the appropriate humidity level, drainage, and ventilation of their cheeses during aging.  This kit will help you maintain and monitor the humidity of your cheese aging environment.  It has been designed to provide simple and effective solutions to the cheesemaking requirements of humidity, sanitation, and ventilation.

How to set up the box:

1. Star San solution as the source of humidity – There are two ripening pans in the kit, one with side cut outs, and one without. The pan without side cut outs should be filled with a cup of sanitizer solution.

2. Spongecloths bring moisture into the cheese enviroment –Place the two spongecloths on each side of the sanitizer-filled ripening box. Use clips to hold the spongecloths in place. They will need to wick water up from the sanitizer solution. They also need to completely fill the cut out spaces in the modified ripening pan. This will create wet walls in your humidity box.

3. Optional Humidity and Temperature Controller – The Inkbird ITC-608 controller solves your temperature and humidity requirements. For most of our home cheesemakers, this unit will be your solution to turning a small refrigerator into the perfect cheesemaking space. The controller will allow you to select the temperature of your cheese "cave", and the humidity sensor will allow you to monitor the humidity inside your ripening space. Calibrate the controller, then install the sensor through the hold in the pan cover. Seal with the foam stopper.Drainage – To ensure the excess cheese moisture will drain during ripening, the kit includes a drainage tray as well as a nylon mesh mat sized to sit atop the drainage tray. Be sure all equipment is sanitized before the cheese is introduced into the box

4. Drainage – To ensure the excess cheese moisture will drain during ripening, the kit includes a drainage tray as well as a nylon mesh mat sized to sit atop the drainage tray. Be sure all equipment is sanitized before the cheese is introduced into the box.

5. Ventilation – We modify the solid lid by drilling a hole, and then supplying an auto-clavable laboratory foam stopper to fill the hole. This allows ventilation during aging without exposing the cheese environment to outside contaminants.

6. Calcium chloride to remove excess moisture –  This salt is very hydrophilic, which means it loves water and will absorb it out of the air. As it absorbs moisture from the air it will liquify and drain into the lower pan. Fill the aperitif mold with calcium chloride salt when you wish to have a lower humidity in the ripening box. Be sure the liquified calcium chloride is properly draining to the lower ripening pan.

Recommendations

To get comfortable with your ability to monitor and maintain humidity in the box, we recommend that you work with the box for a week or so before making cheese. Try to manipulate and maintain appropriate humidity for the cheese you want to make. Try a couple different temperatures and see how that impacts the relative humidity (RH). Is the internal fan in your refrigerator causing any impact inside the box? Try with the calcium chloride in the box, and try it without for a couple days. Once you have the ability to set and maintain the proper temperature and humidity for your cheese, you are ready! Remember that when you place a fresh-made wet cheese into the box, the humidity will spike at first. The calcium chloride, along with the drainage system of the box, will help you bring the RH back down in a relatively short period of time.

With proper maintenance of humidity, temperature, sanitation, and ventilation, you are on your way to making world class cheese! Have fun!

This Cheese Kit Includes:

• Curd Herder™ Cheese Aging Humidity Box - Complete Set
• Book: Artisan Cheesemaking At Home by Mary Karlin
• Stainless Perforated Ladle - 12"
• Stainless Curd Knife - 12"
• Tight Weave Cheesecloth - Square Yard
• Digital Thermometer with stainless 4" probe
• Cheese Wrapping Paper - 10" Square - Pack of 25 Sheets
• OPTIONS: Inkbird ITC-608 Controller to measure and control both humidity and temperature.