Making The Cheese

Cutting and turning the curd

The stacked curd

Milk is transported to Tower Farms from 12 local farms, all within a 10 mile radius, every day to ensure that it is fresh.

This milk is pasteurised and poured into a large cheese vat.

A starter culture is added and the milk is warmed to about 35 degrees Celsius whilst being stirred.

Once a certain level of acidity is reached, vegetarian rennet is added in order to coagulate the milk.

The curds and whey are passed from the vat on to long shallow cooling trays to settle.

Here the whey is drained leaving just the curds which are stirred releasing more moisture.  At this point the curds are piled along the length of each side of the cooler.

Once a certain level of acidity is achieved, the curds are cut and stacked and repeatedly turned by hand – this is the process known as “cheddaring”.

The curds are then milled and stirred again and salt added.

The salted curds are packed into moulds which are then placed into a press.  The cheese is left in the press until the following day which allows more moisture to drain away.

The young cheese is then taken out of the press, vacuum packed and put in wooden slats held firmly together by straps.

The cheese is stored in racks at 12 degrees Celsius whilst being continually monitored.

The cheese is ready to be eaten at between 4 months of age for mild and 24 months for extra mature.

The Cream and Butter

The drained whey goes on to be used to make cream and butter. It is passed through a separator which removes the cream centrifugally.

This cream can be churned to produce butter