# Do you make your own cultures?



## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

I have been using the freeze-dried cultures from a local brew/cheese shop, but they aren't exactly cheap. In a world where supply lines are increasingly disrupted, this option may not be available for the long term.

Besides that, I'd rather do things in a way that I don't have to be dependent on an outside source.

Do any of you make your own cultures? Do you have any tips/suggestions/tricks?

TIA!


----------



## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

A challenge to keep the culture pure.
Even yogurt gets weird after a few cycles.


----------



## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> A challenge to keep the culture pure.
> Even yogurt gets weird after a few cycles.


Weird is good.

I'm weird, and it almost always seems to work for me.


----------



## mzgarden (Mar 16, 2012)

following along. My experience with yogurt was positive all year last year. Started with store bought and then each weekly batch of yogurt was started from the last until about half way through. I used half store bought (that I had stored in the freezer for several months) and half previous yogurt and that got me through the rest of the year. But cheddar cheese is a different thing. All those cultures are store bought but would love a way to save money.


----------



## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Weird yogurt is slimey


----------



## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)




----------



## mzgarden (Mar 16, 2012)

Forcast said:


>


So she uses cultured buttermilk as her mesophilic culture for home cheddar.
Found this link that also freezes cultured buttermilk in ice cube trays and uses it for cheddar cheese making. Hmmm, guess I better try that.diy mesophilic starter culture


----------



## Leoj Aber (Jan 14, 2022)

Culture for health has a few pages on how to make a Mother culture. I make one batch, (pint) freeze half , then use it 4 oz per batch (one oz per Gal) Adding whey to culture over night, for next day. Next week i make a new batch from the frozen cubes( 4 oz. Add half to the old mix, freeze 1/2. I Can go a long time before needing to use more freeze dryed culture, a 50 decu bag can last me two year. allso use buttermilk from making my butter, and yogurt for my thermo culture. I use Scobie from my kabocha and milk kefier's as well..


----------



## AbbySmith (Apr 23, 2021)

We would use store-bought culture for the first batch and then freeze cultures from the yogurt we had just made. Worked really well and never had a problem with it


----------

