Draining and Cheddaring

This popular cheese originated in the village of Cheddar in English county of Somerset. It's a firm, cow's-milk cheese that ranges in flavour from mild to sharp, and in colour from natural white to pumpkin orange.

Whey is removed from the curds by allowing it to drain while preventing curds from escaping.  Cheddaring is the process used in making cheddar where piles of small curds that have been separated from the whey, are allowed to knit together. 

In the Tetra Damrow Open Finishing Vat, slabs are cut and then repeatedly turned over and stacked to help drain additional whey and aid in the development of the proper acidity and body of the cheese.

In a belt system, curd is allowed to fuse together. At the end of this process the curd matrass is cut into chips.