Type L vs MD 88 culture for first attempt at Gouda?

[CSMurray83]

Hello, new to this forum and also relatively new to cheesemaking!

I'm attempting make Gouda and age it maybe for two months. It will be my first cheese *fingers crossed*!! I have the essentials except I'm stuck on the mesophilic starter culture. The recipe I found suggests a standard meso culture, but I'm not sure if I should go with the basic Type L Meso Starter or a specialty MD 88? The MD 88 sounds perfect sincce it promises nutty flavor and open texture, but I worry it might be too complex for a beginner and lead to over-acidification??

Should I stick with the simpler, safer Type L, or what can I do to avoid messing up with MD 88? Thanks for all your advice!!

 

[SweetAndSour]

@CSMurray83 the complexity of the MD 88 means it can be slightly less predictable for a newbie, especially if your kitchen temps fluctuate. Over acidification is the #1 beginner killer for washed curd cheeses like Gouda.
Nail the basic process (pressing, washing, salting) with the Type L first. Once you have a safe, edible Gouda under your belt, then switch to the MD 88 for the next batch to compare the flavor. If you manage the wash, the MD 88 is fine!

 

[ric0tta01]

@CSMurray83 the complexity of the MD 88 means it can be slightly less predictable for a newbie, especially if your kitchen temps fluctuate. Over acidification is the #1 beginner killer for washed curd cheeses like Gouda.
Nail the basic process (pressing, washing, salting) with the Type L first. Once you have a safe, edible Gouda under your belt, then switch to the MD 88 for the next batch to compare the flavor. If you manage the wash, the MD 88 is fine!

Oonly made a couple batches of cheese so far, and my kitchen does get pretty warm in the afternoons. Do you track pH during the wash stage, or just go by timing and feel? I’m using raw milk, so I want to be careful with acid levels.