How we make our cheese

Introduction

In this module, we'll follow the journey of milk, from the farm to the plate. You'll discover how we transform fresh milk into delicious Saint-Albert cheeses.

From Farm to Cheese Factory

It all starts on our members' farms, near Saint-Albert. Every day, between 5 and 7 tanker trucks deliver between 120,000 and 160,000 liters of fresh milk.

Upon arrival, we analyze each delivery to check its quality. We test the temperature, acidity, and make sure there are no antibiotics. If the milk passes all tests, we pump it into our silos.

The First Steps

Depending on the type of cheese we want to make, the milk follows a different path:

For cheese curds and young cheddars: milk is pasteurized at 72°C for 15 seconds.

For medium and older cheddars: milk is heat-treated at a lower temperature.

Then, the milk is transferred to large manufacturing vats. We add:

Bacterial cultures: that will transform lactose into lactic acid;
Salt, for preservation and taste;
and Rennet to curdle the milk.

The Transformation

After about 30 minutes, the milk begins to curdle. It separates into curds (solid part) and whey (liquid part).

For cheese curds: We drain them and pile the cheese on itself. This work develops their texture. We then salt the cheese; and leave it to rest a bit. Then it's ready! They go directly to packaging.

For cheddar: We follow the same steps as cheese curds, but instead of packaging it, we send it to the tower, which is a large silo over 10 meters which presses them into large blocks using gravity. The large blocks that are formed weigh almost 20 kilograms, or 40 pounds.

The Aging

This is the step that makes all the difference for our cheddars:

Mild cheddars are aged 1 to 4 months;
Medium cheddar is aged 4 to 8 months;
Old cheddar is aged 8 to 16 months;
And extra-old cheddar, from 16 to 24 months.

Our Distinction cheeses are aged from 2 to 10 years!

During aging, cheeses are stored in temperature and humidity controlled rooms. This is where flavors develop and texture evolves.

Packaging and Quality Control

Before packaging, each batch is tested by our quality team. We check the taste, texture, and do microbiological analyses.

Once approved, the cheeses are cut to the desired formats, packaged, labeled, and sent to our refrigerated warehouse.

Conclusion

From milking cows to final packaging, it takes about 24 hours to make fresh cheese curds. For our cheddars, it's a work of patience that can last up to 10 years!

Each step is important and contributes to the unique quality and taste of Saint-Albert cheeses. The next time you taste one of our products, you'll know exactly how it was made.

In the next module, we'll delve deeper into specific techniques like heat treatment and pasteurization.  

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