The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1899-06-10
PRODUCING Elayor IN Ru,.er.


Producing Flavor In Bulter.
Dairy Reporter: Every creameryman
knows that there is no more difficult
task connected with the art OF butter
making than to produce q uniform and
desirable flavor. One day the favor
may be just to suit, and the next day the
same routine is followed out as near as
possible, but the flavor is not the same.
In considering the subject of flavor in
telliKeDtly 1t seems to me essential that
we should first understand what butter
flavor is. and how it is produced. A
desirable butter flavor is the char
acteristic taste of good butter, and is
produced by the right kind of fermenta-
tion in the milk and cream from which.
the butter is made. Sweet cream butter
has but little flavor. 1t is the ripening
process in the cream and milk that pro-
dpces good butter flavor. / repeat, in
the cream and milk, because many people
think of the ripening as taking place
only in the cream. But says some one
not fsmiliar with buttermaking: What
do you mean by ripening2 That is the
great question. Almost everything that
surrounds US with which the atmosphere
comes in contact is literally teeming
with small organisms known as bacteria.
The air we breathe, the water we drink
and mach Of the food we eat is filled with
this bacteria. 1t is the bacteria in milk
and cream that produces the ferment-
tation we call ripening and makes flavor
of the final product-butter. The char
acter OF this flavor is determined prin-
cipally by the character OF the bacteria
that produced the fermentation in the
milk and cream from which the butter
was made; and the character of this
bacteria depends on the character Of the
soil In which it was 6rst propagated.
Pure, healthful germs will die in foul
soil, but the yilest germs will thrive in
a clean. pure soil and soon contam:nate
the whole mass. Hence il propagated
in swlll barrel, and afterwards
grown and the propagation continued in
a milk can it is bad for the milk and its
product. We sometimes find localities
where the character of the bacteria in
the air is such that it is with difficulty
we breathe at all, and we hasten away
from such a place, oftimes with our
nasal organs wrapped in handkerchief.
What kind of flavor would you expect
to find in butter made from milk or
cream that had been exposed to the
atmosphere in such a place? Yet some
of our farmers still milk their cows in
barn poorly ventilated and poorly
cleaned, where the foul odors would al
most knock sensitive person down; and
keep the milk there for hours, besides
allowing filth to drop into it from the
cows, all of which is filled with bacteria
that will develop bad flavor. When
milk is drawn from the COW we are told
that it is free from bacteria, but no soon
er is 1t exposed to the atmosphere than
1t furnishes a rich hot-ted for the growth
and propagation Of such bacteria as may
lind Its way into it, and If undesirable
germs are first introduced, no matter
from what source, whether from poorly
cleaned utensils. from tho stable. from
the side of filthy COW, or any other
source, they multiply with a wonderful
rapidity and thus produce fermentation
that will destroy good flavor in any milk
product. How essential. then, that the
first bacteria introduced into tho milk
or cream should be Of a species that will
produce pure Tactic acid. tho basis Of all
good butter flavor. Hence good starter
is oftimes Of great Importance, and to
know how to prepare and use such a
starter on the part OF every 5',ttermaker
Is imperative. But If the patron is care
less with his milk and delivers it to the
creamery loaded with bacteria from the
COW stable or some worse place, no power
of the buttermaker can eliminate II, and
the flavor of the butter will not be what
1t should be; and it is also true that butter
| of the finest quality can be produced from
milk that is properly cared for from
start to hnish." without any starter
being added. OF course the process Of
IfipeniDg as to slew or quick ripening,
high or low temperature, all have their
effect on flavor; but IN these things the
buttermaker must use his Judgment,
adjusting all such details to the condition
under which he is working. ] do not
think it possible to lay down aaY iron
clad rule by which buttermaker may
always produce the desired flavor in
butter. But there are some things every
buttermaker who is worthy can do. He
can instruct his patrons in the care oil
their milk; and reject all milk that IL
not ft for use; and every patron should
accept his advice in friendly spirit, and
it is a poor patron indeed who aims t.
deliver his milk to the creamery SO |,
will be barely accepted and who IL
satisfied If be is not compelled to take i,
home. It should be the pride Of every
patron to deliver his milk to creamery
in the finest possible condition. Itis
easy to do so If he will only take pains
to acquire little knowledge on thu
subject and make practical use Of tha,
knowledge and when buttermaker i,
compelled to criticize the condition o.
: a patrons milk he should be able toin
ylte him into creamery, clean and vel
kept. and show such patrons by practica
demonstration that cleanliness is al
essential in every branch Of buttermak
8 ing.