Horizontal cheese vat having single agitator shaft

A method of making cheese comprising:

• providing a cheese process vat having a vat body including an interior and first and second ends;
• an agitator shaft assembly including an agitator shaft having a centerline and a plurality of agitator panels interconnected to the agitator shaft, the agitator shaft extending between the first and second ends of the vat body, wherein the vat body is generally concentric with respect to the agitator shaft and the agitator panels extend away from the agitator shaft in one of two directions that are opposite to one another such that the plurality of agitator panels reside generally in a single plane that passes through the centerline of the shaft;
• introducing fluid milk into the vat body;
• introducing a rennet solution into the fluid milk in the vat body;
• rotating the agitator shaft assembly to distribute the rennet solution within the fluid milk to promote the formation of a coagulum;
• stopping the rotation of the agitator shaft assembly to permit a coagulum to form;
• and
• rotating the agitator shaft to cut a portion of the coagulum.