Water, Hard/High Mineral Content - For Diluting Rennet/Washing Curds?

[BigCheese]

Hi, I remember reading somewhere that excessive minerals can negatively effet rennet. Is that right? I have well water that is heavy with minerals. Should I buy distilled for scalding/washing curds?

[linuxboy]

For washing? No, by this time, the rennet has done its thing. Use distilled for diluting the rennet, though.

[BigCheese]

Got it, thank you.

[patit]

So if there's too many minerals in the water it will prevent the rennet from working?  Then is it possible that the reason that I haven't been able to get a real solid curd since January is because we switched over from our well water to our spring water about then?  Is the problem really that easy to fix!?

Patit

[linuxboy]

Correct, if you dilute your rennet in well water, and the mineral content is high, it interferes with coagulating strength. You should be using distilled water.