Handling light malt

[anti-fsck]

Does anyone have any solutions to handling light malt? When I add it to the wort it pretty much either goes really sticky or solidifies into unmanageable lumps. I usually need to boil the wort for a fair whack of time before the lumps dissolve.

[Shaun]

I have only done this adding Light DME to water not a wort but I add the DME slowly while stirring before the water starts to boil but is hot and found that the DME dissolves without caramelising into balls that are hard to break up and dissolve.

I have also found using a whisk to stir in the DME breaks up the DME quicker than a spoon.

[Dogger Dan]

Try and add it when there isn't to much steam, the stuff hydrates in mouses heartbeat and sticks in the bag.

aggitation will break it up over time, as you say you have to stir it hard. I have a personal hate on for whisks so I never use them, wont even allow one in the house. (I must have been beaten with one in a past life)

As a note, I stay away from the dried stuff, it gets to humid here in the summer and it sets up like a rock. Then you are breaking it apart with a hammer and dissolving it in hot water.

Dogger

[Jay]

I would try adding small amounts of sifted malt at a time to a small amount of cold water and whisking to break up then pour the solution into the wort. If the cold water doesn't work well try heating the water up.
I know it's a different thing but this works when adding flour to cooking. If you add flour directly to a mixture (especially a hot one) it will clump up. But if you whisk the clumps out in a small cold solution before adding to the mix she'll be right. Also if the stuff does clump up in the intial water its alot easier to get the clumps out then when they're in the wort.
Jay.

[Dogger Dan]

You can't compare malt and flour. (Well you can but they are not the same)

Flour is actually having a reaction with the water,

The malt is simply hydrating again (Its a bit like dissolving sugar crystals). Malt crystals would hydrate slower if they were the size of sugar crystals as the surface area would be less

Dogger

[cjcook]

I always add water/wort to the malt instead of the malt to the liquid. It dissolves much better...

[Lebowski]

I think I just realised what those funny big whiteish lumps are in my fermenter.. Got the little creatures pale ale pack from west brew which has 'Brew Blend No. 15 - BREW BOOSTER'.. will the lumps in the bottom effect how much alchohol the beer has or the taste?

[Guest]

Dogger,

Cheers, i do realise now that flour and malt are two different things
I was just trying to make the point that it's always easier slowly adding stuff that clumps up on addition to water (be it flour or malt) in small amounts to a small amount of water first. This way you don't have to fish around in a large pot with a spoon for 3 hours eliminating chunks.

Jay.

[BPJ]

If I get lumps from the malt, I just fire up eth Bamix and it 10 seconds later it dissolved.

[Dogger Dan]

Sorry Jay,

I am thinking I may have come across a bit harsh there.

I guess for me I switched away from the dried stuff because of the clumping and because the liquid is cheaper.

I am a bit like Evo to in that colour isn't really important to me, close is good enough so if someone is telling me I need the dried malt because of a colour issue, it doesn't phase me


Dogger

[Jay]

No apology required

I kind of put a big fat target on my arse by comparing malt with flour on a homebrew site anyway

Jay.

[thehipone]

No apology required

I kind of put a big fat target on my arse by comparing malt with flour on a homebrew site anyway

Jay.

Yeah, but not as much as if you made the extract brews are like soup from a can, AG is like soup how grandma makes it analogy.

*ducks*

[Guest]

Hi anti, in theory you should allways boil any ingredients before adding them to your wort in order to steralise them the exception to the rule is most canned products. So get a pot and put a litre or 2 of water in it, turn on the hot plate and then add your DME before there is any steam, it is a good idea to start stiring as your adding. If you get lumps don't worry just stir the pot as it is heating and by the time it reaches boiling point the lumps would have disolved. Even if you do still have some lumps don't worry as yeast is a viracious eater and will seek out your lumps anyway.

[gregb]

Sorry Hipone, went straight through to the keeper.