DME clumpy when mixing in

Brewed my first batch using DME this weekend.. actually it was 9lbs of LME with 1lb of DME. Anyhow, when I added the LME as usual and there was no problems but when I tried mixing in the the DME it kind of clumped up and didn't really break down. Almost looked like there were a bunch of grains floating in my boiling wort. Did I do something wrong or did I need to mix it in a different way? How will this affect the outcome of my brew?

Invest in a good sized whisk, it will make your life much easier when using DME.

I use a whisk when making my starters with DME.

No biggie....it dissolves in the boil.

Years ago I tried an experiment by dumping the entire 8 pounds of dme in at once instead of a little bit at the time, it was one huge sticky clump, and although it took a hell of a lot of stirring it all dissolved eventually. Like Snitz said, a whisk is a good thing. Heck you can even use an electric hand mixture.

I've found for starters it mixes far easier with cold water; the steam makes it gooey. Not sure if that works with 9# though.

Revvy said:

No biggie....it dissolves in the boil.

Years ago I tried an experiment by dumping the entire 8 pounds of dme in at once instead of a little bit at the time, it was one huge sticky clump, and although it took a hell of a lot of stirring it all dissolved eventually. Like Snitz said, a whisk is a good thing. Heck you can even use an electric hand mixture.

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And if it didn't look like it all dissolved during the boil how would that effect the fermentation process?

I usually use late extract additions. I typically prefer DME. I lower the flame for my late addition to stop the boil and I add from a bowl, not from the bag the DME came in. That allows me to whisk and pour at the same time with minimal gooeyness. As long as I boil for at least 10 more minutes after the addition the small clumps dissolve, I've not had a problem.

The only real threat is if it solidifies and sinks to the bottom. Then you have to worry about it burning on the bottom of the pot. That can introduce some off-flavors. Just pour slow and stir and you'll be fine.