Mixing question

[Aleik]

A kit beer question. I've done 3 now and onto my 4th before trying to go deeper. This is SO basic someone will be able to answer instantly.

But all kits have come with instructions to add some boiled/boiling water, followed by cold (up to 23L), then mix. I know enough basic science to know your kit will dissolve more readily and fully at a higher temp. So surely mix between boiled and cold water stages?

I forgot this logic last time, and just followed the workflow like a chimp. Noticed how there was a lot of thick malt extract at the bottom which hadn't dissolved.

Does This Matter? Will the yeast just gobble it all up anyway and leave an even wort, even though most of the sugar is concentrated at the bottom?

Thanks.

 

[MmmBeer]

Can't give you an accurate answer on this, but I would imagine that it would slow things down and reduce the conversion rate. Diffusion is a very slow process and gravity is working against it.

Personally I would stir the Bejeezus out of it until your paddle / spoon stops sticking.

 

[johnnyboy1965]

Its all about getting the kit malt out of the tin at the right temp. Really nothing to worry about.
Empty the kit tins into your FV. Half fill the tins with boiling water and give a good swirl. Repeat, until all the malt is out of the tin. Add enough boiling water to make up to about 4li (that`s about 1 kettle full). Add cold tap water to 23li and this should come out at about 20oC.
Top Tip only add enough water to reach 20li and just balance the temp and water till you reach 23li at 20oC

 

[Graz]

Always give mine a good stir before adding cold.

Basically:

Empty cans into fermenter.
Rinse out cans with hot water.
Add whatever remains of a kettle full of water to the fermenter.
Stir the wotsits out of it until I can feel that all the malt has dissolved.
Then add cold water.

Never read the instructions either, unless it's something new to me like the Cwtch but even then taken subjectively as there's no way it's ready for dry hopping after four days!

 

[Pavros]

The yeast should find all the sugars and eat them up even if they are not mixed very well.

However, as someone mentioned earlier, if there is a layer of extract at the bottom of the fv, it indicates that you may not have stirred enough and that your wort may not be aerated enough. Also, if the extract is not mixed fully, any hydrometer reading that you take before pitching the yeast will be lower than expected. These are not massive problems. It just means that yeast may take longer to start due to less oxygen in the wort and any hydrometer reading you took for the OG cannot be relied on to accurately calculate the ABV of your beer.

 

[Aleik]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm glad all this is happening on my kit beers and nothing I'm too heavily invested in! That's what they're there for I suppose