i got a recent shipment of melanogaster mix. the stuff is finer than usual, like flour. when i mix it it gets clumpy. sticks to the spoon. i don't use boiling water like other people do. could this be the problem ? water is not hot enough.
Try adding more water Walt. I used to use Josh's but now I make my own mix. The potato flakes I use aren't really flakes, they are really ground to a powder. It takes less mix and more water to mix it up propertly, but it lasts a lot longer. Of course if you use boiling water you'll get more absorption quicker
1. Use very hot water....doesn't quite have to be boiling, but it should be VERY hot.
2. Clumping is ok, it happens....just eye-ball it up and add a little more water to bring it up to the proper consistency.
3. Sticking to the spoon ? Always happens for me.
i have used room temp water and warmer temp water. the reason i don't use hot water is lately i am being clumsy and afraid i would burn myself.
clumping, it did clump before but not as much as before. i use the back of a soup spoon to mix it and with a tap it would drop off the "handle" part.
i will try to just more water in it. see what happens.
also i do measure it out. i have one of those scoops that you get with ice tea mixes.
i only make 2-3 cultures at a time. maybe one of these days will use the 2/3 cup mix instructions.
it is not really a big problem just a slight annoyance.
I use Josh's mix. I use boiling water (1min 30secs in microwave) that I'll leave out for a few hours to cool down then I'll mix. I find it's a bit too pasty so I just use my hand mister and give it a little extra.
Newest shipment of Josh's mix, The measurements aren't right on the bag. Says 1/2 cup of media and 2/3 cup of water. Not even close. I did exactly what it called for and culture crashed due to dry out. I'm now using about 1/2 cup of media to a little over 1 cup of water. Also hate how powdery it is. Makes a serious mess when scooping it out.
ANY premade retail media still requires some experimentation. Water, temps ,seasonal factors, elevation (sea level) and humidity are different all over the country / world. Think cake or bread baking.
Been using the suggested mixing ratio with the older mix without an issue until the most recent bag. I've found that almost soupy mix works best. I use a butter knife to mix and have it to the point where it falls off with a gentle tap.