Fermenting.

[Tropicalgrower]

Ok.

So,I'm going to brave it and run me a qt jar of sauerkraut with an airlock.

What do you put in the airlock?I am guessing that with the fermenting going on,that there would not be a vacuum that would pull the water into the jar right? I saw a video a couple years ago where the uploader used Vodka.I have some Vodak here,as well as some Tekillya for a more tex-mex influence? I would probably lean more towards a salt/water brine...but thought I would ask.

[Worth1]

Salt water brine for sure if alcohol got sucked back into the ferment it might not be a good deal.
The very idea of a bunch of drunken lacto Bacteria running around the house scares the devil out of me.

[clkingtx]

I am going to have to try some carrot sticks, or some green beans. I watched a yoututbe video today with a lady making a huge jar of carrot sticks, and it just sounded so great!

[Tropicalgrower]

First attempt at Sauerkraut.I would have made another,but I ran out of cabbage.

Now we wait.

[Cole_Robbie]

See what I mean about the equipment being confusing? What the heck is that thing sticking out of the jar? I get the idea of how it works, but I have never seen one before.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

See what I mean about the equipment being confusing? What the heck is that thing sticking out of the jar? I get the idea of how it works, but I have never seen one before.

It is an air lock it lets out gas but wont let air in.
You should go to the beginning of the tread and look at some of the contraptions we have made.
Worth

[Cole_Robbie]

I suppose I could make one. I understand the idea. I was kind of afraid before of glass jars exploding on me.

[Tropicalgrower]

Anyone else doing ferments with airlocks?

The kraut I did this morning is still making juice.The jar now appears to be almost full,and no doubt that the airlock is submerged..or very close to it.I have the jar in a pie plate,so if it runs over it won't cause a catastrophe.I don't quite get how the liquid could continue to rise,,,but there it is.
If any of you have had this problem and were using airlocks,how did you handle the ever expanding juice level??

If it starts pushing through the airlock by morning,I'll have to maybe take the lid off and remove some of the liquid.(?)

[Father'sDaughter]

That particular airlock is a double bubble model. I only use those if I'm 100% sure my ferment will never push up into it -- they are a bear to clean! If you do buy one, go with a three part model.

[Father'sDaughter]

Originally Posted by Tropicalgrower

If any of you have had this problem and were using airlocks,how did you handle the ever expanding juice level??

If it starts pushing through the airlock by morning,I'll have to maybe take the lid off and remove some of the liquid.(?)

I've had it happen when making beer. In those instances I have had to rig up a blow-off tube. Not sure it's worth the trouble with a small fermentation like yours, but here's how it works --

Replace the airlock with a length of tubing run into another jar/bottle that has enough water in it to keep the opposite end of the tube submerged. Then make sure it sits below the fermentation container (for example, if the fermenter is on a table, put the blow-off jar down on a chair next to it).

This takes the place of the airlock and allows for any overflow to pass through the tube and out into the other jar.

Once things settle down and I have just air coming through again, I replace the tube with the regular airlock.

Again, I do this for larger projects.

Hopefully someone with sauerkraut experience chimes in!

[Rajun Gardener]

This is what I would do.
The brine is overflowing the jar. What should I do?
It is quite normal for brine to be pushed up and out of the vessel during fermentation. If the airlock is full of brine, open the container and remove excess vegetables and brine. Then reseal the container. If fermenting in an open vessel, it’s helpful to set the container in a baking pan to catch overflow. To prevent future messes, be sure to leave plenty of headspace, especially with shredded vegetables.

http://www.culturesforhealth.com/lea...eshooting-faq/

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Rajun Gardener

This is what I would do.
The brine is overflowing the jar. What should I do?
It is quite normal for brine to be pushed up and out of the vessel during fermentation. If the airlock is full of brine, open the container and remove excess vegetables and brine. Then reseal the container. If fermenting in an open vessel, it’s helpful to set the container in a baking pan to catch overflow. To prevent future messes, be sure to leave plenty of headspace, especially with shredded vegetables.

http://www.culturesforhealth.com/lea...eshooting-faq/

The last one creeped me out, no way am I going to eat something that has stuff swimming around in it.

If any one buys a crock like I have do fill the thing past the ears.
If you do it will swell up to the top and more.
Even when I did my cabbage and stopped the weights ended up jammed at the top.

Also take note of the temperature you are doing this at, the hotter it is the mare salt you need.
Not to speak badly of my late wife but I wasn't allowed to do this while she was alive.
If butter was left out for more than an hour is was spoiled and she would not eat it, the same with mayonnaise.

If this is going to be your first time eating this stuff with live bacteria in it be prepared for stomach rumblings.
This may or may not happen but if it does dont worry about it you will be fine.

This stuff does more good for your digestive system than anything I know of.
Think of it as feeding your body truly organically as apposed to chemically.
I know for a fact your body will start digesting and using more of the food you eat.
Worth

[Tropicalgrower]

Originally Posted by Father'sDaughter

That particular airlock is a double bubble model. I only use those if I'm 100% sure my ferment will never push up into it -- they are a bear to clean! If you do buy one, go with a three part model.

I will, buy the 3 part next time.This was my first time and I didn't know any better.I actually had my daughter buy these and send them to me. I should maybe look and see if they sell these things here.

[Tropicalgrower]

Originally Posted by Worth1

If any one buys a crock like I have do fill the thing past the ears.
If you do it will swell up to the top and more.
Even when I did my cabbage and stopped the weights ended up jammed at the top.

Worth..would you be so kind as to explain this to me? I'm not trying to be a jerk..but I just can't seem to get my head around it.

Father'sDaughter: If I need to make one of those I will,but like you said,this is just a small ferment..and a first one at that.I will learn to not fill so much.Actually,it looked like it had lots of space left when I filled it.I was afraid that I hadn't filled it enough.

Rajun Gardener: I'm going to remove some of the brine.I removed 3 tablespoons of it last night before I went to bed,but it looks like I need to remove another 3 at the minimum.Thankfully,it has not pushed up into the airlock....yet.

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Trop

[Worth1]

Trop for one thing I meant dont not do fill the crock past the ears.
If you will look you will see the crock has ears on the side.
When you first put the cabbage in you dont want to put it past the ears because toy them have to put the weights in.
These weights together are bigger around than the hole at the top so you have to tip them sideways to get them in and out.
As the cabbage swells it shoves the stone weights up against the rim of the crock.
The pictures are in order and I fish it all out with my bare hands.
I got close to 33 pints out of this thing.
This stuff tastes nothing like store bought.
You want to put the lid on and then fill it wot water.
Also with a drop in 5 degrees or so the the water will go to the other side of the lid.
Sou want to keep an eye on it and put more water in if needed but as it warms up it will come back to the other side and spill over.
No big deal.