Fermentation support thread :D
 

I think we need one of these, and save up all the fermentation wisdom in one place :idea

So, here's my question: you know how nourishing traditions always says to put some whey , like a Tbsp or two, and if not, add another Tbsp of salt. I don't like my ferments too salty though! :shrug3 I make half-salt pickles and they are wonderful! Although a little fragile. For most recipes adding another whole Tbsp of salt DOUBLES the salt for the ferment, that's a lot. What dairy-free spike can we use? :think Raw ACV? non-dairy kefir?

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

Great idea for a thread! We've been experiementing with ferments too. I just started some Kavass today, I am worried about it being too salty because of what you said.

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

:popcorn

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

what kind? :cup

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Beet, what other kinds are there?

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I love dilly carrots! And fermented pickles. And golden beet Ginger kraut. And fermented salsa :yum
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Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

:popcorn

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:nak2
Just started my 1st batch of dilly carrots with 2ble salt, no whey. :nails

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

There's rye kvass but it's much more involved, almost like making beer. I love beet kvass, I haven't made it in awhile.

Sonshinemama told me how to make my kombucha taste JUST LIKE G.T. Dave's!! Put a single strawberry in a bottle, cap it, and let it sit on the counter. :yum. :yum :yum

WRT to whey vs salt, I'm sorry I don't know. I've always used whey. I have Wild Fermentation, though, so I can cross-check the recipes later.

I want to make cortido.

The only ferment I've tried that didn't work was pineapple vinegar. It got moldy. :pout. Oh, and I'm a sourdough flunkie but I'm grain-free now so it doesn't matter. :lol

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

I like the strawberry idea! :rockon I have to brag that my Kombucha has been very much like GT's lately as well ;). I got some larger mason jars and after I harvest it initially I divide it into the mason jars along with some pieces of peeled, sliced ginger and put the lid on tight and put it in the pantry for 2 days. Then I add some cranberry or cranberry blend juice to it before chilling it. It's very much like the gingerberry kombucha only still not quite as fizzy.

The sauerkraut I made last month is almost gone, trying to track down a container to get a larger batch going.

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

I tasted a bit of my carrot ferment. It just tastes like brine - no alcohol flavor at all. :scratch They've been soaking for 4 days now.

How do I know when they're ready?

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

I think i'll try spiking my stuff with raw ACV and see what happens :shifty

I put in the fridge a set of half-salt pickles yesterday and they are soooooo good: tangy and not too salty and yum! I did spike them with ACV, but i feel like pickles are a little easier than some other stuff.

I am not happy with my boocha! It's "wrong" half the time :shrug Sometimes bubbly, sometimes not. Sometimes takes a month. Sometimes I get a tiny little flimsy scoby. I don't know :scratch I have a set going right now and I hope it's good. :nails I also have a few extra scoby's in the fridge :think I should go set on of them to brew too, see what happens.

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

So...the Beet Kavass, bubbly, pretty, nice beet flavor (there's not way a non beet eater would like it) but way too salty.

---------- Post added at 05:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:28 PM ----------

[QUOTE=DancingWithElves;4017871

I am not happy with my boocha! It's "wrong" half the time :shrug Sometimes bubbly, sometimes not. Sometimes takes a month. Sometimes I get a tiny little flimsy scoby. I don't know :scratch I have a set going right now and I hope it's good. :nails I also have a few extra scoby's in the fridge :think I should go set on of them to brew too, see what happens.[/QUOTE]

It sort of sounds like maybe your scoby is not very strong. I've let both of mine have several layers of scoby built up and it's much more predicatble and goes much faster 7-10 days usually.

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

:popcorn

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how'd you do that :shifty

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:dillycarrots

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When I make a batch of Kombucha I just leave the baby scoby that forms in with the next batch. Do that a few times and the scoby gets really thick. IDK if that's a sanctioned way to do it per say but it worked for me :)

---------- Post added at 08:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:38 PM ----------

We need some fermented food emoticons :D

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

:popcorn

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

I made my first kraut of the season with golden beets & 3 tiny little heads in cabbage from the farm. I usually add ginger, but I didn't have any.

Also made a pint of dilly carrots with dill, spring garlic, and carrots from the farm, and then a larger batch with store carrots.

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Any input on this? I've never tried fermenting veggies before, and we don't eat sauerkraut or anything like that, so I'm not sure what it's supposed to taste like...

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You got your SCOBY from me, correct? What kind of tea and what kind of water are you using? What kind of sugar? Where are you brewing?

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I do that all the time. I only separate them when they get ridiculously big or when someone wants one. I used to have 6 gallons going :shifty but I'm down to 3 since I stopped drinking it between meals. (I actually can't have it at all right now :pout but I'll be drinking it again soon.)

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

About the carrots: I didn't taste the brine. I always leave mine for the full 7 days, and when I open it, it explodes like champagne or a shaken soda bottle.
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Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

Just got a good deal on some pickling size cucumbers. Anyone have favorite recipes/instructions for fermented cucumbers?

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

Lisa, you wouldn't happen to have a scoby available would you? Are they mailable?

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

http://www.wildfermentation.com/reso...p?page=pickles

I just used water, salt, dill & garlic and not the other stuff. I did it in quart jars and not a bucket. Well, I did the bucket method & didn't like it.

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

Subbing! :yes

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

Lisa, yes, it's your scoby :yes and I had your boocha, and I know it was fine. I use filtered (clorine free) water, reg. black tea, plain organic white sugar (before then, non-organic, still plain), and i was using glass containers with cloth over them.

The batch that was never gonna be done I didn't have the heart to dump out. so, i poured the liquid into a plastic pitcher and left it there for a few days. Suddenly it turned into perfect, bubbly, tangy boocha :scratch So, now i'm using that tiny scoby that formed on top of that to brew more in that same pitcher. it's looking to be the best batch i've had yet :shrug While the set i have in the glass, made from a back-up scoby is not looking that good. go figure!


PICKLES: wanna make some half-salts? i love those :yum

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

Great idea for a thread!

My dilly carrots (made with double salt) should be done in a few days. Same with my sauerkraut.

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Thanks, I was struggling to find containers and thinking about a quart jar as well, how did you weigh the cucumbers down (or did you not find you needed to?) ?

I'm not fond of really garlicy things, I'm wondering if I should reduce the garlic a bit. :think

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

I didn't weigh them down. Just put on a tight lid.
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i have a really big jar and i weigh pickles down by wedging in a tupperwear lid just the right size to fit into the jar, and then i put a little clay cup on top if it keeps rising anyways. i notice that larger jars are more likely to get a little moldy (which is ok, these are not bad molds, they can be skimmed off). smaller jars don't tend to do that, go figure.

i didn't think you were supposed to close the lids tight? I thought the ferments needed to "breathe" ? :think

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

I have a question (and I can start my own thread if this is not the right place to ask). I have strong reactions to any sugar and have been eating only low-medium carb fruits and veggies. How does fermenting change the way the body responds to the foods? I'm so intriged but I'm a little too afraid to try without more information.

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

I always close them tight. I know they still breathe some because they leak.

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

I don't have any scientific data but I've noticed I don't like or crave really sweet foods very much since I've been eating more fermented foods. I still eat chocolate very so often though.

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

So these are total newbie questions, but do the veggies taste alcoholic? Or more vinegar-y like a pickle? Can you over-ferment something to the point where it's gone bad? How do I know the bacterial cultures are safe to eat raw and not going to give me some dreaded disease?

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

Yes and yes. Pm me.

---------- Post added at 08:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:19 PM ----------

No, not alcoholic. Have you ever had Bubbies pickles? That's what they taste like. Briney and sour and satisfying an ancient craving you didn't even know you had ...

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It might get bad after a few years. Maybe. :lol. It just gets more sour with time. It's a far better preservation method than modern methods. Cheaper too.

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

abbi, watch these http://www.youtube.com/user/CorganicTV#p/p

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I am not an auditory learner (I follow movies/tv best with cc, fortunatly for dh they are available for LOST on Netflix :giggle), is this info summerized somewhere? I watched the first one and it was about GAPS, is that what all 6 videos are about? I am concvinced GAPS works and I do think it would help me but I am not ready to make the commitment yet. I do want to know if I can eat fermented carrots without having a sugar-induced rage day the next day. ;)

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

Abbi - You'd benefit from drinking the juice. So maybe start there? Just a teaspoon a day and work your way up. That's what I would do.

Re: Fermentation support thread :D
 

So the juice no longer has carbs, they have been converterted to alcohol?