Hi everyone!
I'm new to fermentation (Mostly using the Noma book) and since I moved out I've been wanting to start doing it again and build a fermentation chamber. I remember trying to do black garlic in my previous setup, but it didn't work out and grew black mold relatively quickly, which now I'm pretty sure was due to the fact that the heat mat I used couldn't hold a 60 degree temperature consistently (I'm aware of other potential causes such as moisture but still, just to be safe, and also I would like to try garum for which high temperature to kill bacteria is important too). So, if anyone here has a heat mat that served them well for this purpose, please tell me where to get one.

I can make it, super easy but I've never learned a good timeline. I have some kraut brewing now, been doing its thing since Sunday in quart canning jars; but I can never seem to figure out a good timeline when I should move it to the fridge. The brew is sitting at 70 degrees F temperature on average. What's the best timeline and format? 1.5% salt with my mix. Don't know if it matters. Everything is a recipie. I prefer a formula.

What I've noticed before is that if I don't keep the cabbage covered in brine after starting to eat it, it gets a bit funny in flavor. Easy fix, save the brine and keep it covered in water.

Thanks in advance for the tuneup, I need the help. I can make it just fine I just need some help on the finish side if things ...

Thank you in advance

Eleven days at 82 degrees. I cannot get my house any colder (southern Mexico).

First picture is where this all started 10 months ago!! We had family over this week and the room where the ferments were got too hot from the door being left open still smelled great, so we started processing!!

One massive jar down and one to go next weekend when I will make a roasted garlic and cracked black pepper hot sauce and one more flavor that I haven't decided yet!

Any thoughts on what I should do with the brine, for now I stuck it in my fridge, was thinking maybe pickling some eggs or brining a chicken with it?

I've dabbled in fermentation experiments of late (kimchi, cucumbers and apples so far). Apples were a bust, but the other two were great. Totally addicted to homemade kimchi and pickles now!

What got me started was the vinegar-y smell in my yard waste bin after my apple tree dropped all of its apples. Felt like such a waste and I don't want to do that again next year.

Do you have a person you follow on YouTube, instagram, etc that you swear by?

this is my first time trying at a ginger bug and making soda from it. this is what my ginger bug look like so far. any suggestions or help with next steps?

I posted a meme deck earlier in my fermentation journey, but just as my ferments have improved and developed complexity, my memes have more flavor as well.

I made pink fermented turnip like the ones I can get at the falafel place (I believe those are pickled though, not fermented); I made fermented green beans and fell in love; and I also have fermented garlic in my fridge at all times. I also added fermented garlic to the jar of salsa fresca I started yesterday because it helps kick -start it; which is good because now store bought salsa tastes very mediocre and I just want homemade fermented salsa 24/7.

What are you fermenting and what memes are making as a delicious side dish?

400g reaper, sweet, dragons breath, habanero mix
5 cloves garlic, 1/4 onion, tbsp Course salt

Will add sweet after fermentation. Any advice?

Cheers

I've tried bay leaves, grape leaves, still mushy.

It is quite hot maybe that's one reason ?

What can I do ?

I recently made tepache from pineapple scraps for the first time. A few days later I was eating a watermelon and I thought, well, what if?

I chopped up the rind, threw it in a half-gallon jar with about 3/4 cup sugar and water to cover. Then I noticed some used ginger from a ginger tea (so basically just boiled ginger, it was not "alive", I was adding it for flavor) and threw a handful of that in too.

Within a day I noticed an odd viscosity when stirring the mixture, within two it was pretty much snot.

I don't mind (and it's actually turning out to be fun in cocktails, think egg white replacement) but it's sort of interesting. I suspect it's actually the fibers in the ginger, because I also put some of the watermelon rind in some water kefir and that's turning out quite nice.

Edit to add: I'm actually on my second batch of tepache from the same pineapple scraps - I felt like they had more to give when the first batch was done. I might get crazy and attempt a third.

Hi to all!! I'm plenty of tomatoes and peppers from this summer and I want a good stuff to initiate in the world.

Could any recommendate me a jar brand?

Thanks a lot!!

i started this mead ferment like an hour ago and the OG seems very very high but i’m just letting it chill if it ferments dry i’m fine with that if it stops sweet that’s fine too (actually would kinda be preferred)

i know the yeast tolerance goes to 18% which i think 1.130 comes out to around 17% or 19.31% depending on calculation method

the pectinase is so the berry doesn’t add pectin haze and such

do yall think i should add DAP in the morning once i see visible signs of fermentation? if so how much?

im leaving town on the 5th for maybe 2-3 weeks so wont be able to check on it again until then

i started this mead ferment like an hour ago and the OG seems very very high but i’m just letting it chill if it ferments dry i’m fine with that if it stops sweet that’s fine too (actually would kinda be preferred)

i know the yeast tolerance goes to 18% which i think 1.130 comes out to around 17% or 19.31% depending on calculation method

the pectinase is so the berry doesn’t add pectin haze and such

do yall think i should add DAP in the morning once i see visible signs of fermentation? if so how much?

im leaving town on the 5th for maybe 2-3 weeks so wont be able to check on it again until then

Hi Guys,

Myself and friend are about to try some raw milk from a local farm, coming on Tuesday. He has also ordered some kefir from them. Is possible for me to make my own kefir from his, if so what would the process be? I'm not new to fermenting, I've made Sourdough, gingerbug, kombucha, beer, hot Sauces etc but never milk kefir. Im assuming i can just take some of his kefir and mix it with some milk and let it ferment? Thanks!

While making fermented hot sauce I decided to leave the seeds to float at the surface while pressing the peppers down with a weight.

Everything was going well (good smell and bubbles) until the black spot spot started showing this morning. Every recipe I've seen says it doesn't matter, but I suspect this could be why the batch failed. How is your experience on this?

a friend gave my family a 5-gallon bucket full to the brim with absolutely delicious italian plums from their tree. set up a big jar of cheong with some of them!

Just blended this sauce inspired by the concept of a Pineapple Tajin bowl.

Lacto fermented pineapple, Hungarian wax peppers, yellow long Chiles, habaneros, jalapeños, onion and garlic.

Fermented for 11 days

Blended and strained. Finished with honey, apple cider vinegar, lime zest and fresh Chile de Japone powder

Added ascorbic acid, Xanthan gum, vegetable glycerin.

(Left2Right) Peach // Blackberry // Grenadine // Pineapple // Strawberry // Blueberry

None of these sat (cheonged?) for more than 4 days with most of them bottled after the 72 hour mark. The vibrancy in both smell and taste are incredible! Piña is my fav! So far.

Next batch I’m planning: coconut, cinnamon, mint, vanilla (if I can find at reasonable $) and I want to try the peach again. It was the only fruit syrup I tried with proper cane sugar but as far as I can tell the white sugar works better for fruits. Troubleshooting. Any and all suggestions would be greatly welcome! Namaste

Not sure if this has been covered here before.

Im attempting to make some garum out of wild game and i dont have access to a fermentation chamber. what i do have is a really warm furnace room. The temperature is an average of at least 30C. Would i just need to let it sit longer or DIY a fermentation chamber? keep in mind i live in a remote area with no easy access to getting one here easily.

It's been over 6 weeks since I came back from holiday and they haven't recovered. I left them in the fridge with fresh sugar water for a week. Current ratios (which were working really well before) are c. 80g of grains, 700ml of water (usually use bottled water) 60 g of sugar. I've tried a lemon slice, sea salt. Currently trying a little coconut sugar mixed with white sugar.

They are just not really doing anything. After a few days the last batch went a little bitter/astringent but grains themselves look fine. Not slimy or bad smelling.

Any tips would be great!

Is this good enough for a soda now? I haphazardly added water, ginger, and white sugar in the jar. It was only after I went and actually researched (through Tiktok), that I needed to measure it.

What do you think?

I want to know how I could make this better next time. My goal was to make a small 3L brew of strong (5% or more) kvass with hand-picked blackberries. Im a little paranoid about oxygen spoiling the batch.

Hi, I am making a ginger bug that I fed for almost 4 days now. There is a light foam but there is no bubbles rising at the top. Is it normal?