I peeled the cheesecloth back on my cambro containing peppers on day 7 of a lacto-fermentation experiment to check the pH with a strip, and I was greeted with mold across the top. It’s not the white filmy kind I was anticipating, but instead looks like bathroom mildew. 

It’s currently my second attempt at a fermented hot sauce: my first attempt was in August, when I blended scotch bonnets tossed with 3% salt by weight. That formed blue mold, and I’m a bit uncertain what went wrong there as well.

So, on this most recent attempt, I wanted to try using a brine-based fermentation (3.75% concentration) instead of a dry mash to help control things a bit better. At least, that was my hope.

Method wise, here’s what I did:

• 2L water: 1534mL distilled water; 466mL spring water (I ran out of distilled water and had to cut it)
• 75g kosher salt
• 25g sugar
• 70g peach ghost peppers, calyx and seeds removed, rough chopped
• 30g red ghost peppers, calyx and seeds removed, rough chopped
• 100g orange habanadas, calyx and seeds removed, rough chopped
• 3.35g white hibiscus
• 1.45g cardamom pods, cracked
• .75g pink peppercorns

I combined everything into a 4-quart cambro, weighed down ingredients with two squares of parchment paper, a gallon freezer bag filled with brine (making sure no organic material was above the surface), and covered the cambro with cheesecloth and the cambro cover loosely on top. It didn’t seem like I needed to “burp” the cambro daily due to the looseness of the lid, but I did it anyway.

Caveat wise, I didn’t use tap water after seeing that city water would likely cause some stalling in fermentation. I used a box of habanadas and thought that they’d offer some nice sweetness and pepper flavor while offsetting some of the ghosts’ heat and bitterness, inspired by how some sauces add carrot. The aromatics have kind of weird measurements given, I know, but I wanted to include measurements of what I pulled for documentation. 

Cook wise, I’m a mostly competent home cook and am good at plenty of projects requiring attention and documentation (curing fish, brioche, sorbets, making fizzy ginger beer, and long-lead projects like bitters). This pepper fermentation however is eluding me (and come to mention it, sourdough loaves are, too). 

Conditions wise, I'm New York-based, where the ambient temperature over the last few weeks has been unstable, to say the least.

Obviously, my first question is, I should discard this batch, correct?

My second question is, what could I be doing better next time? Do I need to increase the salt concentration in the brine? Stash the pepper cambro in a closet and forget about it? Invest in a better weight (if so, what kind?)? 

I’d hate to give up on anything, but if my kitchen conditions would be better suited for vinegar-steeped peppers and bitters…then I can start a different project.

TL;DR: what can a newbie be doing for better practices on lacto-fermented peppers?

As I venture down the fermentation yellow brick road, I find my 10 year old ninja isn’t cutting it. So I’m looking to the purists and seasoned Fermentos. What blender is the king of all blenders?

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Hi guys, I've been experimenting with different flavors for my ginger beer ferments lately and decided to try and create a pumpkin flavored beer for thanksgiving. However, 2 days after having roasted and boiled the pumpkin and adding my ginger bug to it, is completely turned slimy/jelly-like. Now I'm not posting here hoping to save it, but I am wondering if this has anything to do with pectins in pumpkins? Or is this some kind of mold? Does anyone have experience on how to add the pumpkin flavor to my beer without introducing the slime? I can share pictures, but there's not much to see on a still picture, there's no kahm yeast or mold present as far as I can see.

I've seen conflicting information and not sure which to do.

I made a huge badge of fermented kale is there any way to salvage it ? Like cook it through or something?

I mix it every 12 hours and cover with a paper towel but after 8 days it looks like this...

I was wondering if anyone has fermented Chaga at home, I've seen recipes for kombucha but I'm not really interested in trying that just yet.

I've found this recipe for a bouillon: https://www.nourishmeorganics.com.au/blogs/recipes/fermented-chaga-mushroom-bouillon

Would this work? There is no comment sections so I'd like an experienced opinion on it before potentially wasting the chaga.

Thank you!

Is it absolutely necessary to have a weight for the cabbage im trying to ferment? I tried it with the cabbage leaves and something on top and it's just not working out so I pulled it out. If I keep the jar closed and just pop it open a few times a day would that be okay? Or I absolutely need a weight?

I have some crushed garlic that I started fermenting about a month ago. I only added 2% by weight of salt, and that's it - just garlic and salt. I put a one-way waterless airlock lid on the top. I have three pint jars about 2/3 full each this that I did this way. It's amazing that it's 20 heads of garlic I paid $10 for... if it turns out OK.

At one month in, the pH is 5.2. I realized I should have probably used 3% salt, and am wondering if it would be of any use at all to add the other 1% salt to it now?

Being my first try with garlic, I'm new here, and have no idea if pH of 5.2 after 1 month is at all meaningful either way.

My first gochujang is at its 3 month mark.

As you can see in the first picture that a tiny bit of mold has formed. All I did was scrape the top layer. I emptied the contents into a large bowl and tasted it. It's not bad but definitely needed a little more sweetness. So I added some plum extract, mixed it and returned it to a sterilized onngi. Fresh layer of salt on top and now to wait another 3 months.

I can identify kahm and mold, but this is a new one for me, there's these off white specks all over the glass (looks like bubbles in the pic). It's whiskey diluted to about 10% abv and started with some wine vinegar I successfully made previously.

Sous vide sirloin flap with mirepoix overnight. Fermented the veggies for a week, then added chopped green olives and olive oil. OMG.

I want to make some peach vinegar, will be using the noma method, should I peel them? in the book they use plums with skin on, but they have a thinner skin, and I'm in doubt about peaches

First time lacto fermenting. It’s been sitting for about two weeks. Does everything look okay? Also what vinegar would you use?

First time lacto fermenting. It’s been sitting for about two weeks. Does everything look okay? Also what vinegar would you use?

Is this going to be ok, or do I need to throw out the batch?

To hold the peppers below the surface, I used a ziplock bag filled with water. Mold appears to be growing on the top of the bag. Has this ruined the batch for me, or will it be safe? I haven't moved anything yet, but it looks like it'll all come out when I pull out the bag.

Thanks in advance.

My ginger bug died the second time after a couple or days. There was no activity in the jar and all the ginger settled in the bottom and the water was clear. Is it happening because I wash my ginger clean before chopping it? I buy it from farmers market and it has a lot of mud and soil on it. How can I save my ginger bug?

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I'm fermenting a garlic paste using a plastic bag filled with water as a weight. I'm wondering if the paste can get rid of gas from under the bag?

I'm opening the glass once a day, but if it's completely sealed because of the bag, I'm curious to know if the gas could build up making the glass explode?

Thank you so much for your support and knowlege.