Hello,
This year I finally decided to bite the bullet and try a long-term wild ferment. I've scowled the forums and multiple posts, but still have questions. I feel if I have a better understanding of how things work, I'll have more control when creating my hotsauces in the future.
This is from the pinned post on Fermenting 101. I've bolded and underlined my areas of interest/questioning.
1. In the above post it mentions allowing yeast to get into the mash, but then goes on about the bacteria performing the fermentation. So which is it? My understanding is it's the bacteria; in which case what is the purpose of the "wild yeast"?
2. Is the % brine based on the weight of the water in the brine, or weight of the peppers/other ingredients . If I did it by weight of water, is my mash ruined?
3. Lastly what should I expect in the "bubble" faze before adding the lid? What size are the bubbles? Is it contingent on the texture of the mash? Once I see any kind of bubbles am I ready to go (or do I have to wait until a certain size and number)?
I apologize if this post is long. I'm just trying to garner a better understanding of fermenting peppers, and I'm finding myself getting overwhelmed. I appreciate any help.
Thank!
This year I finally decided to bite the bullet and try a long-term wild ferment. I've scowled the forums and multiple posts, but still have questions. I feel if I have a better understanding of how things work, I'll have more control when creating my hotsauces in the future.
This is from the pinned post on Fermenting 101. I've bolded and underlined my areas of interest/questioning.
Wild Fermentation. For a wild fermentation you are going to collect the wild yeast that is in the air and use it to ferment the peppers. To do this you first need to add enough salt to the mash so that the bad bacteria cant infect your mash before the good bacteria get going. Typically this is somewhere between 6 and 10 percent of weight. Some add a little Ascorbic Acid as well to retard mold. Place your mash into a container and cover the top with several layers of Cheese Cloth to keep out any dirt but to allow the bacteria to get in. Once you see that mash bubbling away you can loosely add a lid and allow the fermentation to continue.
1. In the above post it mentions allowing yeast to get into the mash, but then goes on about the bacteria performing the fermentation. So which is it? My understanding is it's the bacteria; in which case what is the purpose of the "wild yeast"?
2. Is the % brine based on the weight of the water in the brine, or weight of the peppers/other ingredients . If I did it by weight of water, is my mash ruined?
3. Lastly what should I expect in the "bubble" faze before adding the lid? What size are the bubbles? Is it contingent on the texture of the mash? Once I see any kind of bubbles am I ready to go (or do I have to wait until a certain size and number)?
I apologize if this post is long. I'm just trying to garner a better understanding of fermenting peppers, and I'm finding myself getting overwhelmed. I appreciate any help.
Thank!