fermenting Fermentation Problems: The yeast won't stay gone.

[Pharthan]

So, I've started my second batch of ferments for a hot-sauce.

Ingredients by weight below:
Habaneros - 388.4g
Garlic  - 171.5g
Thai Chili - 375.3g
Red Chilis - 690.1g
(Total Non-salt-weight: 1625.3g)
I went by the Hunter Angler Garden Cook Recipe and added just over 2% salt by weight: (I also have blood pressure issues, so minimal salt is preferred).
 
40g salt
2 Cups Water
 
All of the above blended (took a bit of doing with my blender).
 
Put into jars (all parts boiled for >5 minutes).
All jars are at room temperature, which varies from 69-75 degrees. (Charleston in summer, I'm pretty sure maintaining a temp of just 69 all day would be more expensive than, say, buying a mini-fridge for the ferment).
 
They started needing burping by day 2 (wild fermentation), and were just about done burping after the first week, then added some Jack Daniel's Smoking Chips to try to get some of that smokey, oakey-flavor.
 
That's when the problems started. I noticed a bit of white fuzzy yeast early on, before the chips. At least one of the jars had a light film layer as well, and the others were showing signs before I added the chips.
 
Now, every few days I have to spoon off the top layer to get rid of the mold. As far as I know it's not harmful, but it will affect the flavor. To mitigate losing any of the mash, I did cover each jar with 1/2 inch of a salt-brine, making it easier to get rid of the yeast.
 
I have this split into 5 jars with the intent to do 3 month ferment, 6 month, 9 month, 1 year, 2 year.

My request is this: How the heck do I stop the yeast? I believe I saw somewhere on this site that adding some ascorbic acid might work? My first batches did not have this issue.
 

 

[YAMracer754]

Your problem isnt the salt. Its the oxygen available to the mash and yeast. A mash can be pasteurized before going into the fermenter. You just need to add a live lacto culture to it after its cooled. Anything over about 140F will kill pretty much any live yeast so you dont need a lot of heat.
 
I use a fermenter with a inner lid so very little oxygen touches the mash. Some brine does get above the lid but a small spray of vinegar puts a end to any yeast that manages to grow. A lactic acid solution also works. You can buy food grade 80%+ lactic acid at brew shops. Mix it to the desired acidity with some bottled water. Spray the top with a little of the solution or vinegar.

Would a tablespoon or two of non yeast infected brine work to Kickstart it again after heating?

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[salsalady]

I was skimming through this thread and keep seeing the jars getting opened and messed with. Once the fermentation start s, it has to stay sealed and oxygen free.

 

[ShowMeDaSauce]

Would a tablespoon or two of non yeast infected brine work to Kickstart it again after heating?

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Thats all i use.

 

[Pharthan]

In the end, the kahm yeast was too prevalent. I'm letting my sauces pickle a little bit before I decide to throw them out. The flavor is effectively ruined as far as I can tell.

 

[D3monic]

Your problem isnt the salt. Its the oxygen available to the mash and yeast. A mash can be pasteurized before going into the fermenter. You just need to add a live lacto culture to it after its cooled. Anything over about 140F will kill pretty much any live yeast so you dont need a lot of heat.
 
I use a fermenter with a inner lid so very little oxygen touches the mash. Some brine does get above the lid but a small spray of vinegar puts a end to any yeast that manages to grow. A lactic acid solution also works. You can buy food grade 80%+ lactic acid at brew shops. Mix it to the desired acidity with some bottled water. Spray the top with a little of the solution or vinegar.

My first ferment was ruined by yeast so on my latest batch I followed this advice and heated my ingredients on the stove prior to placing into a sterilized jar. Only thing I may have screwed up on is the directions werent clear for my powdered starter so I just added it to the brine mixture. Thinking I should of added it directly to jar after contents cooled off. Heat may have killed my starter. Ill check on it when I get home tonight. Might have to sprinkle a little more in. Hate to open it though. Guess thats what the vacuum pumps for though

 

[ShowMeDaSauce]

When using a starter like Caldwells, i make a 2% brine using bottled water. Then add the starter to that for 10ish minutes before adding to the ferment.