fermenting Fermented Pepper Mash

[charlesNYC]

Ok so i'm throughly confused on this subject.
Some people boil their blended peppers before setting them up to ferment, other don't because it kills the fermenting bacteria.
Some say just add salt, others say add enough to create a protective coating on top of the pepper concentrate.
Some say use an airtight jar, others say a loosely fitting peanut butter jar so that air escapes.

How do you do it?
I trust everyone here far more than all those geniuses in Gardenweb.

 

[Chili Monsta]

I also prefer the smoothness of a fermented pepper mash hot sauce as it has become my favorite method this year. I have not tried your hooch method but will start some as soon as I get some distilled, I'm just adding back some already fermented mash to each new batch. This is one of the better threads on fermentation period and hope more people discover this old way of food preservation. Good read.

PRP:
Like yourself,I too have become very fond of the smoothness you get from the fermenting method.
I have made four small batches of hot sauce(approx. 2 bottles each) 2-using fermented habanero and 2- fermented cayenne...and between what I use and what my friends have snagged, I'm probably going to be going without very soon.
Currently,I have six different mash's fermenting of my own,some with air locks and others in small crocks.
And after reading up on all the various "starter" options,I used whey (from plain yogurt)as a starter. The whey worked perfectly, was ready to use after waiting about an hour for it to separate, and I had none of the nurturing necessary with a sour dough starter.
I've got to admit....I believe I'm hooked on the method...no...I know I'm hooked.
The smoothness and depth of the flavor is simply too hard to ignore.

I have also done some other fermenting projects this season:

two 1/2 gal batches of Kim Chi,
one 1/2 gal of traditional sauerkraut,
and some fermented pickled green tomatoes (around 20).
The only thing I still have left are a few of the pickled green tomatoes....and I don't expect them to last much longer than this weekend.
They are absolutely great...and in the past, I have never liked green tomatoes in the slightest.

And to your point...after my first batch of Kim Chi was ready to put in the fridge, I used 3-4 TBS of the liquid as a starter in a batch of pepper mash...then in the sauerkraut...then in the next batch of mash...etc.
It works like a charm.
CM

 

[DaQatz]

Should also be able to get in a pharmacy section as Acidophilus(Lactobacillus acidophilus) as a pro-biotic supplement. I've seen it for about $5 for 90 pills. Should work fine.

 

[Smokey Mick]

Would a half tea spoon of freeze dried bakers yeast in a little warm distilled water do the trick?
I use Brewers yeast in a simular way when brewing beer.

 

[DaQatz]

No bakers yeast is Saccharomyces cerevisiae, what you want is a lactobacillus. If you catch it wild it's normally lactobacillus plantarum. If you need something quick live yogurt (Lactobacillus bulgaricus) ,or even a acidophilus(Lactobacillus acidophilus) pill from the pharmacy section. Other wise you could put your yeast in a flour slurry ,and let wait a few days to catch the right extras. A plain flour slurry would also work(as show earlier in the thread) it just has a much higher chance of catching molds then on e inoculated with yeast.

 

[Smokey Mick]

Thanks mate

 

[crazy8]

Well I have made my second batch of hooch and so far it is looking GREAT. I think after this coming weekend (maybe Monday) I will take half out and refresh it. This time what I did was...
Day 1: 1/4cp water 1/4cp flour 1/8tbsp yeast pinch of sugar. I wasn't sure how much to use in my smaller jar so I started small and worked up.
Day 2: After removing half and realizing I needed more yeast. 1/3cp flour 1/3cp water 1/2tbsp yeast bigger pinch of sugar. Oh the bubbling was perfect this time.
Day 3: After the mix "deflated" I put it in the fridge and now I think I am on day 6 or 7. It has developed a large amount of hooch and I have only pulled the jar out once to mix it, though it could almost be done on a daily basis.