I have started fermenting a gallon crock of peppers. I thought I left enough head space but 4 days later it looks like the peppers are floating to the top, not submerged. I used a whey starter, a strong 1/2 cup, and I have bubbles but it seems they are having trouble floating to the top. My question is should i add more brine to cover the peppers that are floating to the top? Should i just leave the lid closed and let it be or will the peppers on top go bad?
-
If you have a question about commercial production or the hot sauce business, please post in Startup Help.
fermenting Fermenting peppers
- Thread starter pagz19
- Start date
Fermentation will cause the production of CO2 (and other dioxides and sulphur compounds). These bubbles will stick to nucleation points on the peppers skin and likely cause enough lift for them to float.
Have you ever put a raisin in soda? It will sink then float. I imagine you are experiencing something similar here.
If the peppers were submerged to start with I can't see adding brine helping.
As it is likely in what is called 'high krausen' (fermentation is most vigorous a few days in) you could try stirring with a sterile paddle to dislodge the gas making them sink. Once the most vigorous stage is over it likely won't do this any more.
Other things to think about : how's the ambient temperature in the room. And how sanitary were your starting conditions (there's all sorts of wild yeast, bacillus and aspergillus that can affect the situation, many of them airborne or transfered due to unhygienic conditions)
Hope that's of any help
Have you ever put a raisin in soda? It will sink then float. I imagine you are experiencing something similar here.
If the peppers were submerged to start with I can't see adding brine helping.
As it is likely in what is called 'high krausen' (fermentation is most vigorous a few days in) you could try stirring with a sterile paddle to dislodge the gas making them sink. Once the most vigorous stage is over it likely won't do this any more.
Other things to think about : how's the ambient temperature in the room. And how sanitary were your starting conditions (there's all sorts of wild yeast, bacillus and aspergillus that can affect the situation, many of them airborne or transfered due to unhygienic conditions)
Hope that's of any help
Pagz19, welcome to THP!
What your seeing is perfectly normal and as georgej said it's due to the production of co2 by the lacto. What ever you do, don't open the container. That co2 will create a layer between the top of the jar and the mash and will help to protect it from the nasties which need o2 to live. If you want to dislodge some of the bubbles just pick up the jar and swirl it a bit. Mostly though you just what to find a nice dark, warm, something between 85 and 95 degrees F and forget about it for a month or 2. Then remember it and make some sauce.
Cheers,
RM
What your seeing is perfectly normal and as georgej said it's due to the production of co2 by the lacto. What ever you do, don't open the container. That co2 will create a layer between the top of the jar and the mash and will help to protect it from the nasties which need o2 to live. If you want to dislodge some of the bubbles just pick up the jar and swirl it a bit. Mostly though you just what to find a nice dark, warm, something between 85 and 95 degrees F and forget about it for a month or 2. Then remember it and make some sauce.
Cheers,
RM
I'd love to try fermenting peppers, but I'm worried about touching Lacto at home can affect my work.
Lactobacillus is very difficult to kill. Breweries usually build a separate room for fermenting 'wild' ales and shouldn't come into contact. There's certain foods strict brewers shouldn't come into contact with. Shame, it seems right up my street.
Hope you have great success with it!
Lactobacillus is very difficult to kill. Breweries usually build a separate room for fermenting 'wild' ales and shouldn't come into contact. There's certain foods strict brewers shouldn't come into contact with. Shame, it seems right up my street.
Hope you have great success with it!
GeorgeJ and Rocketman, thanks for all your help. I have been swirling and rocking to allow the bubbles to come to the top. 85-95 may be difficult to obtain this time of the year in St. Louis without a huge heating bill, everything is energy efficient now no fridge to put them on top of anymore. Will this be a problem? Also, my pictures are all way to large >4MB, is there a way to shrink them in order to download on this forum?
I just went with it at about 70°F (21°C) and it is bubbling away as it should anyway. Mine took a bit longer, but it will (hopefully) end up good anyway 
I added a tablespoon of sugar and heated it in a luke warm bath after a few days to get the party started and after that it activated by itself. I was a bit worried about nasties getting in (as RocketMan said) but at this time of the year in sweden, not much is moving about in the air so it went well after all. My jar is done bubbling now and is just maturing while i wait for bottles and a strainer.
So if i don't get any objections from more seasoned members, I'd advice you to heat it up a few degrees in a water bath to get it activated and then just wait The bacteria will get it done anyway, but just waster with heat.
/Philip
I added a tablespoon of sugar and heated it in a luke warm bath after a few days to get the party started and after that it activated by itself. I was a bit worried about nasties getting in (as RocketMan said) but at this time of the year in sweden, not much is moving about in the air so it went well after all. My jar is done bubbling now and is just maturing while i wait for bottles and a strainer.So if i don't get any objections from more seasoned members, I'd advice you to heat it up a few degrees in a water bath to get it activated and then just wait
The bacteria will get it done anyway, but just waster with heat./Philip