fermenting Ferments of 2015

[Twice the Spice]

 
The first ferment started on July 4th, Contains 3/4 of a pineapple, 2 Yellow bells, around 15 yellow brainstrains and bhut x fatali peppers, a medium yellow onion, a head of garlic, and 5% weight in salt. I'm going to let it go for 30 days before processing it while processing i'm going to add a little bit of honey and possibly lemon juice if needed for flavor and/or PH.
 
 
 

 
 
Started my second ferment on July 8th, In it pepper wise are 10 red Bhut Jolokias, 3 Butch T's, and 2 red bell peppers all roasted. Other ingredients are One large yellow onion, 1 head of garlic, 3 large carrots, and 4% weight in salt. I will let this one go for 2 weeks and decide if i want to process or let it got a couple more weeks.
 
I really have to head down to Lancaster PA to pick up a few cases of wozzy bottles in the next few weeks!

 

[Bumper]

Nice looking ferment there!  
 
Did you add lacto or whey culture for a starter?
 
FWIW, You can go lower with the salt, around 3.5%, I found 5% was too much for final sauces for me.

 

[Twice the Spice]

Nice looking ferment there!  
 
Did you add lacto or whey culture for a starter?
 
FWIW, You can go lower with the salt, around 3.5%, I found 5% was too much for final sauces for me.

 
I make alot of pickles so I had a jar of brine from a batch that just finished the other day and i used a few spoonfulls of that. I always reuse the brine for more pickle ferments and it always gets them going quick. I'll try 3.5% next time if it's too salty. I really hope I can hold off 30 days from opening this ferment haha.

 

[Bumper]

Oh cool, I didn't think about recycling the brine as a starter, nice tip! 
 
I have a couple I am toying with processing atm, one at around 2 months and one at 3.  
 
 

 
I make alot of pickles so I had a jar of brine from a batch that just finished the other day and i used a few spoonfulls of that. I always reuse the brine for more pickle ferments and it always gets them going quick. I'll try 3.5% next time if it's too salty. I really hope I can hold off 30 days from opening this ferment haha.

 

[Twice the Spice]

Oh cool, I didn't think about recycling the brine as a starter, nice tip! 
 
I have a couple I am toying with processing atm, one at around 2 months and one at 3.  
 
 

 
I think i might start another ferment tomorrow if I'm not too busy, my Bhut and Butch T are pumping out tons of ripe pods right now. I just need to think of some good things to add into the mix.

 

[Bumper]

Check out Turbo's slog, he has some great looking combinations.  
 
There is one I grabbed a while back which uses red super hots, onion, apple, ginger, lemon peel and dried cranberries I am keen to have a crack at. 
 
He also has a non ferment asian/mexican fusion bbq sauce which is on my list to make.  

 

[Twice the Spice]

That sounds great, I'll head on over there and take a look! Thanks for the info. I might swap the apples with pears and the cranberries with dates!

 

[Ozzy2001]

 
I really hope I can hold off 30 days from opening this ferment haha.

Really try to hold off if you can. Having said that though, I know how hard that can be. Especially if you don't already have any sauce.

 

[Twice the Spice]

Really try to hold off if you can. Having said that though, I know how hard that can be. Especially if you don't already have any sauce.

I wish I could keep myself away from it for 60 days or longer, but I'm already finding myself looking at it every chance I get. I do have a sauce I made but it isn't fermented. I might start another ferment today if I have the time, so hopefully one will be able to sit longer.

 

[SmokenFire]

Most of my stuff that doesn't contain much sugars (fruit, etc) only goes about 3 weeks.  Higher sugar contents benefit from longer ferments - some go 90 days - as I find the fruits can be a bit astringent if they aren't completely fermented.  

 

[Twice the Spice]

Most of my stuff that doesn't contain much sugars (fruit, etc) only goes about 3 weeks.  Higher sugar contents benefit from longer ferments - some go 90 days - as I find the fruits can be a bit astringent if they aren't completely fermented.

I might try for longer than 30 days then, 3/4 of a pineapple and it was pretty ripe. Might just try my next one without fruits and just do peppers onion and garlic.

 

[SmokenFire]

See if you can't let it run for 50-60 days then.  Plenty of quick sauces you can make to tide you over.  

 

[Ozzy2001]

Lol I went downstairs to check mine...holy cow are they active. There were so many bubbles in them that they looked to be floating out of the brine. I should have taken a picture.

 

[Twice the Spice]

Lol I went downstairs to check mine...holy cow are they active. There were so many bubbles in them that they looked to be floating out of the brine. I should have taken a picture.

Just checked on mine, it's taking off! Getting excited and it's only been a few days!

 

[Bumper]

You gave me an idea with the pineapple, I picked one up on Saturday to finish ripening this week and will blitz it with my finished ferments next weekend.  With a good whack of 6 limes I am hoping to be eating summertime in the middle of winter.  

 

[Twice the Spice]

That sounds good! I made an un fermented habanero sauce a few years back and used pineapple it was really good, it was amazing on quesadillas, and shrimp. I'll probably be enjoying this sauce among others when fall hits.