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fermenting First attempt at fermentation

R

rhm3769

Had some white Habs that I had to use or toss, not enough to make the sauce I usually do, decided to try a fermentation....

25 white Habs
1 red scotch bonnet
Half a butch t

Chopped everything, added some garlic, possibly too much, it's all I can smell from this.... And a bit of some agave syrup and carrot....

Probably too much here, too, but added a mixture of not quite a tbsp of salt and about a half cup of water.... Guesstimate on the salt, it poured out much faster than I was planning....

Right now, got it in something similar to a quad shot glass, paper towel over the top with a bowl just big enough to fit over that....

It's been sitting 24 hours now, not sure if the bubbles I'm seeing is the fermentation starting or what.... And is it normal for te peppers to look like they're starting to break down? And so soon?

I know there's better ways to this, it was a last minute thing and used what I could find that wouldn't be needed again for awhile....
 
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Hi rhm, ok, first thing is how do you mean the peppers look like they're breaking down? Can you upload some pictures?

When I've fermented pepper rings they have never looked like they're breaking down. Were they frozen prior to being fermented? It could also be that as the salt draws the juice out of the pepper that they're taking on that look and since it's only been 24 hours, that is most likely what's happening.

The Set up your using is different but it sound like it might be ok. The key to a good fermentation is a closed environment that keeps air out and allows a build up of co2 which creates an anarobic environment where the good bacteria will be good to go and the bad won't be able to grow. The best being a Glass or Ceramic jar with a lid that will allow co2 to escape while keeping the o2 out.

Seeing bubbles, you won't always see a ferementation that is so aggresive that it puts out bubbles like fermenting a beer does. What i most often see are bubbles suspended within the mash.

Don't worry too much about having added too much of this or that right now. It can always be adjusted when you process it.

Give it a good 30 to 45 days and see how it looks and if you can take some pics and post them here we'd be able to tell you more but dont open it to take them.

Cheers,
RM
 
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Thanks.... It's been a few bubbles suspended in it.... They've been in the fridge for about 2 months now, surprised they lasted that long.... I guess it's normal, the scotch bonnet that went in was fresh and it has the same appearance.... I'll see about getting a picture that is clear....

Resources are limited, it's too much of a hassle to try and find proper equipment out in town not being able to speak japanese or read anything and getting it shipped out here isn't an option since I'll be moving pretty soon....

It's been awhile since school, but the thought behind the bowl upside down on the top was co2 is heavier than o2 so it shouldn't be able to get in and still allows somewhat of venting....
 
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Still working on getting clear pics that show everything....

Seeing more bubbles randomly but nothing floating, really.... The salt water has taken on a yellowish tint and gets cloudy if disturbed.... Noticing more bubbles on the white habaneros than the scotch bonnet and butch t....

Probably messed things up but added more agave syrup.... In the process of stirring it in, I removed some of the water and a small piece of a pepper and used the aquarium water test set to check the ph, it only tests down to 6.0 and it's there....

Left it in the tube with the cap on, no bubbles but it has some kind of yellow, grainy growth forming below the surface, possibly could be the chemicals from the ph tester?

Left off the paper towel so I can see the surface better....
 
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If you're seeing something yellow form, that doesn't sound like a good thing. I'm no expert, but using an aquarium water tester doesn't sound like the best idea either. I'd suggest pH strips or an actual meter. As for the yellow, we really need to see some pictures to be able to tell what's going on.
 
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That's only in the seperate sample for testing.... I'm really impatient and being the first ferment, it's worse.... It's only been going since Sunday....

The water in the main ferment is tinted yellow, assuming its from the white habaneros being more yellow than white....

I forgot the set I have only reads between 6 and 8.... No idea why I thought I'd see anything from the ferment so early, anyways.... But I guess it goes back to being impatient and needing something other than seeing bubbles to show if it was working....
 
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I'm not a blind Shaolin monk, but patience Grasshopper... Nature takes a little time to work at the biochemical level. Once it gets started though, it picks up speed quickly as the organisms multiply. The trick is to use clean technique so you don't taint the mash with something that'll out-compete the Lacto Bacteria. The rest is just patience.
 
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rhm3769 said:
That's only in the seperate sample for testing.... I'm really impatient and being the first ferment, it's worse.... It's only been going since Sunday....

The water in the main ferment is tinted yellow, assuming its from the white habaneros being more yellow than white....

I forgot the set I have only reads between 6 and 8.... No idea why I thought I'd see anything from the ferment so early, anyways.... But I guess it goes back to being impatient and needing something other than seeing bubbles to show if it was working....
Click to expand...
Put it away......and forget about it......out of sight, out of mind...
 
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rhm3769 said:
The water in the main ferment is tinted yellow, assuming its from the white habaneros being more yellow than white....
Click to expand...

What type of salt did you use? Standard table salt and some Kosher salt have anti caking agents that can cause yellowing in your brine. I have seen this happen in my Pickle batches between years. Just a thought.
 
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It was non-iodized table salt.... Assuming table salt, it didn't say it was anything special other than not having iodine.... Only thing I had available since this was last minute.... I'll check again when I get home....
 
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Forgot to check the salt.... Seems like its going pretty good now.... Nothing growing on the top, alot of bubbles towards the bottom.... Not enough though maybe, or the bigger pieces are keeping the smaller ones from floating....
 
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So I got impatient and processed it last night.... Brought it to a boil to take off some of the liquid, put it in the blender, added some vinegar then boiled again, added a bit of lime juice, ginger and oregano then bottled it and let it set for about 12 hours....

By itself, it's nothing special, I think it's similar to a spicy Italian dressing minus the oil.... Too much vinegar, probably.... But put it food, it covers the most of the vinegar taste....

Being in Okinawa, the super bowl started around 8 this morning.... It went on breakfast, awesome.... It went on the wings, awesome.... Really matched well with the sauce they were marinated in....

It made about 4 ounces.... To me, each of the peppers have a different burn.... The white Habs are almost immediate with a slow cool down, the scotch bonnets last for a bit, slowly building them slowly cooling down and the butch t is almost like a delayed burn that tapers off pretty fast compared to the others.... It didn't get as smooth as I'd like it to be, so when you get some of the bits of peppers, I can tell which one is which.... Overall, the burn is rounded pretty well, I think....
 
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It will be awhile.... I'm moving in a few weeks and can't take my plants with me, I'll be getting a late start again this year, but not as late as last year.... Looking at a decent sized grow, if I have the space.... I wouldn't mind doing this again with a few tweaks, more butch ts and scotch bonnets, cut back a bit on the white Habs, fresh garlic, better equipment and more patience....
 
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