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fermenting First Time Ferment

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warilis94

Hi all! I will be embarking on my first fermented hot sauce tomorrow and I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything critical as well as ask a quick question. I have given the "Fermenting Peppers 101" thread a few reads and I think I got a good handle on the process. I did have a question about vinegar usage.
 
As far as my pepper mash goes, I will be using homegrown reapers/habaneros, carrots, onion, garlic, ginger root, and apples. I will also be using kimchi juice as a starter along with a 4% brine solution.
 
Must I add vinegar to the mash before the fermentation process or can I add it afterwards or do I need to add it at all? I was thinking of adding some apple cider vinegar + citrus after the ferment. 
 
Thanks a bunch!
 
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warilis94 said:
Hi all! I will be embarking on my first fermented hot sauce tomorrow and I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything critical as well as ask a quick question. I have given the "Fermenting Peppers 101" thread a few reads and I think I got a good handle on the process. I did have a question about vinegar usage.
 
As far as my pepper mash goes, I will be using homegrown reapers/habaneros, carrots, onion, garlic, ginger root, and apples. I will also be using kimchi juice as a starter along with a 4% brine solution.
 
Must I add vinegar to the mash before the fermentation process or can I add it afterwards or do I need to add it at all? I was thinking of adding some apple cider vinegar + citrus after the ferment. 
 
Thanks a bunch!
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No Please do not add vinegar during fermentation. Fermenting will give you a wonderful tang that some find needs no vinegar at all. Thats part of the beauty of fermentation. But taste after you finish your ferment and then add any citrus flavors or vin then. You might find it is fine as is. Otherwise sounds good. Keep us posted and remember the pics. How long are you planning on letting it run?
 
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warilis94 said:
No vinegar during the fermentation, got it! I will make sure to taste it after the ferment and go from there with the citrus/vin. I will make sure to keep an update going and will definitely remember the pics! 
 
I plan on going a month at least... was thinking a month and a half to 2 months. Is this an ample amount of time for the ferment? 
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OS gave you sound advice.  6-8 weeks is plenty of time for a ferment to go, but many go longer.  It's personal preference.  I usually go 3 weeks to 3 months.  Others go 180-300+ days.  Experiment and find what you like.  
 
And yeah - pics!  :)
 
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Hi all! Time for the first picture of everything bottled!
 
I just want to make sure I did everything correct as well. After making my mash, I added it all into my quart sized mason jar and then I put my kimchi juice starter in (gave it a stir). The mash filled a little under 3/4 of the  entire jar. From there, I just added my 4% brine until it was about 1 inch from the lid. Is that enough brine for that much mash? If it isn't i can always add some mash to a pint mason jar that I have in order to add more brine to both.
 
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warilis94 said:
From there, I just added my 4% brine until it was about 1 inch from the lid. Is that enough brine for that much mash?
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That's plenty. If anything, (to me) it even looks a little TOO full (that might just be because I'm looking at it on my phone). The mash is going to rise and fall a little bit during the whole process, and you definitely don't want it to overflow. I'd scoop a little bit out until you're down to the beginning of the neck of the jar, right where it starts tapering in. Just my opinion, but it doesn't look like much headspace to me.

You're still early enough in the process where you don't have to be worried about opening the jar and letting oxygen in. Any air you let in will be punched out within a few days of fermentation starting (which probably hasn't happened just yet). Best of luck, and welcome to the fermenting crew! :cheers:
 
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MikeUSMC said:
That's plenty. If anything, (to me) it even looks a little TOO full (that might just be because I'm looking at it on my phone). The mash is going to rise and fall a little bit during the whole process, and you definitely don't want it to overflow. I'd scoop a little bit out until you're down to the beginning of the neck of the jar, right where it starts tapering in. Just my opinion, but it doesn't look like much headspace to me.

You're still early enough in the process where you don't have to be worried about opening the jar and letting oxygen in. Any air you let in will be punched out within a few days of fermentation starting (which probably hasn't happened just yet). Best of luck, and welcome to the fermenting crew! :cheers:
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As Brother Mike has mentioned your headspace in that jar looks to full to allow for expansion. And as Brother Smoke mentioned 3 weeks to 3 months i'm a fan of the 3 month length for your average time. And welcome to the fermenting crew.
 
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MikeUSMC said:
That's plenty. If anything, (to me) it even looks a little TOO full (that might just be because I'm looking at it on my phone). The mash is going to rise and fall a little bit during the whole process, and you definitely don't want it to overflow. I'd scoop a little bit out until you're down to the beginning of the neck of the jar, right where it starts tapering in. Just my opinion, but it doesn't look like much headspace to me.

You're still early enough in the process where you don't have to be worried about opening the jar and letting oxygen in. Any air you let in will be punched out within a few days of fermentation starting (which probably hasn't happened just yet). Best of luck, and welcome to the fermenting crew! :cheers:
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Thank you for the information! I scooped out a little bit so the mash is now at the neck of the jar. A neat little oxygen pump came with the fermenting lids so I gave it a pump to make sure there was no oxygen after I re-sealed.
 
 
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Things are looking pretty good so far! Lots of bubbles as far as I can see and the mash is constantly rising and falling throughout the days and nights. I think everything is going smoothly so far haha. I did have a few extra peppers and wanted to do another ferment to go along with this one, but this time I wanted to add some honey.
 
I am a little reluctant as I have no idea how honey would turn out in a ferment and I can't really find any info. Does anyone have any experience with putting honey into a ferment?
 
Thanks!
 
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That's great news! Glad to hear your first ferment is off to a good start. I'm even more glad to hear that you're looking to start another one ;) This hobby can turn pretty addictive pretty quickly! Make sure to keep a watchful eye on those airlocks though; don't want them drying out :)

warilis94 said:
I am a little reluctant as I have no idea how honey would turn out in a ferment and I can't really find any info. Does anyone have any experience with putting honey into a ferment?
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Absolutely. Lots of us use honey all the time. It's got lots of sugar in it and the lactobacillus love to eat it up. Go for it! :party:
 
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I am a little reluctant as I have no idea how honey would turn out in a ferment and I can't really find any info. Does anyone have any experience with putting honey into a ferment?
 
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Ever hear of mead?
 
Yes honey ferments but yeast do best if you add nutrients (FermaidK) in a honey alcohol ferment. IMO there are better sugar sources for lacto ferments than honey. Honey is somewhat antibacterial. I dont think agave nectar has this property but im not 100% sure.
 
Im still stuck on Asian or Bosc pear as the best ive found for lacto veggie ferments. I puree it with onion and garlic. Spicy fermented daikon is just stellar with this combination. Im probably going to use some in a Beni Highlands ferment soon. The flavor is so subtle i doubt you could tell its pear.
 
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Hey dudes and dudettes!  This thread is boss. 
 
I read over it quickly and I have minimal experience fermenting super hots and regular peppers.  I've made kimchi in the past and it turned out awesome.  I've heard of people adding grape leaves to give it a bit more of a bitter flavor from the tannin's the the leaves.  I lived in South Korea for two and a half years and they had some batches of kimchi that had fermented for 3 years.  It was pretty sour and was extremely slimy but the flavor was amazing.
 
Are the super hot peppers any different to ferment than say a cayenne?  Just wondering if the extra capsaicin makes any difference to the fermentation process?  I've heard of people letting a 'wild ferment' take hold.  Not sure if i'll be attempting this with my peppers are I'm just getting a grasp of how to get the peppers to produce more fruit (I'm a n00b).  Anyway, glad to see other people are making ferments for the winter.  What do you guys do with the mash when it's finished fermenting?
 
Catch you folks later!
 
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Papyrus said:
Are the super hot peppers any different to ferment than say a cayenne?  Just wondering if the extra capsaicin makes any difference to the fermentation process?
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No different, except for the heat level. You can always substitute some milder peppers for some of the superhots too, to tame the heat and add bulk to it

Papyrus said:
What do you guys do with the mash when it's finished fermenting?
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We blend it up to make sauce, boss ;)
Or you could use a couple of tablespoons of the active mash to use for a 'starter' for a new batch
 
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