fermenting Found old ferments and have questions....

[Xavi]

Found some old ferments that I started almost three years ago. Looks like everything has stayed under the brine and no nasty looking stuff. The one on the far right does have some white moldy stuff at the top, but the mash is below the brine. So, the question is, are these old ferments safe?

Thanks in advance for any opinions.


--Bryan

 

[Downriver]

So, the question is, are these old ferments safe?

In the end, only you can be the judge of that.

Fermenting for three years is not an issue. Ask Tabasco . In MY OPINION, they're probably ok, especially the two on the left, that have formed no growth. The one on the right is a little trickier. Hard to tell from the photo, but it looks "dark" at the brine level. Could just be shadows from behind. Regarding the "white moldy stuff", it's not uncommon for ferments to develop kahm yeast as they age. It's harmless, and can simply be scraped off and discarded. Now, if this white stuff is fuzzy, or looks hairy, it's mold. If that's the case, I would toss it, just to be safe. Lastly, let your nose be your guide. The nose knows, as they say. Check the pH as well. If all is good, I'd move on and process it.

Good luck with it. Let us know how things turn out.

 

[Xavi]

Thanks for the reply. I had a few jars that were nasty and they stunk to high heaven when I emptied them out. I figured that the first step was that they need to pass the smell test.

I'll post a followup once I open them up.

Thanks again.

 

[HellfireFarm]

Smell test may not always tell you if it's GOOD, but it's a pretty sure way to know that it's BAD

 

[Xavi]

Following up on this.... Two of the three were good (first two from left in original picture). I can't wait to make some sauces with these bad boys. One is a mainly lemon drop ferment with some tabascos thrown in, and the second is a superhot mixture. The one I threw out smelled ok, but had some nasty looking black growth in it. Not willing to risk it on a 3 year ferment.

All blended up and ready for creation...