How badly did I mess up on my first go?

[Cristallweizen]

Hey y'all,

I started my first batch of fermented hot sauce two weeks ago. I opened my mason jar and found lots of weird molds! Green, brown, white.... all on peppers that weren't totally submerged in the brine (just read before posting that is a big no-no). So, my question is... is my sauce ruined? It doesn't smell bad, but it doesn't smell particularly spicy or fermented... tried a drop of the brine (after taking the moldy bits out) and it was more sweet than spicy, but did have a vegetable-y flavor. Should I let it ferment longer? If so, how should I adjust it? Should I go to the hospital after trying a drop? haha...

 

[The Hot Pepper]

 

[Mr.CtChilihead]

if it was mold I'd toss it or at least boil it before trying it. It is NOT worth getting sick over. What recipe did you use. Amounts of ingredients to salt and method you used to ferment? Did you use airlocks? Maybe we can figure out what went wrong so next time you get a good ferment.And welcome to the forum. I'm sure others with a lot more experience then I have will chime in soon..And read fermenting 101 at the top of this forum.A lot of great info in there..
 
 
After reading that again, I realize you know what went wrong..And yes I'd toss the whole thing.Better safe then sick.

 

[Mr.CtChilihead]

or even MikeUSMC's fermenting post in Hot Sauce making. It was Mike's posts that finally got me off my ass and fermenting. He even has a tutorial in there on his exact method..
 

 

[Cristallweizen]

I think I will just toss it and try a new recipe
I put my whole harvest of black pearl, masquerade, and Sedona suns in there, too! *cries*

 

[MikeUSMC]

or even MikeUSMC's fermenting post in Hot Sauce making. It was Mike's posts that finally got me off my ass and fermenting. He even has a tutorial in there on his exact method..
 

http://thehotpepper.com/topic/63869-mikeusmcs-ferments-pic-heavy/?p=1496719