fermenting How vigorous does your ferment bubble?

JohnsMyName · Oct 13, 2015

Hi all, I'm pretty new at this, only a couple months into fermenting, but I've done almost a dozen batches already so I'm not completely hopeless

Anyway I ask because my most recent batch is bubbling like a homebrew in primary ferment. Seriously I put it on a stop watch, it took 71 seconds to get 4 big glugs from my airlock (3 piece). Is this normal for some ingredients to get this active? I'm thinking it likely has a good amount of sugar, I added some frozen dark cherries and an all organic natural pressed dark cherry juice to cover it (both were just cherries no other ingredients).

Thoughts?

Pics or it didn't happen...

This thing is like Mt. Vesuvius, it came to about 4mm of the top of my airlock stem. I swirl it 3 times a day.

Here is recipe too:

·       341 g. Hungarian Long Hot
·       116 g. Charred Sweet Onion
·       20 g. Roasted Garlic
·       178 g. Frozen Dark Cherries
·       139 g. Chipotle in Adobo
·       1 Squeeze of Honey
·       14 g. Sea Salt (2%)
·       Dark Cherry Juice to Cover

dragonsfire · Oct 13, 2015

Temp has a big influence, if you have a health mix that the yeast likes it will also take off.

JohnsMyName · Oct 13, 2015

So if yeast is in there I'm making alcohol too? That is what I was thinking originally, but wasn't sure if that was ever an issue in lacto ferments. I'm using a seedling mat for added warmth, so the jar base is likely 90's and the upper mash/majority in the high 70's.

AaronTT · Oct 13, 2015

I personally think the temps are a bit too high...low 70s are good numbers to work with.

AldenMiller · Oct 14, 2015

My first couple of ferments I blended the mash before putting it in the jar to ferment and they were pretty active. The current ferments I have going I did not blend, they are small pieces, say 3/16" square. They are not as active bubbling but they smell great and when I swirl the jars they do release some bubbles.

-Alden

JohnsMyName · Oct 14, 2015

Thanks for the input gents.

I'll keep an eye on it and report back.

BigB · Oct 14, 2015

i've never fermented but your jars look too full from what i've seen. you need to give a little space on top because it will expand and eventually come out into your airlock if it's too full

JohnsMyName · Oct 14, 2015

They're usually 3/4 full. That one expanded so much with all the off gassing that it's too much now, but once it slows down it will drop back down to the proper height.

dragonsfire · Oct 14, 2015

Slow is better then fast, like wine making, high temps can produce a yeasty taste, depending on the yeast, 70's would be good

JohnsMyName · Oct 14, 2015

So this thing definitely reminds me of beer and wine ferments, could I be making alcohol too? Will the possibility of yeast mess up my lacto ferment? What should I do if it is in fact going homebrew on me?

Video

I don't know if you can see the activity in the bottom, but it is gurgling every 15-20 seconds.