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fermenting I'm on the superhot mash train

Timmmy newbie

Timmmy newbie

Using Jacob's posts as a reference I've jumped in and started up a mash

Heres my hooch mix thats over 2 weeks old at this point

fermentinghooch001.jpg


And then the mash, all 5ltrs of it. Bad choice in jars but I didn't have all day to find a narrow necked version

mashstart31st007.jpg


Lol I hope it works

In the mix:

1.8 ltr of peppers 50% choc bhuts, 20% fatalii's and 30% yellow 7's
1.6 ltr of canned pears including the liquid from 1 can
1 large banana
a few hand fulls of continental flat leaf parsley
Fresh ginger
1 lemon
1/2 red grape fruit
1.5 ltr of bottled water
5 tbsp salt
5 tbsp hooch starter (maybe too much?)

So we will see what happens, I still have a few kg's of peppers in the freezer I want to use up so if this one works out well in a month or two I'll start up another straight away
:beer:
 
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Good luck with the mash. I think you will be hooked on this method if it comes out good. That should be a real fruity sauce. Let us know how it all turns out. I ca't tell from the pic, but is there a top on the jar at all. I would try to cover up the opening if possible to avoid any mold contamination. You don't want to seal it off completely as there will be gases produced from the fermentation, but try to keep the air out. Maybe get a ziploc bag filled with aquarium stones of rice, sand, something along those lines to form a barrier at the top of the mash if you don't have a loose fitting lid for it.

I don't think 5 tbsp of hooch is too much for 5 lts. I use 1 tbsp for a quart which is just a bit more than a liter so you should be good. You should start seeing little bubbles suspended in the mix in the next couple of days.

Good luck and I hope it comes out great for you!
jacob
 
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Thanks for the help Jacob

I sterilized the bottle and lid before adding the mix. I have the lid sitting on top and then some plastic cling wrap over the top of the bottle.

I added the hooch then mixed it in but then also dribbled another tbsp onto the top surface without mixing it in, I was hoping it might creat a film on the top of the sauce.

This is my summer sauce :) Should be ready in time for christmas :woohoo: If it works lol
 
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I know you are on the other side of the world and all, but it is still sounds strange to hear "summer" and "christmas" in the same sentence. :lol: It should be ready by then though.

jacob
 
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If it makes you feel any better its raining as I'm typing this lol

From around christmas onwards we can hit temps of 95-113F but for some reason it normally rains on christmas day lol

Will keep you updated on the mash :beer:
 
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Thats looking good Timmy... and welcome to the fermenting train.
I've found it pretty hard to get off the train once on board.
I'm really interested to see how it comes out with the fruit you've added.
I want to try fruits myself sometime...maybe some raisins...or plums.
But then, I also want to try using beets like Jacob has going.
Too many possibilities...
Good luck !
CM
 
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Still no bubbles.....

I did add a large amount of liquid as I was aware that the bubbles can get trapped in thick solutions causing the solids to rise out of the main body of fluids. I hope its just working really well lol.

I have noticed a small band of dark colored fluid near the base of the mixture.

At this point I'm not game to open it up and have a smell as I want the mix to have the smallest chance of contamination at this point.

On a side note, the hooch mix that I pulled the starter from has gone a really dark color now that a lot of the liquid has been removed.

Next time around I might buy a pro-bio type product to add in instead of the starter. Thats depending on the results of this test run. If this one turns out great I guess it will be a matter of don't fix it if it aint broke hey :)
 
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Hiya :dance:

Looks like I need some glasses, I had a better look at the mash last night and noticed lots of little bubbles. This morning I had a closer look and the mash has definitely taken off in a big way. The top of the jar nearly has a froth in the top 1 inch of the mixture.

The liquidy sections have a very dark color which is a bit unnerving.

I might take the top off for a smell next week to see if its a total flop or not.

Is it okay to taste test the mash say in a month from now without boiling it? Thats assuming it doesn't smell like rotten eggs lol

:woohoo:
 
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If you are getting bubbles you might be ok with the dark liquid. When my mash was finished the liquid was dark and all the solids had settled on the bottom. I have a pic of it in my thread. Also could be the colors from the ingredients blending. Any way for a pic so we can see what you are seeing? As far as the froth, I would give it a little spin everyday to release the bubbles in the mash and calm the foam down so it doesn't spill over the top and make a mess. If the froth is too big, you can put it in the fridge to slow down the microbes as well.

As far as a taste test, I know some people don't boil the mash, so it isn't necessary, IF you take a Ph measurement and you are below 4. My last batch was at 3.3. I boil mine to get the consistancy down to what I want.

jacob
 
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Cool

I'm at work but I'll try to take a pic before I go away on the weekend :woohoo:

The cupboard the mash is in had a subtle nice sauce smell to it yesterday so I hope thats a good sign.

Thanks for the help Jacob
 
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And some pics from the 4th Nov- mash started on the 31st of October

The liquid and solids are separating a bit with the liquid looking darker than the rest of the mash.

mash4thnov003.jpg


Bubbles working their way out

mash4thnov002.jpg
 
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That looks normal to me. All my batches did the same. Just the water seperating out and taking some colors from the mash. You have some good bubbling going on and should be ready in no time.

jacob
 
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Well this mash sure has kicked off now. Its bubbling away at an alarming rate lol which is a good thing I guess. I can spin the jar until all the bubbles at the top have been removed, after that it takes only 30mins for it to be just as bubbly as before.

At least the weathers a bit cold this week I guess that would be slowing it down.
:onfire:
 
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The mash is 1 week old and going nuts

earlynovmash1week.jpg


So far its still smelling fine so all is good.

A few questions I have are:

Could I mix the solids at the top of the jar back into the main body of fluid? (using a sterilized mixer)

Should I clean any old exposed solids that have stuck on the sides of the bottle?
 
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I've been reading a lot lately about the fermentation of chilies (the good stuff is no problem ;) ) and I don't believe you should expose the mash to oxygen. I'd try to give it a spin or light shake to get the mix to settle back into the brine. Most use some sort of weight to keep the mash submerged.
 
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I would give it a light shake or spin to move it around, but like SS said, I would take the top off. Even is the spoon is sterile, the air isn't. I had a jar bubble like that one is, and I put it in the fridge to slow it down a bit so it doesn't rise up too much. It will still ferment but a little slower rate.

jacob
 
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The majority of the info I have read from the fermentation guru's, says you should resist the temptation to open the container because that allows oxygen access to the "environment" you have created. Most say to "seal it and leave it alone".
And since oxygen is the primary deterrent to the preserving environment and activity generated by the "good bacteria" it should be avoided whenever possible.
I mostly use air locks for the pepper mashes I have going,they're never opened and I've yet to have a failure with the method.
But I'm going for an end product aged between 3-6 months and up to a year. I use just chile peppers with a combination of salt and starter(whey), so the fermenting action is slower and less robust.
However, I do have a couple smaller batches going in open crocks,using weights, and covered with cheesecloth. About once a week I'll remove the covering, dip off any surface mold (which is considered harmless), and add a little more brine solution if needed....but I don't stir (even though I don't believe it would hurt to do so)

When I make batches of Kim Chi or sauerkraut, the fermenting is totally different. It's very active for a few days, separation of liquids and solids occurs after about three days. (I normally let these work for 5-7 days) There have been times where I have over filled my container, and reluctantly had to open to remove some of the contents. While they generally still turn out fine,these instances are the only time I have had a failed batch of either recipe.
CM
 
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