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fermenting MikeUSMC's Ferments (pic heavy)

MikeUSMC

MikeUSMC

What's up, gang! Hope you don't mind, but I was kinda hoping to set up shop here, with the fermenting crew! Just officially joined THP today, but I've been lurking for quite some time, and you guys gave me enough confidence to start making/bottling my own stuff. Huge thanks in advance to all of you guys! You guys rock.

Anyway, here's a few concoctions I've been working on for the last year or so. All hobby stuff; mostly gifts for friends and family. A lot of these have been bottled up and given away already, but I thought I'd share what I've been working on so far. Here goes.....

My signature sauce ("Original Recipe"):
Douglahs, Chocolate Scotch Bonnets, pineapple, raisins, sweet onion, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, agave nectar, molasses, sea salt, Moscato wine (brine), powdered LB packets (starter)


Another few-
Red: Smoked red bells, smoked Red MoAs, smoked 7 Pot Lavas, sweet potato, roasted onion, roasted garlic, honey, sea salt, Moscato brine
Green: Blackened tomatillos, blackened Poblanos, jalapeños, and Scotch Bonnets (all green), sweet onion, roasted garlic, pineapple, cilantro, agave nectar, sea salt



Hobby labels for those ^:






My latest one (just processed about a week ago, not bottled yet):
Scotch Bonnets, golden raisins, baby carrots, red onion, fresh garlic, yellow bell pepper, yellow mustard, ginger, turbinado sugar, sea salt, ground turmeric, Pinot Grigio brine

Looked crazy, hahaha


I've got a few more ideas up my sleeve, and a freezer full of pods from last season! Thanks for looking, everybody!
 
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SmokenFire said:
How did the Toro Verde come out Mike?
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Pretty good, Dru, thanks! It smells very "roasty" upfront, with the poblanos, garlic, and onion on the nose. Tasting it straight off the spoon, there's just a hint of sweetness (but the pineapple flavor is hidden), followed by the dominant flavor of roasted (and tart) tomatillos, with just a kiss of citrus and lime flavor (Scotch Bonnets too) on the very back end. Not trying to "toot my own horn" or anything, but I'm very pleased with this recipe. I think it's a very well balanced sauce. Hogleg told me that he can be very critical of green, "salsa verde style" sauces, and he said he'd put this up there among the best he's ever had! :blush: ;) :rofl:

It's pretty "tame" in the heat department, probably settling in as a low-end medium heat, making it pretty "family friendly" too. I'll get a bottle out to you soon, brother! I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. All I ask in return, is that you please ignore my atrocious shrink banding skills :lol: It's just one of those things I don't have the patience for ;)

SmokenFire said:
It's got a great color.  :)
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Thanks! It's called "Baby Shit" green ;)
 
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I hit one side then the other then the two remaining sides, all just enough to get it to grasp the bottle. Then I go around and try to smooth it out. You can't get them too hot around the perforations, or right below the cap.

How big is your heat gun? I use my wife's little one she had for crafts.

It is a challenge still, but I know you complimented me on my shrink wrap skills lol.

I need to make a youtube video next time
 
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Good to know, Walchit, thanks. One of these days, I've really got to carve out a chunk of time and just practice, practice, practice. I've tried on both high and low heat, close up and far away, etc. Tried rotating the bottle as I go, tried rotating the heat gun (keeping the bottle stationary). I just suck at it, lol. Sounds like you do a "12, 6, 3, 9 o'clock" approach. Maybe I'll give that a try, instead of starting in one spot and working my way around 360*. I'll get there eventually. I'm starting to wonder if it's the quality of the bands I'm using too. I use the ones from Fillmore Container, but I'm wondering if maybe a different brand (something thicker) might be easier for me

Walchit said:
How big is your heat gun?
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Dunno. Average? Overkill? ;)
IMG_7688.JPG




Hahaha, nah. I've got this one. Got it at Lowe's for about $20 last year. Before that, I was using my wife's hair dryer. It has two settings; 750* and 1100*F
IMG_7687.JPG
 
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Here's the one I use. I would keep the one you have further away probably.

20181213_055152.jpg


Looks like they are about 40 on Amazon. Saw some cheaper ones too, but this is the one I use so I can't recommend anything else.

https://www.amazon.com/Embossing-Starter-Ranger-Clear-Powder/dp/B01K02RIZ2/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1544701987&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=darice+heat+tool&dpPl=1&dpID=51bj4msA2PL&ref=plSrch

I used one like yours when we would put this heat tape stuff on the roofs of sunrooms. I remember it being really hot.
 
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The color looks great on your sauce.
Would this work for your shrink wrap woes? Maybe dipping try dipping them in boiling or hot water? I’ve never shrink wrapped anything so I don’t know how it might workout. [emoji848]


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PtMD989 said:
Maybe dipping try dipping them in boiling or hot water?
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Yeah, man. That's how I used to do it before I got the heat gun. I can't say that it's ever happened to me before, but there IS a possibility of water droplets getting trapped and sealed under the shrink band, which could eventually lead to mold growing (?)

Edmick said:
It gine leff yuh wid da buss mout! Lol
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Yah be loffin' mon, but I be tellin' yah... it gine! IT GINE!!! Gine leff yah mout oll kina buss up! :rofl:

Ghost Pepper Revolution said:
Sauces look good, wonder if they taste as good
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Thanks, man! Here's what the masses have been saying about them:

http://thehotpepper.com/topic/67411-iron-mikes-original-recipe-artisanal-hot-sauce-review/

http://thehotpepper.com/topic/67437-iron-mikes-bajan-pepper-sauce/

‍♂️
 
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What's up Mike? Glad to see you're still pumping out the bajan mon.

I've heard the bird flu conspiracies about water under the shrink wrap too but here's food for thought...If you bottle hot, how long is that bottle hot? Mine stay hot and then warm for probably 2-3 hours. My cash is on evaporation, especially if you give the bottles a good shake to get the majority out. I just don't see the mold theory unless you've got other filthy things going on around those bottles lol
 
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Hey Mike, or anyone else,I’ve got a question for you. I recently got a elcheepo PH tester that came with powders for calibration. Do you know if there’s a shelf life for the mixed up calibration solutions?


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I took two of my new 180ml sauce bottles and keep the solutions in there.  Google will tell you the rest.  Guess mine have gone off. :(
Past the 3-6 month time limit one could do this.  https://scienceinhydroponics.com/2017/03/preparing-your-own-buffer-solutions-for-ph-calibration.html
Or just check this.  ph calibration solution diy
 
PtMD989 said:
Hey Mike, or anyone else,I’ve got a question for you. I recently got a elcheepo PH tester that came with powders for calibration. Do you know if there’s a shelf life for the mixed up calibration solutions?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
 
 
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