fermenting Saltless Ferment

[Redeemer]

Question, has anyone had success without using brine or any salt at all? The other day I made two batches to test (Serrano and Yellow Bell, And Habanero Mango). I wanted to see the difference with pure pepper flavors and trying out a less spicy blend. Anyways, I did this at around 11:30 PM after a few beers, maybe more than a few and I can't for the life of me remember if I added salt to the brine, or if I just used distilled water. I put a probiotic capsule in each jar and they are bubbling away nicely. I don't want to risk letting in air if I don't have to, and I'm now out of town until Saturday so they have to do their thing.
 
Any and all input welcome.

 

[salsalady]

since they are bubbling away nicely and you used a starter....I'm going with things should be fine "if" there was not salt.
 
 
 
Okay, now come clean....how many "beers deep" were you when working these up?     

 

[SmokenFire]

Just speaking for myself; I'd never attempt a ferment without salt.  Mash can/will bubble or be active with fermentation, but who know's what is actually growing?  It's probably too many food service sanitation classes that makes me OC over ferments, but the salt is there to hold the nasties at bay till the good bugs get going to make the ferment food safe, which is why I use salt in every ferment I do. 
 
That said there remains the distinct possibility that there was enough active lab on your vegs and that the probiotics jump started the process.  It's within the realm of possible that your mash will ferment perfectly fine.  I'd only suggest you try it out on yourself and wait a couple days before you share it with anyone else.  

 

[Redeemer]

since they are bubbling away nicely and you used a starter....I'm going with things should be fine "if" there was not salt.
 

 
Okay, now come clean....how many "beers deep" were you when working these up?     

 
Not sure, but it was more than 10 of something brewed with Victory hops.

 

[AldenMiller]

I prefer less or no salt too.  Is there a minimum amount that can be added?
 
I use White Labs Lacto to start mine, they usually start going really quickly.
 
-Alden

 

[RocketMan]

Since I have to deal with High Blood Pressure everything I do is with the lowest amount of salt possible. So, I've done ferments with as little as 2 tablespoons of pickling salt to top off a gallon jar of mash and have had only 1 ferment that I had to dump, due to a bad lid not the amount of salt used. 
 
Is it taking a chance? Yep, no doubt it is. That said though there are steps that I take to help ensure that it's as safe as it can be.
 
Sanitize everything! As a homebrewer I always have some Iodophor around, it's a no rinse sanitizer, and everything gets a good 2 to 5 minute soak in it before the veggies that are going to be used ever tough it. 
 
The veggies are not purchased or brought out till I'm ready to put it together. Then they're given a good rinsing and any surface dirt is removed before they're chopped up and added to the fermenting jar.