My water disappeared

[timlynne]

I have a 10 L Harsch crock filled with cabbage for kraut. I did it a week ago. I made sure yesterday afternoon that the reservoir was filled with water. This morning it was dry what could have happened and is my kraut ruined?

[timlynne]

Okay, I just checked my 5 L crock that was full yesterday and that was empty. Both of them expelled a lot of gas up until Friday and then it slowed down, could a vacuum have happened. I've got 30 lbs of kraut that I hope will still be okay

[Gutted]

I doubt that it got sucked into the crock if that is what you mean. More likely that it just evaporated. That sometimes happens if you forget to check it regularly, especially if the ambient temperature is warm.

You could try using oil instead of water in future. Some cheap food oil so that it cannot evaporate.

The crocks will have oxygen in them so there is greater chance of mould forming on the surface. There probably won't be enough carbon dioxide produced to eliminate the air from the crocks now. It will also affect the bacteria in the crocks. Your best bet is to finish it earlier than planned and see if it is okay.

[timlynne]

Well I can't believe they both evaporated after being filled in less than 8 hours in 65 degree and 55% humidity. I fill them up every day. I did pickles in late august and we had 90 degrees and never saw anything like this. I made sure they were both filled at 10 last night and this morning both were empty

[Tibor]

A critter drank the water? I doubt that it could have evaporated so quickly and I doubt your kraut is ruined.

[Gutted]

A critter drank the water?

lol We don't know where they are stored or anything about the environment. Does he have any pets? A cat or dog? Maybe something has taken a liking to the water which might have some odour.

Try some oil, it will save you having to keep checking it and I doubt that whatever is drinking it will like it.

Or add some cayenne pepper to the water. lmao

[timlynne]

One is on my kitchen counter the other in basement on table. No critters. First time making kraut, made pickles turnips and red cabbage late summer and I would fill the reservoir every two days and it would only be down a half. There still is a vapor lock on the lids though when you try to pick them up .

[Gutted]

Are there no semi circle holes at the base of the lid to allow air to escape on the harsch crocks? If there is an air lock then I suppose that there cannot be. That does raise the point that perhaps the water did get sucked into the crock. It sounds like a design flaw to me. My Schmitt crocks have semi circle cut out on the base of the lid where gas can easily escape.

The question is, why is it only doing it this time rather when you used the crocks previously?

[timlynne]

Yes there are semi circle cutouts and the gas did escape for a few days.
I really think a vacuum occured as the lids on both are very hard to move side to side . I have been away for three days and the troughs are still full with same temps and humidity as before

[Gutted]

I've filled a 15 ltr crock a couple of days back.

I hope that yours comes out okay despite the problem that you had with it.