Miso - estery/alcohol/solvent smell

[terji]

Hi,

I was trying to start things up a little faster with sweet miso and had them for couple days with my koji in incubator. I think they went close to 40C at one point and then to make things worse I left the jars open by mistake overnight. Now they have a estery/alcohol almost solvent like smell to it. From beer making I know that oxidation at higher temps can do this.

Will this go away with time or is the batch ruined?

thanks

[cerbu]

leave that in the fridge , it might turn

[terji]

Hi!

put it in the fridge for couple days but still the same, should I put it back in room temp and just let it be?

thanks!

[cerbu]

leave it in the fridge a few weeks, month even ; than if it still smells like that throw it away; formaldehyde is bad

[terji]

I have it sealed should it be open?

[cerbu]

miso generally should not be fermented sealed, the anaerobic yeasts make too much alcohol that way, you want some oxygen , in your case open even wider to evaporate the bads, consider it might not get better, but it is no problem to just wait if you have the space

[terji]

so It has been wide open in the fridge for almost 5 weeks now. I felt it was getting better somewhere in the middle but I can still feel it and also taste it... I am going to dump it today.

I really think I blew it by having it airtight and trying to "start it up" in my fermentation cabinet at around 35-40C...

Is airtight really bad when you keep temps in check and burp it daily?

are the weighting stones necessary ?

What kind of jars setups do you have?

I have this big pot originally for sourkraut you can fill water around the edges and it acts like a airlock - this is for a longterm miso which is doing fine few months in - should I not refill the water there?
Pic below

for the other miso I just have these airtight jars I open once a day and mix it a little bit -

Well just looking for ideas from more experienced misofolk!

Thanks

[cerbu]

I have this type of jar too, just do not use the rubber seal for miso , paper towel under the lids , no water in the moat for the ceramic one. Baking paper or silicon disc on the whole surface is protective. Weights are good , they press out bubbles and tamari-makes it easier to scrape of the surface yeast