re-using brine

[curtijam]

Hello,

I've seen a few posts on this using the search, but still unclear.

Can you reuse the brine from a vegetable ferment, in further ferments?

Thanks!

[Christopher Weeks]

You can.

However, if you look at a typical ferment using a freshly concocted brine, different organisms colonize the jar, metabolize what they can, and then fade into the background as they ruin the environment for themselves, allowing a new organism to step forward. It's commonly noted that there are three main bumps in the prototypical succession. So, starting with a mature brine, will surely cause some kind of fermentation, but it might not be quite what you're expecting. That said, if you're just making quick snacks, and not something you wish to preserve, for seasons, it probably doesn't much matter. Try it and see if you like it.