General time to ferment

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General time to ferment

Postby baerdric on Fri Jun 22, 2018 12:36 pm

Since so many different times are suggested by different people, based on starters, temperatures, etc., I started thinking about a different metric to use to determine when to cap and refrigerate my jars.

Since I make it just for myself, and I have a small apartment, I make small batches, two quarts or so, and use them rapidly. So I have been using "Two days after enthusiastic bubbling stops" as my lower limit. Then, "As soon as I run out in the fridge" as my upper limit. That usually means 10-14 days for kraut and sliced veggies.

The idea being, that any sugar consumption is probably over, lactic acid is already made, probiotics are plentiful, and the nutrition and taste have been improved.

But the discussion about garlic makes me think that I need to run things longer. Any thoughts on the improvements of benefits in taste, texture, and nutrition after the first two weeks?
Currently looking at things and pondering about stuff.

Bill DeWitt
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Re: General time to ferment

Postby Christopher Weeks on Fri Jun 22, 2018 1:33 pm

I prefer my kimchi after six months. In my head, I know that it's edible immediately after mixing, but I don't actually start considering it as real food until three weeks are up. But I'm not making any claims about bacteria counts or health or anything other than what I like.
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Re: General time to ferment

Postby baerdric on Fri Jun 22, 2018 1:45 pm

Thanks Christopher!

I'm going to try to hold this current batch longer. I made four quarts when I still had two quarts fermenting. Hopefully that will put me ahead enough to leave it longer.
Currently looking at things and pondering about stuff.

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Re: General time to ferment

Postby gardener on Wed Jun 27, 2018 10:30 am

I don't think I ever get the vigorous fermentation that some people seem to get. I never think , "Wow, that's really been bubbling along! I bet it's done!" So I don't think I've ever let a batch ferment less than two months. I don't even open them periodically to taste test. But I don't consider two months to be a long time. Quite the opposite.
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Re: General time to ferment

Postby baerdric on Wed Jun 27, 2018 6:51 pm

Thanks Gardener.

I guess it's hard to talk about it without some basis of comparison. When I say active bubbling, I mean 5-10 bubbles of 1/8 to 1/4 diameter rising up along the side of the jar every second.

I usually have that for about 5 days then it tones down to less than a 10th of that.
Currently looking at things and pondering about stuff.

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Re: General time to ferment

Postby alisoncc on Mon Jul 02, 2018 3:30 am

I've always understood that there are 3 phases to the fermentation of sauerkraut. Bubbling is just phase one. I make small amounts of fresh kraut every four weeks, the minimum period that I see it as being ready for use is three to four weeks. By which time I have consumed my previous batch. Been quite a while now since researching probiotic quantity, but believe it to peak at four weeks.

Alison.
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Re: General time to ferment

Postby Pacecar on Mon Jul 02, 2018 7:44 am

The 3 phases of fermentation:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=20475
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