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Kahm Yeast Questions

PostPosted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 8:43 pm
by dciolek
Just wondering two things that I haven't read anyone talking about in regards to Kahm yeast:

1) Has anyone every tried to SUCTION the yeast off the top? Skimming (with a large spoon or towel) seems to allow the surface to break up at least somewhat and small amounts of solids sink into the rest of the batch.

2) Has anyone been successful preventing Kahm yeast by purging their air-locked fermenters with CO2 right after starting a ferment (if they had lots of extra air space like I described in the Garlic Dilly Beans post -- 4 gallons full in a 10 gallon airlocked fermentation vessel)?

Re: Kahm Yeast Questions

PostPosted: Mon Jul 16, 2018 7:26 am
by Christopher Weeks
I'm not sure how suctioning the surface would work. I also don't really sweat it when kahm is there. Since it's veggie season now, I have constant crocks full of whatever fresh produce was harvested but not eaten and they get kahm. I skim it with a mesh sieve and get a bunch of it, but as you say, lots gets away and regrows. But I'm not sure I buy that it throws off flavors.

Re: Kahm Yeast Questions

PostPosted: Mon Jul 16, 2018 7:04 pm
by baerdric
I have sometimes flooded it off. I make a little brine or use vinegar to overfill the container and it just flows off into the sink.

I seem to ALWAYS get it with jalapenos. This time I even tried washing them first and then starting with dash from a really good ferment of kraut. It fermented nicely, but yeasted over. I've gotten to the point I just mix it in regularly when I'm using them.

Re: Kahm Yeast Questions

PostPosted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 7:07 am
by dciolek
Flooding it off sounds like a good idea if your vessel is small enough and you had it filled close to the top so you aren't diluting the brine too much (or you can do as you say and make sure the stuff going in is pH and salt concentration appropriate so you don't interrupt the ferment progress).

My 10 gallon vessel was filled to the 4 gallon mark for that ferment -- so flooding wasn't an option. :)

But in the end -- the persistent Kahm didn't affect the peppers or green beans because they were submerged quite well. The flavor was excellent after all. Was just concerned when it appeared for the 2nd ferment but wasn't a factor in the first.

Re: Kahm Yeast Questions

PostPosted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 7:58 am
by Christopher Weeks
Over the weekend, the pao cai on my counter (in one of these) developed a layer of kahm and I used the flooding technique. It worked super-well. My brine was close to the surface, so I flooded it with tap water, cleaned the moat out well, drew a little brine off the surface and topped it off with vodka (which is traditional for pao cai), allowing a little to pour over into the moat. Time will tell if I end up having a persistent 'problem' with it.

Re: Kahm Yeast Questions

PostPosted: Wed Oct 03, 2018 2:19 pm
by Shrolfe
If there is just a film of mold or yeast, i lay a paper towel on the surface of the brine and it usually does a good job of picking it up. Otherwise, I do not mind the yeast.

Since I started using glass weights and the silicone nipple lids, i have had no yeast or mold to speak of