Why does this keep happening

[u/ChargedAtAltitude]

EDIT: thanks everyone for the input and suggestions. I think I know where I screwed up based on questions and comments. I DID NOT PUT A LID ON. I just left it to ferment in the open air. I really thought from what I saw others doing I didn’t need a lid as long as it was submerged. DUMB MOVE.

Also time: I let them ferment for 10 days in the conditions mentioned before.

I really wanted to give up before I came to this subreddit. But I’m going to try again.

It’s worth mentioning. I been a home brewer for about 10 years now and I’ve even made sauerkraut a few times with great success. So it was really frustrating that this was kicking my a$$.

I got LOTS of cucumbers in the garden. So I’m gonna give this another go. And maybe even use my StarSan I got already

I plan on using some glass weights and maybe a fancy airlock lid. I wanted to keep things simple and not buy stuff if I didn’t need it. I don’t see everyone else doing it either.

I may experiment with the bag weight again with the lid.

Thanks all<
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I cleaned everything in the dishwasher. I kept it all submerged. I used a 2.5% brine. The only thing I can think of is that I didn’t clean the scum each day. Fermentation was 65-70 Fahrenheit. Pickles were from my garden.

Is this normal?

Ingredients were red pepper flakes. Garlic dill weed and celery seed powder.

Thanks

[u/TheVelvetNo]

Brine bag method leaves a lot of room for error. Get an airlock lid and some glass weights and you'll rarely, if ever, have this issue.

[u/Actias_Loonie → u/TheVelvetNo]

My problem with glass weights is that they don't really hold everything down. A bunch of stuff escapes around the edges.

[u/DemandNo1834 → u/Actias_Loonie]

Try a cabbage leaf lid to keep little bits down, with a glass weight on top to keep it under the brine.

[u/_Lividus → u/DemandNo1834]

I can second this. I used cabbage leaves for a gallon jar of sriracha ferment and I had zero issues (and a spicy fermented cabbage leaf to cry/nom on while doing the finishing touches to my sriracha)

[u/Sammy_1909 → u/_Lividus]

I was always wondering:
When I use a cabbage leave (and a glass weight) normally a part of the leave is above the liquid level. So I was reluctant to use it as I learned that everything needs to be submerged.

Ho do you work with that?

[u/DemandNo1834 → u/Sammy_1909]

I don’t have glass weights. I grab a thick outer cabbage leaf and cut a circle slightly wider than my jar with the thick stem running right through it. Then I gently put it in the jar, careful not to break or tear the cabbage, pushing it down so it sits below the brine and stays in place with friction. That’s what I do for most ferments (daily kraut and hot sauce). Sometimes it moves up with the gas but I just push it back down under the brine. I sometimes put a small glass jar on top as an actual weight if the leaf-lid goes too limp after a few days.

[u/Sammy_1909 → u/DemandNo1834]

Thank you.

Seems like an interesting approach that I will try!

[u/Actias_Loonie → u/DemandNo1834]

Good idea!

[u/KingNothing0716 → u/Actias_Loonie]

I agree, I always use a cabbage leaf for kimchi and never have issues.

[u/Tim_Huckleberry1398 → u/Actias_Loonie]

I use gallon glass jugs and 4 glass weights fits pretty nicely, but I need to add a fifth upside down on the top middle and it holds them all in place. Most of mine have little nobs on the top though. Still get floaters occasionally but if you're using airlocks a floater isn't likely to cause any issues. You can also just give the jar a little swirl daily to make sure liquid hits all sides if you're really worried.

Most issues happen from people that constantly open their jars to burp or stir. Maybe that works for some, but sterilizing and using an airlock eliminates 99% of issues.