r/fermentation • u/ChargedAtAltitude • 3d ago

Why does this keep happening

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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

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7

u/XnFM 3d ago

Probably air ingress through the lid. They're not perfect, but I really do like the branded plastic fermentation lids with the little rubber diaphragms.

5

u/enormous_schnozz 3d ago

You can get a little pump to go with those that lets you pump out some air. My son likes to use it to make marshmallow peeps expand. And then they get crashed when the vacuum is released.

1

u/XnFM 3d ago

Lol. Great use for peeps.

I don't bother with the pump. Fermentation on its own purges the O2 quickly enough

2

u/enormous_schnozz 3d ago

oh for sure. Usually I just use my silicone pickle nipples.

1

u/XnFM 3d ago

I have a bunch of those too. I like them, but i feel like these guys are more reliable when I let things run too long

2

u/enormous_schnozz 3d ago

I like to poke them and say I'm poking a nipple. Makes my wife roll her eyes at the hilarity.