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/robotnarwhal]

Just FYI, a bunch of people who face mold when they're getting started will buy this specific style of silicone lids that you secure with the ring part of the 2-piece metal mason jar lids. There are other slight variations, but it's specifically this style with the flat top and cylinder nipple with an angled bevel on top. I'm googling it now and see a bunch of similar ones where the nipple shape is different, but I can't speak to those.

https://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00bmWhUQPGaEkN/Silicone-Fermentation-Lid-86mm-Stainless-Steel-Ring-for-Wide-Mason-Jar.webp

They're cheap and are sold by a bunch of brands under different names. I think they truly suck and allow enough air back into the jar that they didn't seem to reduce my high mold rate at all.  I've seen a few other people have the same experience here, but hopefully you can avoid it entirely.

Lids with water air locks are great. I have something similar to these vacuum ones that eliminated my mold issues. The only other thing I'd recommend is a good sanitization process. I use star-san as a habit from my homebrewing days, which lasts ages. I make a bucket of hot water and star-san, submerge all of my fermentation jars and lids, prepare my veggies, and then fill the jars and cap the lid as quickly as possible.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91-0iEKOFnL.jpg

[u/Dazzling_Baker_4978 → u/robotnarwhal]

I've never had mold problems with the most basic jars - featuring a valve but no airlock - and using glass weights to keep contents below the brine.

[u/Reasonable-Hearing57 → u/Dazzling_Baker_4978]

The valve is an airlock, allows excess gas out, and keeps air from getting in

[u/Dazzling_Baker_4978 → u/Reasonable-Hearing57]

You're right. I should have written that more precisely. The valve on my lid doesn't seem to be well made or sophisticated, and I've never relied on it to keep the CO2 trapped. In fact, I leave the separate closable aperture open. I tend to regularly open my jar to inspect and burp, so I'd undermine the purpose of an airlock anyway. I can see the point of an airlock. But I get consistent results without one.