One of the most common questions we receive is "How long should I let my ___________ ferment? How will I know when it is done?". There are are many things to consider when determining the answers to these questions. Never fear! We have the answers.
1) Always follow a recipe. Good recipes will give an ideal fermentation period in days specific to the vegetables and salinity of the brine it contains.
2) Allow your ferment to go for 7 days untouched. After a day or two, you will start to see bubbles, and the brine will become cloudy. This is the beneficial bacteria doing their job!
3) Taste your ferment on day 7 with a clean fork.Within 1 week it should start to taste sour.If youlike it, it is done. If not let it continue to ferment. Pack the vegetables back down until the liquid rises above them.Let your ferment longer if you like amore sourtaste and a softer texture.
For maximum digestive and nutritive benefits, allow your veggies to ferment for 21 days and eat them raw.
4) Finished ferments should have a pH reading of 4.5 or lower. Use pH test strips or a digital pH meter to test your ferments, if desired.
Once the kraut is fermented to your desired taste and texture, you can put it in the refrigerator to arrest its progress.
Over to You
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FAQs
Within 1 week it should start to taste sour. If you like it, it is done. If not let it continue to ferment. Pack the vegetables back down until the liquid rises above them.
How to tell if fermentation is complete? ›
The surest way to establish whether or not a fermentation is complete is by measuring the specific gravity. You can do this using either a hydrometer or a refractometer.
How do I know if my fermentation is going well? ›
As long as your veggies are submerged in a brine and mold hasn't grown, you're on track. These signs may include bubbles from carbon dioxide, a cloudiness in the brine or the color fading from the vegetables. If you REALLY don't think something is fermenting, taste it after a couple days (not hours).
How do I know if my fermentation failed? ›
In fact, fermentation is safer than raw vegetables and canned food! If your lacto-fermentation fails, the signs are unmistakable: repulsive smells, hairy mould on the surface, flashy colours, etc. Read on to discover the different phenomena that can occur in your jar.
How did you know when the fermentation was finished? ›
You will be able to tell when fermentation is complete when the airlock stops bubbling and the surface clears and the yeast begins to sink to the bottom. At that stage, when you are 99% sure that fermentation is complete, I would still recommend waiting at least another 3-4 days before bottling just to be safe.
How do I know if I am ready for second fermentation? ›
The best way to tell if it's done is to taste it. But if you're curious about kombucha and pH, you can read my post about it here. So whenever your brew tastes right to you, you're ready to move on to the next step: bottling a.k.a. 2nd fermentation.
How long does it take for fermentation to finish? ›
The typical fermentation takes two weeks when making ale and four to eight weeks when making lager. For more on the distinction between the two, see our post going over the difference between ale and lager.
Can you ferment for too long? ›
Overfermentation is a phenomenon which is a result of fermentation that lasted too long or had too much culture in it. Read on to get more insight on it and some tips on how to avoid it. Time is Important! Usually overfermentation happens when we leave the culture to ferment longer than recommended.
How do you know if ferment is working? ›
After a day or two, you will start to see bubbles, and the brine will become cloudy. This is the beneficial bacteria doing their job!
How do you check fermentation? ›
At the end of the day, there is only one way to know if your beer has finished fermenting – by using a hydrometer or refractometer. These devices allow you to check the sugar levels in the wort/beer.
Fermented foods must maintain proper temperature throughout the entire fermentation and reach a pH of 4.6 or less within the allotted time to be considered safe and free from harmful pathogens.
How to tell if fermentation is done? ›
If there are still bubbles in the airlock after 14 days let it sit for another few days, or at least until there is no bubbling for at least a minute or two. Once there is no activity in the airlock, fermentation is complete.
Is fermentation done when bubbling stops? ›
The airlock isn't always the best way to determine fermentation activity. So, if you find that it isn't bubbling, it doesn't mean that it isn't fermenting. If you open the lid and check for visible signs of fermentation, you should see a foam developing across the surface (called Krausen).
How do you know when food fermentation is done? ›
If it has the desired flavor, texture, and level of sourness, it's ready. For example, in vegetable ferments like sauerkraut, the cabbage should taste tangy and slightly crunchy. Texture: Some ferments, like pickles, should maintain a certain crunch. Over-fermented pickles might become mushy.
How do you know if fermentation is stuck? ›
You can catch a stalling fermentation within the first 24 hours by noticing that your pH levels aren't falling rapidly. Because beer doesn't ferment at a constant rate, after this one-day window you shouldn't worry until the gravity reading has stagnated for at least 48-to-72 hours.
