Hot take: My kraut went from perfect to a science project in 48 hours flat

Last month I had a batch of caraway sauerkraut in a 2-liter jar that was bubbling nicely for a week, then I moved it to a warmer spot near the stove. The next day it smelled like rotten eggs and the brine turned a weird cloudy grey, so I had to dump the whole thing. Has anyone else had a ferment go bad that fast from just a small temp change?

4 comments

4 Comments

jessica33117d ago

That "rotten eggs and cloudy grey" description is classic hydrogen sulfide. Moving it near the stove probably spiked the temp way higher than you realized. What was the actual temperature in that new spot?

oliviabutler17d ago

That's a really good point about the stove heat. It makes me wonder if the problem is more about sudden temperature changes than just a high setting. Did you check if the water heater itself is set too high, or could it be a reaction in the anode rod from the quick shift in conditions?

evan_campbell98d ago

Guess my water heater just wanted to be a science experiment.

drew_walker17d ago

Did you have a thermometer in that spot to check the actual temp? Stove areas can have wild heat pockets you wouldn't notice by hand.