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My first ferment went wrong after I ignored the airlock for 4 days | Fermentation Station - SMM Buzz

My first ferment went wrong after I ignored the airlock for 4 days

Last week I set up my first batch of hot sauce with habaneros and garlic from my garden in Austin. I followed the recipe from a friend but I got busy and forgot to check the airlock for 4 days. When I finally looked at the jar, the brine had gone cloudy and there was a thin white film on top. I panicked and threw it out, then texted my friend who said it was probably just kahm yeast and still fine. Now I wish I had taken a picture and asked around before tossing the whole batch. Has anyone else dealt with that white film and kept their ferment going?

3 comments

3 Comments

jessica_hall494mo ago

My buddy Marcus in Houston had the exact same thing happen with his ghost pepper salsa last summer. He left town for a long weekend and came back to that same white film on top of his brine. He was about to dump it but his girlfriend stopped him and made him scrape it off with a clean spoon. He let that batch go for another three weeks and it turned out amazing, one of the best ferments he's ever made. Now he just skims that stuff off whenever he sees it and never worries about it. You definitely should have kept it going, that's a bummer you tossed it.

fox.derek4mo ago

I mean, I'd still be wary of keeping it around honestly.

lindaowens4mo ago

Oh man! You played yourself on that one haha. I swear the very first time I saw kahm yeast I almost threw my whole batch in the trash too because it looks so nasty. But now I just look at that white film and laugh at how dramatic I was about it. Next time just scrape it off, give your brine a little swirl, and tell that yeast to mind its own business. Those habaneros from your garden were probably begging to become amazing sauce while you were busy panicking and dumping them lol. At least now you know for next time and you'll have the best damn hot sauce on the block.