“How do I know if my ferment is spoiled or not?” asks Ally D. on today’s #AskWardee. I’m sharing my thoughts below!
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The Question:
Ally D. asks:
“I have been making and having lacto-fermented vegetables for a few months now. However, my current batch seems to have become more fermented than usual and the smell is quite strong to make me throw up. It doesn’t smell rotten and my wife says it is ok, but I still can’t manage to take it down. How is it possible to know if it is spoilt or not?”
My Answer:
I’m telling you…
You will know. You just will…but there’s a bit more involved in how to tell if a ferment is spoiled or not.
Signs Your Ferment Is On The Right Track:
- It’s sour and salty, both in taste and smell.
- It has a pleasant tang. It develops a complex sour and salty flavor over time.
- It’s crisp or crunchy, depending on the food your fermenting — like pickles or kraut.
- It may be sour, but not repelling.
- It may give off a strong odor when opened, but that dissipates. The odor was from pent-up gasses.
Also, I’m a big fan of being hands-on and smelling and tasting your ferment each day to learn more about how it’s going and what you like.
Signs Something Is Wrong With Your Ferment:
Ferments do go wrong from time to time and it’s important to recognize this. I do believe you “just know” it and it’s ok to err on the side of caution.
Still, here are some more hard and fast signs that a ferment has gone wrong:
- It’s moldy. Pink or fuzzy is not good.
- It’s mushy. Who wants mushy pickles or kraut?
- Its smell repels you because it’s putrid or rotten, not just sour. Your nose KNOWS this!
- When you taste it, it gives you an upset stomach. (Don’t confuse this with a healing reaction though.)
What If You’re On The Fence About Your Ferment?
Trust your nose! Though be aware that if it repels you but is not spoiled, it might be because you’re unaccustomed to fermented foods and need time to adjust to a new normal.
If you aren’t sure, you can take a *little* taste and see how it goes.
It’s always ok to be on the safe side and compost the ferment or feed the chickens with it.
Don’t Be Scared!
The salt and protective organisms make fermenting safe most of the time. To ensure safe fermenting, use clean containers and organic vegetables and real salt, not table salt.
Don’t ferment your veggies too close to sourdough or cheese because those are yeasty, and yeasty can make veggie ferments taste cheesy or get mushy.
My Verdict
Without having any other information, because Ally said it smelled strong but not rotten, and his wife thought it was ok, I’m leaning toward his ferment is not spoiled. It was just a variance (ferments don’t always turn out the same!) with a stronger smell.
Do you agree or disagree?
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Do you know how to tell if a ferment is spoiled?
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Hello thank you for the information! Ive had 2 successful pickle ferments under my belt in smaller jars and i took my third one to the next level with a large gallon jar. I do not see signs of spoilage in smells or taste yet but the dark color of my brine has me concerned. Instead of the cloudy white to yellow color im close to dark brown. One thing I will mention is for this batch ive added more bay leaves than I usually do as i felt the last attempt didnt have enough tannins. Ive also included corriandor seeds to this batch. Im thinking because of these two changes is what has cuased my brine to change color but i wasnt sure. Would you have any suggestion as to the cuase?
Hi Mike,
Yes your discolored brine could be a result of the spices added to your ferment.
As long as you don’t see or smell any signs of spoilage your pickles should be fine. Enjoy!
~ Vicki, TCS Customer Success Team
Hi there,
I just tried my first batch of lacto-fermented carrots, and I used a whey starter. I left it on the counter for four days because it’s been a bit cold, but today I opened it before putting it in the refrigerator and it almost bubbled over. Is that typical or did I leave it out of the refrigerator too long? I’m a total noob at this. Took a small bite and the only reaction I really had was that it was EXTREMELY salty. I let the gasses out and stuck it in the fridge and will check again later, just wondering if the extreme bubbling up was a big red flag?
Hi, Jenny:
A super bubbly ferment is typical — and it means all of the healthy probiotics are flourishing! You did the right thing by putting it in the refrigerator — perfect timing!
If the saltiness is too much for you, you can rinse a bit of it off before eating the carrots. Enjoy!
Sonya, TCS Customer Success Team
Hello, I just made my first batch of sauerkraut with mostly cabbage and added an Apple and a few carrots along with the salt. I keep my house fairly cool – 68 degrees or so- and left it to ferment for about 3 weeks. When I opened it it smelled very pleasantly but strongly yeasty. There was no mold or scum build up. The veggies were crisp, very salty and only mildly sour. Based on the smell and taste I wouldn’t be put off of eating it but I’ve read from a few sources that a yeasty smell is a sign that the ferment is off and should be discarded? Is this Right? If so, what could have gone wrong so I can avoid the same mistake in the future?
Hi Tonya,
It sounds like it did tend toward yeasty but it doesn’t necessarily have to be tossed if you like the taste/smell.
This coming week, #AskWardee144, Wardee be sharing ways to keep ferments warm if your house is cool. That should help for next time.
~ Vicki, TCS Customer Success Team
my sauerkraut was fermented for 21 days. it is a good color, nice firm crunch, very sour with a high but normal sauerkraut smell, and yet…..i’ve never had the brine have anything but watery feel. this year it is clear but has a slimy feel. we have tasted it and not gotten ill. Is it safe to eat in quanity? can you explain or council on this?
Hi Martha, we recommend tossing the kraut since it’s slimy.
~ Vicki, TCS Customer Success Team
Hi, I’m wondering what went wrong with my first batch of fermentating veggies. It stinks like vomit. I have store bought fermented veggies so I know the normal odor. But this is so much worse. What caused this? How can I fix this for my next batch?
Hi, Ashley,
There are many different factors that could have gone wrong during the fermentation process. Here is a great post Wardee did that you may find helpful.
https://traditionalcookingschool.com/videos/troubleshooting-ferments-kyf172/
Also, in case you didn’t know, we have a Bible-based cooking program where Wardee and our teachers and moderators answer questions about Traditional Cooking (such as sourdough and fermenting or cultured dairy via a private support group.
Here is a link for more info:https://lp.traditionalcookingschool.com/lp/member/
I’m happy to answer questions about the program so you can get plugged in and get the help you need!
~Peggy, TCS Customer Success Team
Hi, I’ve recently tried my first ferment. It was too stinky in the kitchen so I’ve left it in the garage (cooler) for 6/8 weeks. I opened it today. It looks and smells wonderful but one piece of cauliflower that wasn’t submerged in the brine has a little mould. All of the other veggies look great and the brine is clear. Is the whole jar spoiled or can I just discard the mouldy bit and use the rest?
Hi, Linzy,
Great job on trying your first ferment, hopefully a start to many more. 🙂
I would simply throw away the moldy cauliflower and the rest under the brine should be fine. Your nose and your taste buds will tell you if something went wrong under the brine. You may also find this helpful: https://traditionalcookingschool.com/q-a/how-to-prevent-mold-during-fermentation-aw074/
~Peggy, TCS Customer Success Team