Talked to a brewer at a garage sale who made me rethink my brine ratios

He said his sauerkraut used 1.5% salt instead of 2% and it came out way less mushy, so has anyone else experimented with cutting salt that low without messing up fermentation?

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2 Comments

colemiller3mo ago

That low and you risk botulism more than you think.

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jordan1843mo ago

PH at 4.6 is actually standard for a lot of fermented hot sauces I've seen from small batch makers and even some bigger brands. I've tested a few of mine at 4.5 and they've stayed fine for over a year in the fridge. Botulism really can't grow under 4.6, so as long as you're accurate with your pH meter and keep it under that, you're good. The bigger risk is mold or yeast on the surface if you don't keep everything submerged or sealed right. I think people get spooked by the horror stories, but the science is pretty clear if you do it right.

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