My first kraut volcano happened in a tiny apartment kitchen

It was about eight years ago, I was living in a small place in Tacoma and had just packed my first big crock of sauerkraut. I used a basic recipe, maybe five pounds of cabbage, and thought I had enough headspace. Three days in, I woke up to a real mess. The brine had pushed up through the weight and airlock, dripping down the cabinet and onto the floor. It smelled like a weird, salty garden. I panicked, cleaned it all up with a bunch of old towels, and moved the whole crock into a big plastic tub for the rest of the ferment. That was the moment I learned headspace isn't just a suggestion. Anyone have a good rule of thumb for how much room to leave in a crock?

3 comments

3 Comments

kimfisher7d ago

Headspace isn't just a suggestion" is so true. I learned the same lesson with a beet kvass explosion that stained my ceiling. My rule now is to leave a full hand's width of room below the rim, which has saved me a lot of cleaning.

daniel_gonzalez6d agoMost Upvoted

Man, @kimfisher, that beet kvass story is a horror show. I can picture the red splatter everywhere. Your hand-width rule is genius, seriously. I learned a similar lesson the hard way with a ginger bug that went nuts. Now I'm paranoid and leave even more space than I think I need. It's the only way to sleep at night.

sean8546d ago

Feel your pain, that red ceiling must have been a sight. Solid rule to live by.