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In our Lithuanian tradition we used to ferment, mostly cabbages, because we had too many of them, but it turns out sauerkraut is super good for us.
In my digestion-fermentation classes i explain how digestion works and how fermented vegetables are beneficial, then people are getting motivated to start fermenting at home.
You've heard of Pale Ale, and here is the Ale Pail. Primary fermentation is done in this plastic, sealed bucket with airlock.
The 2nd of the smaller pots is inverted and stuck on top. I rinsed it with water, but probably could have soaked it to get more water in it. It looks dry here, but it's got some moisture on it.
I'm learning chemistry from Kevin M Dunn's book, "caveman chemistry". Dunn had put together 28 projects for his students and Hamden-Sidney College, that took students from the creation of fire through metal and glass to the development of plastic. Along the way, the book explains through imagery and history the development of practical chemistry.
Tonight I did the chapter on fermentation. I mixed up a wort of honey and water, added proofed yeast, and cranked on an ad-hoc fermentation lock built of a latex balloon and a coke bottle cap with a hole in it. Six hours later, the balloon is starting to fill with carbon dioxide. I won't know for several weeks if I've produced ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH) or acetic acid (CH3COOH). But one way or another, I've initiated fermentation. The Druid in me is kind of excited that I may have mead I brewed myself at the next lifting of the Hirlas Horn.
My homebrew rig. That's the 5-gallon carboy. When it's done fermenting I'll transfer over to a 6-gallon carboy.
I had to replace the fermentation lock with this tube and pot of water rig because I had kraeusen blow off (i.e., so much of that foamy stuff/gas produced during fermentation that it started to leak out).
In preparation for the first fermentation, samples are transferred out of the multi-well plates into a set of 10mL tubes. At this scale, researchers can vary the levels of oxygen, pH, temperature and obtain basic growth and ethanol production data. The first microfermentation will help further narrow the set of promising strains to a half dozen or less, which will be tested in 0.5L fermenters.
Hoffmann
Took some boiled chestnuts and blended them into a sweet, fluffy "flour". Mixed them with local rye flour, my sourdough starter, some bacon fat and salt. Very sweet and moist bread. Next batch I will ferment for 24hrs to get a more tart finish, but delicious none-the-less!
This is a small starter tank of rice, koji and yeast ready to be added to a larger fermentation tank.