My sauerkraut turned into a fizzy pink mess last week

I was making a batch in my kitchen using a 2-liter jar, and after 4 days it started bubbling way too much. The brine turned a weird pink color and leaked all over my counter. I ended up tossing the whole batch and starting over with less salt. Has anyone else had a batch go fizzy and pink like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_sandra24d ago

Oh man, the fizzy pink mess is the worst. I had that exact thing happen when my kitchen was too warm. That crazy bubbling and pink color usually means some weird yeast got in there, maybe kahm yeast. I started using those glass fermentation weights to keep everything under the brine, and I keep my jars in a cooler spot now, like the basement. It made a huge difference for me.

riverm4824d ago

Wait, just to clarify, the pink color itself isn't usually from kahm yeast. Kahm yeast looks more like a white, powdery film on the surface. That pink hue is often a sign of a different issue, like certain bacteria or maybe even yeast, but it's a distinct problem. It's a good sign something's off, though. Keeping everything submerged and cool is still the best move to stop any of those weird growths. Have you seen the pink happen again since you moved your jars?