I finally gave up on the airlock for my hot sauce ferments after a batch in my garage last July blew its lid and painted the ceiling.

Now I just use a loose cloth cover and a weight, which feels way less fussy and has given me better results for the past 8 months, but am I just asking for trouble skipping the lock?

2 comments

2 Comments

johns1823d ago

Honestly, saying you're "asking for trouble" by skipping the lock misses the point. A cloth and weight lets gas escape safely, which is the whole goal, and an airlock can actually build up more pressure if it gets blocked. Your simpler method sounds more reliable to me.

price.alice23d ago

Ha, that reminds me of my uncle's pickles. He always said the best ferments breathe a little, and @johns18 has a point about blocked airlocks. Sometimes the simple way is just the right way for the job.