Wasted $60 on a fermentation crock that cracked on the second batch

Picked up this nice big crock from a local pottery guy, seemed solid enough with the weights and all. By day three of my sauerkraut ferment I noticed a hairline crack running down the side and brine leaking all over my counter. Anyone else had bad luck with handmade crocks or should I just stick to glass jars?

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carr.willow5mo ago

Oh man, the "low fire clay by accident" thing is exactly what happened to me. Learned that one the hard way when my "artisan" crock started weeping brine on day two. Glass jars are definitely boring but at least they don't explode mid ferment.

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barbara3995mo ago

Pottery guy might've used clay that wasn't right for long term moisture. Craft potters sometimes use low fire clay by accident because it's easier to work with. Check if your crock has a glazed interior all the way up to the rim, unglazed spots will soak up brine and cause cracking. Glass jars are boring but they just work for ferments.

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