# Sauerkraut--how long do you ferment?



## inchrisin (Apr 14, 2018)

Hey all,

I'm in Indiana and my ambient kitchen temperature is about 72F.  I'm making sauerkraut with mixed success and I'm wondering how long you all ferment your kraut before you package it(refrigerate it)?  I've had luck at 3 to 5 days and it tastes great.  When I come back to the kraut that's been in the fridge for 3 or 4 weeks it has a chlorine taste to it.  This is a half full jar.  I use bottled water if I have to top off my brine (2% salt by weight solution).  I can't figure out what's going on and I'd like to tighten the screws on my process.  Any thoughts?


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## blissful (Apr 15, 2018)

I made some this winter, ambient temperature at about 68 degrees F. I decided to package it at 6-10 days (canned and refrigerated).

I can't think of why it might smell of chlorine.


> Sauerkraut is made by lactic acid bacteria that break sugar into lactic  acid, carbon dioxide (CO2, soda gas) and a little amount of alcohol.


https://www.meatsandsausages.com/fermenting-pickling/sauerkraut/fermentation


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## larry_stewart (Apr 15, 2018)

Im usually happy at the one week mark, +/- a few days.
I find it does loose some of its punch after being in the fridge a few weeks.
And I have had it go bad or get extremely fermented and tasting ' off'  if the cabbage not completely submerged in the brine ( even when in the fridge).

There is a local " Pickle Store".
She sells fresh made Kraut, and says it could be frozen as storage. 
I never did this


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## inchrisin (Apr 17, 2018)

larry_stewart said:


> Im usually happy at the one week mark, +/- a few days.
> I find it does loose some of its punch after being in the fridge a few weeks.
> And I have had it go bad or get extremely fermented and tasting ' off'  if the cabbage not completely submerged in the brine ( even when in the fridge).
> 
> ...



Frozen sounds like a great idea.  I don't think you'd kill the lacto this way.  I'll pull off half of my next batch and and vacuum seal it.  I'll write back if it's awful.


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## CharlieD (Apr 22, 2018)

I think it depends on style. I make Russian style and it takes no more than 3 days.
I never use water. Only Salt and sugar. Also before putting in the refrigerator, I poke several holes, with a back of spoon, all way down to the bottom. It helps gases to escape.


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