Warning: My whole batch of kimchi went fizzy and weird after I followed the 'always burp daily' rule.

I had a 2-gallon crock of napa cabbage kimchi going in my cool basement, and for a full week I opened it every single day like everyone says you should. By day 8, it was way too sour and had this strange, almost soda-like fizz that ruined the texture. Has anyone else found that less frequent burping, maybe every three days, works better for a slower ferment?

3 comments

3 Comments

joelt7029d ago

Man that bums me out, I hate when a batch goes sideways after you put in all that effort. @patriciah51 made a solid point about the cold basement slowing things down way more than most burping advice accounts for. I've found big crocks in cooler spots just need way less attention.

the_eric1mo ago

Yeah, patriciah51 is right on the money. That daily burp advice is for a small jar on a warm counter. A two gallon crock in a cool basement is a totally different beast. Opening it every day just lets in way too much oxygen and can actually speed things up in a weird way. You were basically force feeding it air. For a setup like that, checking every three or four days is way better. It lets the ferment settle into its own slower rhythm.

patriciah511mo ago

Honestly, that sounds like you just let it ferment too long. Daily burping is for active ferments in warm spots. A cool basement and a big crock? That kimchi was probably done by day five or six. The fizz is normal carbon dioxide, it just means fermentation happened. Next time, taste it starting on day three. If it's sour enough for you, fridge it. The "rules" are just guidelines.