Harsch Style Crock getting Wet and Mouldy Underneath

[Maguire1124]

I've just cracked open my first batch of sauerkraut (5 weeks) from my new 5 litre crock. It tastes great and there was no discolouration or mould on the inside of the crock. However...throughout the entire fermentation I had to keep cleaning up the shelf under my crock in the cold storage room. I put the crock up onto a wire rack so I could more easily clean under it. I would say there was only a little moisture on the shelf under it (no pools of water) but it would get mouldy and yeasty looking. I'm wondering if I have a hairline crack or a glaze defect somewhere in the crock or if this is normal (?!). It's not like the crock appeared to be sweating and I don't think water was being drooled out of the moat from bubbling.

Has anyone else had this happen? I'm wondering if I should return the crock. I've just started a batch of dill pickles in it so I'll wait to see if it happens with them as well.

Thanks for any advice!

Susan

[rvnmedic]

Does it have moisture under it before putting it in the cold storage? I'm on my second kraut batch using the same Harsch crock and haven't had that problem, but I also don't have a cold storage room.

Do you let it ferment for the first few days in 68-72 deg F and then put in a cool or cold place? That's what the book advises that I'm using.

When you remove this batch and clean out the crock, I would put some water in it and leave it alone for a few days to see if any moisture forms. If not, I would rule out a hairline crack, etc.

Good luck!
Bob

[Maguire1124]

Thanks for the reply Bob. The crock was definitely dry when it went on the shelf and I've removed it and dried it off and wiped up what is probably the equivalent of two tablespoonsful of liquid on the shelf three times now. The cold storage at this time of year is only at 62 degrees (in the winter it is more refrigerator temperature, several degrees above freezing).

The dill pickle recipe I am using now suggested a cooler ferment for keeping the pickles crisp. The sauerkraut batch I did previously, however, did start at a warmer temperature and I had the same issue in the warmer room.

After this batch I will let some water stand in it for a few days but it seems to me that the shelf is getting wet enough that there must be a glaze problem or an invisible to me crack.

[Gioware]

Most likely condensation because of humidity, maybe try drier room/place

[Dgocowboy]

perhaps when you do your plain water test you could put some food coloring in the water you leave standing in the crock. That way, you will be able to tell whether the moisture on the shelf is just condensation or is indeed water from within the crock.