Ginger + Fruit kvass: using a vitamix puree / starter?
Posted: Thu May 09, 2019 10:29 am
Hi - I am new to making kvass (but have been brewing kombucha at home for quite some time), and my first attempt at making a 5-gallon pot of ginger + fruit kvass ended up a complete loss. (The fruit that floated to the surface of my fermentation vessel grew a white and black mold that started to smell eerily similar to vomit so I tossed the batch). I'm hoping the more experienced brewers out there could offer some advice on:
1. I'd rather not use a whey starter (vegan) but am open to using brine from storebought sauerkraut or some other type of starter. For example, will this "vegetable" starter culture work for ginger + fruit: https://www.amazon.com/Vegetable-Starte ... 9684b58743? I've heard mixed things regarding what types of starter culture to use for ginger/fruit fermented beverages. Some forums say that all vegetable and whey starters are not possible with a fruit kvass. Others say that whey or vegetable starter like sauerkraut brine is completely fine. Yet other say use a water kefir, etc. Very confusing
2. I'm wondering if it's possible to puree the ginger and fruits in a vitamix with the starter culture and/or water before starting the fermentation? Would this add surface area to the fermentation process and assist in bacterial growth or would this completely inhibit the fermentation process?
Thanks for your advice!
1. I'd rather not use a whey starter (vegan) but am open to using brine from storebought sauerkraut or some other type of starter. For example, will this "vegetable" starter culture work for ginger + fruit: https://www.amazon.com/Vegetable-Starte ... 9684b58743? I've heard mixed things regarding what types of starter culture to use for ginger/fruit fermented beverages. Some forums say that all vegetable and whey starters are not possible with a fruit kvass. Others say that whey or vegetable starter like sauerkraut brine is completely fine. Yet other say use a water kefir, etc. Very confusing
2. I'm wondering if it's possible to puree the ginger and fruits in a vitamix with the starter culture and/or water before starting the fermentation? Would this add surface area to the fermentation process and assist in bacterial growth or would this completely inhibit the fermentation process?
Thanks for your advice!