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Can we talk about my first attempt at fermenting hot sauce?
I followed a basic recipe with habaneros and garlic, but after two weeks it developed a really strong, almost cheesy smell instead of being tangy. I think my kitchen was a bit too warm, maybe around 78 degrees. Has anyone else had a ferment go funky like that from the temperature?
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jade33mo agoMost Upvoted
78 is definitely on the warm side, it can speed things up too much. I had a batch go cheesy once and it was a bummer. I started keeping my ferments in a cooler spot, like a basement or even a lower cabinet, and that fixed it. A cooler, slower ferment around 70 degrees gave me that good tangy smell instead.
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hugo_cooper1mo ago
I get what you're saying but honestly I've had way better luck on the warmer side, like 78-80. That "cheesy" thing you mentioned happened to me once too but it was because I didn't stir enough on day two, not the temp. When I keep it warm my ferments are done in like 3 days instead of a week and they still smell super tangy and sour. Plus the texture is way more consistent for me, less chance of it going mushy or stalling out.
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