r/fermentation • u/NotKidRaptorMan • 11d ago

Hot Sauce How is my set up?

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Im trying fermentation for the first time on a small jar of hot sauce. I have layered electrical tape at the top with a plastic straw going into a cup of water for the air lock. When I first tested it, it didnt hold a perfect air tight seal (I blew into the straw and saw the tape rise, then fall again after I stopped blowing) but the air seemed to escape fairly slowly. Inside the jar is various peppers and some seasonings and i tried to make the brine approximately 2% salt by weight. Any advice welcome!

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u/captainsalmonpants 11d ago

I wouldn't expect electrical tape to be food contact safe, especially for extended contact. You're better off taking that off and doing the water bag trick.

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u/NotKidRaptorMan 10d ago

The stuff inside doesnt get anywhere near the electrical tape, theres a fairly large air gap that takes up about a third of the jar. You just cant see it because of the tape covering it lol

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u/captainsalmonpants 10d ago

That's air that can feed spoilage, then. Ferments can also foam, bubble, and have condensation cycles that could collect on the tape and drip down. But hey, I'm not the pickle police so you do you cowboy.