My kraut turned into a fizzy pink mess and I'm not even mad

This was about a month ago, I was doing my usual cabbage ferment in a big old crock. I usually just do plain, but I had a beet that was getting soft so I chopped it up and threw it in on a whim. Forgot about it for a solid two weeks. When I lifted the weight, it was like opening a soda bottle. It fizzed over the edge, this bright pink foam everywhere. The whole kitchen smelled like a weird, earthy pickle. It looked wild, but I tasted it and it was actually really good, kind of sweet and sharp. Has anyone else had a ferment go totally off-script but turn out great? What was your weirdest happy accident?

3 comments

3 Comments

max4151mo ago

My neighbor's kid made a volcano with baking soda and vinegar last week, same pink foam all over their driveway. It's funny how the best stuff comes from not following the plan. I see it at work sometimes, a messed up pipe fix leads to a better way to do the job. Most people are scared of the fizzy mess, but that's usually where the good flavor is.

robinj291mo ago

My last "experiment" looked like a science fair volcano, lmao.

thompson.nathan19d ago

Wait, wasn't a science fair volcano just baking soda and vinegar though? That usually makes a foamy mess not really pink foam.