TIL my sauerkraut was basically dead for a week because my kitchen was too cold

I started a batch of red cabbage kraut about three weeks ago. After 7 days, it looked exactly the same, no bubbles, nothing. I was ready to toss it. Then I moved the jar from my counter, which is near a drafty window, to the top of my fridge. Within 48 hours, it was bubbling like crazy and the brine turned that nice cloudy color. The temp difference was only like 5 degrees, but it made all the difference. Has anyone else had a ferment just stall out on them from a slightly cool spot?

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the_diana1h ago

That's a great save moving it to a warmer spot. Actually, your kraut wasn't dead, it was just dormant. The good bacteria go real slow when it's cold, like they're hibernating. A five degree jump is often all it takes to wake them up and get things going. It's a good reminder that fermentation is more about patience and watching the jar than a strict calendar.