Making INSANELY hot fermented 7Pot Brainstrain Chilli Sauce

[@jeremiahhedeen3879]

Why on some videos you use a water lock and this one only band the top? Is it size or is you have just progressed to a better process? I noticed the ferminator wasnt in this video, as far a I'm concerned your channel is the best for information on this topic, I love new ways to use my peppers from my garden

[@ChilliChump]

Hi Jeremiah, I was trying to show that you can do fermentation using simple things. You don't have to complicate it. I prefer using airlocks because I already have them and it is convenient, but if you don't have them then you can do like this too. I have all the equipment since a long time ago because I have been brewing beers and making wine long before I was fermenting peppers. Also I have had a temperature controlled fridge for fermenting for a while too. But again, not everyone has one so it is good to know that if you have somewhere in your house where you can keep temperatures around 20 Celsius, then you can ferment too! From a personal point of view, I make these sauces using peppers I grow myself. And I don't want to waste any of them! I spend many months looking after my plants and getting my harvest, so when it comes to making sauces with them I want to give it the best chance of success! I would be very sad if I had to throw anything away

[@jeremiahhedeen3879]

@@ChilliChump as do I, I grow more chilis then anything and have been canning and preserving for years, I'm just getting into the fermentation side of making sauces and was just curious if one method was easier then the other, your videos are super informative, just soo many ?s my chilis just got planted this week, fyi I'm in Reno nv, us

[@jeremiahhedeen3879]

I also do my own brewing, winemaking and a touch of distilling, I'm currently a chef at a brew pub, chicken wings sell like crazy I'd love to start making our own sauces, and learning is half the battle

[@ericgrinnellsr.832]

@@ChilliChump I love my peppers too, as do the deer. On the bright side I don't need pepper during the hunting season.

[@Hotsauce-cj7kj]

Thank you brother for this awesome channel. This’ll be the start of my adventure in the world of hot sauce creations. I am an absolute hot sauce fanatic. Bring all of them on!

[@timd8912]

Thank you....

[@DrRepper]

Lovely peppers, and a great looking sauce!

[@Timmydw]

This is the video made me fall in love with your channel. And now you have almost 170k subscribers. Keep doing with you do! Greetings from the Netherlands 🇳🇱❤️

[@Treyorrrr]

Crazy to me watching this now and you celebrating 100 subscribers. Now you're over 35,000! Too awesome, keep it up!

[@s18169ex3]

This was just a little bit of a flashback. It was funny to hear you say you’ve reached 600 followers. Wow the time has flown the followers have gained and Shawn you’re doing fantastic that Sauce then and the ones you’re making now as usual. Fantastic to watch and fantastic to know that it’s available to be made out out there and the set up that you had then and now what a difference. Great video. Thanks Mark from Montreal.

[@wranther]

You inspire success. Thank you for the clarity of your videos. -Bob...

[@robapple78]

I came across this channel about a month ago. Watched til the end where he thanks the viewers for reaching 100 subscribers! Love this channel!!

[@eugene6472]

These videos are helpful. I fermented two batches of Habanero and now I'm working on Lemondrop pepper mash.

[@TypeiZ]

hey, thanks for the video. i have too many yellow 7pots this year and i will try out your recipe! sounds delicous!

[@ChilliChump]

It is delicious...but damn hot!

[@TypeiZ]

@@ChilliChump ye i know. i stopped eating hot some years ago because i hated to go to toilett after eating hot stuff xD but this year i wanted some self grown peppers in my new garden ^^ i have some really nice "jalapeno big", white and orange habaneros and some super delicious lemon drops. i tasted all of them, but im a bit afraid of the 7pots ^^ i have a bunch of them but havent tried them yet xD but im curious about their taste, people have really nice descriptions of their flavour ^^

[@TypeiZ]

@@ChilliChump my 7pots are now fermenting, but boy.... i had the stupid idea to try 1 complete 7pot... very bad idea... my face is burning since an hour and it doesnt stop xD im not used to eating much heat at the moment and now my face is on fire :D sweat everywhere, pain in my nose and mouth... oh lord.... xD

[@Cryptichroma]

That onion skin tip is a brilliant idea! Thank you.

[@schlaznger8049]

Note-- This hot sauce will also work as a engine de-greaser. Just wash it off afterward or it will also eat the engine.

[@gooup]

slow clap

[@yalgret]

slower clap to you, gooup

[@mathieufrey3112]

rewatching this now so much work well done in 5 years!

[@JorgeMurillo777]

The onion slice is a great tip! Subscribed

[@TheGeenat]

Thank you!! I’ll be making this sauce in a few months when I get enough peppers all at once.

[@simonlaurawatson3597]

Love these chilli's. Got a bush that is just going nuts and been making some delicious (HOTTTTTT) sauces :) love the channel, you are an inspiration to the hot sauce lover .

[@squidmaster9100]

I grew 7pot brainstrain yellow for the first time this year and used this recipe to make 11 5 oz woozy bottles of the sauce. I added a bit more white wine vinegar than the recipe (around 30% by weight), mainly to thin down the sauce. It's still hot A.F., but there is a wonderful, almost fruity taste right before the nuclear blast.

[@KortKramer]

Awesome mini-ferment. Just goes to show you don't need to go crazy with small batch ferments. As always, love your channel Chump!

[@IAmFutureBill]

I'm really loving your videos man. I'm a complete newbie when it comes to Fermented hot sauce. But your videos are extremely informative and well put together. Thanks.

[@ChilliChump]

Thanks Will!

[@Cman815]

This is a great man! Loved the hot pepper reaction! Ha ha ha!!

[@markdesod561]

A thank you for your informative videos. I've learned quite a bit of stuff I was totally ignorant of, and hope to learn a lot more! Go Pats! Cheers.

[@paradigmfailure1336]

Damn! This video is about the best I've seen. Look at the color of the sauce. Gorgeous. I'm trying to sprout these peppers now. So far, it's a no go. But, I'll figure it out.

[@ChilliChump]

Thank you! More videos coming at the end of the season, I have quite a few sauce ideas I can't wait to film for you guys! Have you had a look at my Beginners Guide to Growing Peppers? Might be something there that could help you out with sprouting your seeds. I put the videos in a playlist on my channel. Free of course! Good luck!

[@LandscapeSolutionsLLC]

100 subscribers? 😂. Ur awesome man! I share ur vids with all my pepper lovin buddies.

[@LifeofPhi]

68400 subs later...;)

[@becauseican2607]

@@LifeofPhi your comment got old very quick

[@koltonbaader2373]

Going 120k strong, I would say this comment has aged like fine wine.

[@becauseican2607]

A good fermented comment 😉

[@valamaas]

You said you were about to hit 100 subscribers at the end of the video. Now you have hit 100k. Congratulations

[@ChilliChump]

Thank you! It is pretty incredible to think how many subscribers I have now.

[@maullajutt5752]

U style is different so i really like it and must try ur way of making 👍👍👍

[@ChilliChump]

Thanks Dom, have a look at some of my more recent videos. The styles are similar but maybe a bit clearer in explanation!

[@eddieorf]

Nice Bro,nice. Got 4 going after watching your video today. Hatch and garlic Serrano and Garlic Jalapeno and garlic Last one is Habanero garlic and pineapple with the bags on top.. 2% brine Excited about this,seriously maybe a bit more than deer season here in Oklahoma.

[@yalgret]

I really like the onion idea, will be using that...

[@christiansmith1639]

Another trick if you have a bit of space at the top of your jar put a zip lock bag filled it partially with water.

[@gazellecarlson6543]

i'm going to try this simple small batch version, i have a ton of peppers to experiment on

[@patrickhumphreys4753]

Many thanks for the tips, having a go at fermented habanero tonight with ginger and garlic. It should warm up the winter BBQs. Next year Scotch bonnets to be grown as I like the citrus flavour.

[@TonySlug]

Love the onion trick. Very nice peps too !

[@jtrain071]

Your channel is soooo great, thank you 😊

[@ChilliChump]

Thanks Joshua! Very iind of you to say! Glad you enjoy it!

[@joedom9369]

Lol. 10-13-22. At the time of this video you said that you are about to hit 100 subscribers. Did you ever think your videos would be as popular as they are now? Good reason they are….you put out great content. Thank you.

[@ChilliChump]

Every milestone has been pretty mind-blowing to me. 100, 1000, 10k, 100k!

[@pjbiggleswerth8903]

Dang u had 100 subs here. Good work yo almost 200k hoss

[@niv6570]

Using onion leave as stopper is brilliant idea!

[@pemacal57]

Congrats from Spain !....THE BEST EXPLANATION I SAW !!!

[@alwaysbecooking5856]

Looks amazing!

[@kccooks802]

Great video man

[@alexandrechatty5439]

It looks great ! I just made my own fresh habanero based sauce with garlic, ginger, red onion, rice brown vinegar, Sishuan peppercorn and salt. I'm thinking about trying a lacto-fermented version using your method. Thank's a lot for the video

[@alexandrechatty5439]

Here I am ! One month later I'm trying my first lacto-fermented version of my sauce, using 7pot. but I blended the sauce before the fermentation and add a little bit of oil floating on it to prevent air contact. Thank's again for your inspiring video !

[@JeanMarceaux]

The sauce might be spicy, the peppers spicier, but the spiciest of all is that jazz manouche in the background.

[@elisabettarenwick6269]

Thank you so much for another excellent video. I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge and 'know how'. I particularly like how you give the reasons for doing certain things, e.g. using kosher salt (like Himalayan Pink Rock Crystals) because if you use salt with additives (anti-caking agents) it could interfere with the fermentation process. Getting that level of detailed knowledge helps a newbie to hot-sauce making like myself learn what/what not to do. Many thanks - Elisabetta

[@00Uglyduckling00]

Love your videos!

[@boiledpepsi]

That looks amaaaaazing

[@carlericvonkleistiii2188]

It is extremely interesting to see the strides you have taken in your chili journey. It would be neat to have you go back through this video and comment on how your process and your technical skills have changed - what you would do differently as an amateur, and what amateur knowledge and skills were most useful in the transition to a commercial producer.

[@carbon5261]

From 100 subscribers to over 100K. You deserve it man. I have a question about fermentation mellowing the heat. Does the lactobacillus digest some of the capsaicin and get rid of heat that way, or is a little bit of it simply discarded with the brine? If it is the latter, would vacuum bag fermentations end up with hotter sauce in the end, since you don't add water? (Maybe a chance for a comparison experiment video is in there, who knows!)

[@ChilliChump]

Thank you. The heat doesn't mellow, the flavours do though...they are less sharp. I think this is why some people think that fermenting drops the heat. For example eating a raw pepper Vs the same pepper in a sauce, hits very different. The lactobacillus only eats sugars...it won't use the capsaicin alkaloid

[@emepantti]

@@ChilliChump I'd imagine that the capsaicin gets extremely concentrated on tiny regions in the mouth when you eat raw pepper. It mainly only occurs on its inside surface, so it's heavily concentrated, vs in a sauce it gets evenly distributed throughout the pulp, and will coat your entire tongue instead of creating extreme hot spots here and there

[@huibi]

Hi! Great video! One question, so did you drain and didn’t use the salt water in the final sauce? Thanks.

[@ra0333]

About how much vinegar did you end up adding? It looked like a spoonful of two, but then the bottle was completely filled?

[@vilhjalmurtheviking4617]

Chillichump, looking at that hot sauce makes my mouth water! I've never made hot sauce before and I'll be using my first harvest of Naga Vipers to start a ferment tomorrow. I want to use garlic, onion and carrot together, the hope being that the carrot will "tone down" the heat of the vipers a little. What do you think? Is it ok to ferment the peppers with carrots too? My Scotch Bonnets and Carolina Reapers are starting to ripen also so I'll be making hot sauce with those next. Thanks for the tips. - VTV

[@ChilliChump]

Hi Vilhjalmur, there is no problem adding carrots....but a little tip if you want to keep some of the sweetness of the carrots, cut them into fairly large chunks. If the carrots are cut too small then a lot of the sweetness will ferment out! Good luck with your sauce, let me know how it goes!

[@vilhjalmurtheviking4617]

Chillichump, That is something I hadn't considered. I'm glad you mentioned it. I had no idea how easy and fun making hot sauce is. Thank you again for sharing. I'll let you know how my first attempt turns out! - VTV

[@bowtielife]

As of this week I am moving into the phase where I stop mixing a lot of peppers and use only one kind of pepper in my ferments. I have only briefly tried flavors years ago but now I have enough to really try things out. Here we go!! 😁🤪

[@ChilliChump]

Good luck!

[@bowtielife]

@@ChilliChump 🤩

[@drnycmedia]

*If you don't want to ferment (worried about the safety aspect), about how much vinegar to pepper ratio do you need on average to ensure at least a month's shelf life? And how do you determine shelf life (est) from how much vinegar/lemon/salt you put in?!* 💙🍺🍻🍺

[@ChilliChump]

You are aiming to get the overall pH to 4.6 or lower (

[@Skarrald]

drnycmedia also, ferment is one of the safest methods and there is nothing to worry about.

[@roblawson4319]

Helpful video. Would you be able to cover off how long the sauce will last for and what other ingredients you'd recommend other than garlic please?

[@ChilliChump]

Thanks Rob. I will be doing some more sauce videos once I my chill plants start producing, and will give plenty ideas for other ingredients. Some ideas though for now: pineapple (my brother in law made a brilliant hot sauce with pineapple, great flavours); spring onions; pear (I'm doing a long fermentation with pears and peppers at the moment); carrots would be a good addition too. Try experiment with one or a couple of these things. Just remember not to add too much fruit, you won't necessarily get the flavour or sweetness you expect! As for how long the sauce lasts...mine are shelf stable for at least a year. If you were careful with the sterilisation and getting the fermentation done right, then it should last for years. Once open I would put the sauce in the fridge and just check that nothing funky is growing on top. I have a stupidly hot sauce I made that is open and in my fridge, been there for 9 months now and is still perfectly fine...just insanely hot!

[@roblawson4319]

Many thanks that's really useful! My first year growing so fingers crossed!

[@DmundZ]

Great idea with the onion. Do you need to push back down the onion throughout the fermentation process.??

[@ChilliChump]

No I didn't need to. With the onion nicely wedged in in the beginning, it stays put!

[@davidk4848]

Many thanks for another excellent video - I was just wondering if the fermentation continues after bottling, as you haven't cooked or frozen it and, if so, do you need to release the pressure now and again. Apologies if these are obvious - I'm just getting into it. Thank you

[@ChilliChump]

Hi David, have a look at this video it should give you some pointers. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jIvXaIOPbaqGnZY The fermentation will stop naturally when the pH is low enough, or all the "food" (sugars) for the lactobacillus have been used. If you are adding new "food" to the fermentation at the end, like fruit, then you will need to stop the fermentation by heating...unless, like I mentioned before, the pH is low enough.

[@davidk4848]

@@ChilliChump - brilliant and thank you!

[@betoibarra]

Great video, I tried the onion method with some Carolina Reapers and it looks like some of the peppers are just now peeking over the brine after a week of fermenting. Is it shot or is it salvage-able? Cheers!

[@ChilliChump]

Should be perfectly fine! The fermentation would have kicked off by now and should be keeping things safe. No funny colours on the exposed peppers?

[@betoibarra]

@@ChilliChump No funny colors. They smell great as well! Thanks again!

[@ChilliChump]

Perfect! Let me know how it turns out!

[@betoibarra]

​@@ChilliChump bit.ly/2RPxIIn One bottle the Bhut Jolokia, the other a combo of Carolina Reaper, Trinidad Scorpion and Scotch Bonnets(wanted to make edible lava as a test). I am a pepper roasting person usually, but this my first time fermenting the peppers, turned out amazing. Without the vinegar it was at 4.1 with 4.0. Gratitude for the video, this turned out sooo good, I can't wait to try the ferment with carrots next time!

[@ChilliChump]

Lol...love the little ghost! Those look really good, glad it turned out well!

[@katelynmurphy4050]

Did you use white malt vinegar?? Never heard of doing that normally it’s plain distilled or spirit vinegar.

[@ChilliChump]

it is distilled malt vinegar. Which is just distilled vinegar (distilled vinegar can be made from many different types of vinegar). So it is a purified form of the Malt vinegar. (Typical Malt vinegar is brown in colour)

[@sabinaanderson6216]

Hello! What is the shelf life of this sauce? Also should it be kept in fridge? Thank You

[@ChilliChump]

If fermented and bottled correctly, at least a year on the shelf. Longer in the fridge.

[@markanthonychesner]

Hi! Gret videos!!!! Why don't you fill the jar with water, then pour it off and weight it and make your brine...? Just an idea :)

[@konikolis]

Awesome sauce as always man! I am planning to start turning my reapers into hot sauce.. i have watched many of your videos and they are amazing.. Sorry if this has been asked before but i have no scale to measure the salt's weight.. would a little too much salt or too little salt affect the fermentation a lot? Also i want to ferment some dried peppers that i am planning to rehydrate so i am thinking of putting half of those to ferment with fresh peppers.. would that work? or are the bacteria not enough? thanks for reading!

[@ChilliChump]

Hi there, it doesn't have to be perfect! But roughly 1 heaped teaspoon to a cup of water. Or 1 heaped teaspoon to 250ml. Half dried and half fresh will work great! Let me know how it works out!

[@jasonlahti7211]

Nice video! I noticed the amber bottles in the background- do you homebrew as well?

[@ChilliChump]

+Jason Lahti yes I do! I think I may try doing a chilli beer soon too. I brew beer and wine when I have the time. Great hobby. You brew?

[@jasonlahti7211]

Chillichump I do homebrew! It's an amazing hobby

[@unclepuckersshow]

Love the page as always! Wanted to ask you are you using water as the liquid fermentation period?

[@ChilliChump]

Thank you! I use two different methods of fermenting, have a look at this video of mine: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z3rco6l-YqyYrs0

[@unclepuckersshow]

Thank you for that video great info! Only thing that is confusing me a little on the Brain Strain video is are you using water to fill the jar before the two week fermentation?

[@ChilliChump]

No...I used brine method of fermentation from the start.

[@unclepuckersshow]

@@ChilliChump Thanks as always!

[@fere_gg]

Awesome video! I have a question. If I wanted to add some flavoring to the sauce, let's say pineapple, when would be the right time to do it?

[@ChilliChump]

thank you! I would probably say to add it at the end...pineapple in particular is quite acidic itself, so won't lower the acidity when you add it to the sauce. And you will keep that flavour and sweetness of the pineapple. If you have the chance though, try it both ways. My brother-in-law made his with pineapple and added it at the beginning. It tasted good, but there wasn't a strong flavour of pineapple, and the sweetness had pretty much gone.

[@fere_gg]

Chillichump thanks a lot! I will definitely try it. 🌶️👍

[@DJB1017]

I concur. I made 2 batches of mango habanero yellow chili black garlic sauce and the one that I started with the mango in was not as good as the one I waited to add the mango to.

[@dusshan1]

Hi, id like to share a tip with you which i believe i saw from a guy called "Pro Home Cooks" on youtube. he makes quite a lot of fermented products and trick he uses to submerge the vegetables underneath the brine is a plastic bag filled with water on top instead of the onion. The bag has to be cleaned/sterilized with something and has to be relatively stiff and more robust so it doesn't burst. it seems to be working very well for him. I am planning to give it a try at some point, then i can provide a relevant feedback, maybe trying some of your recipes. I am planning to do similar with bunch of "galla" yellow chillies grown this year. The variety was sold in Slovak garden depot Hornbach, imported from Germany dealers, but i would say the name Galla was just a market name. They appear to be something between golden cayenne and hot lemon. I would say they are light/medium heat.

[@1985tomak]

So... I tried my hand a fermentation today, but, after doing so, I realized that my sea salt has tricalcium phosphate (anti-caking agent). I see in this video that is may be bad... Should I just get rid of it and start anew? Thanks! LOVE the videos!

[@ChilliChump]

You could get away with it. Sometimes it can kill off the lactobacillus which means the fermentation wont happen. Keep an eye on it and see whether you get activity in your fermentation (bubbles etc). And test the pH at the end

[@1985tomak]

Chillichump thanks for the info! Keep up the amazing work, man. I love your channel!

[@easinexplore]

😋how can we store them, refrigerat or keep it on shelf. I stay in humid hot climate all throughout the year)

[@ChilliChump]

It is fine on the shelf if you have fermented correctly. Will last for years!

[@easinexplore]

@@ChilliChump thank you so so much.

[@shane3428]

Oh wow

[@kitbashkorner8606]

i know this is an older video when you had a bit less experience but would you not want to throw the fermented product on the stovetop for a bit to stop the fermenting process from continuing in the bottle and causing pressure?

[@ChilliChump]

No, that is not necessary. The fermentation stops naturally when you ferment long enough, and there is no more food good the lactobacillus....or if the pH drops below around 3.4. I discuss this further in this video: Minimum ferment time kzbin.info/www/bejne/jIvXaIOPbaqGnZY

[@kitbashkorner8606]

@@ChilliChump thanks for the reply

[@MYPERMACULTUREGARDEN]

WOW ! I just heard you say ,,, just about to reach 100 subscribers !!! Look at where you are now !!!!! 17 thousand ! Could you ever dream back then that you would reach this many !!! CONGRATULATION on your journey,,,, I hope I make it to even 1/2 that !

[@leestorey18]

Do you have to add vinegar can you make the sauce just using the peppers and brine?

[@ChilliChump]

No need to add vinegar. One of the benefits of fermenting is that it should result in a sauce that is acidic enough to be shelf stable without needing vinegar

[@alanbell4097]

where do you get your bottles from? just made my first mash and hoping it goes well. thankyou for the video it's been really informative

[@ChilliChump]

I think I got these ones from here: www.glassjarsandbottles.com

[@alanbell4097]

@@ChilliChump cheers thank you

[@automandan3066]

Can i add 1 Butch t scorpion to make up for the fermentation mellowing out the heat

[@ChilliChump]

The fermentation won't mellow out as much as you think. It is more of a mellowing of flavours....the heat still kicks you hard

[@Skv86]

Do you boil the finished and bottled up product once more, to stop the fermentation? Or is that unnecessary?

[@ChilliChump]

The fermentation will naturally finish once the pH is low enough or all the sugars are used up. This is why fermentation length, and pH testing is important.

[@andy121bplp]

Hey Mate does temperature effect the time taken to finish the fermentation process? I started a small jar on Saturday and by Tuesday it was bubbling profusely with an amazing smell. As i live in Queensland in Australia the temperature in my house this time of year ranges from 25*c to 35*c constantly, is this too hot to ferment?

[@ChilliChump]

Hi Andy. I would really try get it down to around 20' Celsius. Fermenting too quickly (higher temperatures) is not ideal, and can produce bad flavours

[@andy121bplp]

ok thanks, i've put it in a small esky with some ice blocks and i'll see how that goes. How can you tell when it's ready? Also do know of any good books that can help me out as i'm pretty keen to try a lot more and expand my knowledge, because at the moment i know sweet F A.

[@stevehodgson1420]

@@andy121bplp try at the very bottom and as far back as you can go in your pantry as im from W.A and mine seem to work out great

[@andy121bplp]

@@stevehodgson1420 I did that at the start but still too hot, the esky and ice pack/ bottles worked fine thanks anyway.

[@doubledown187]

Washing them off under the tap - doesn't this also wash off the yeast that's on there?

[@ChilliChump]

Never had a problem with that. Always had very active fermentations even after washing

[@mr_blue_falcon]

The fermentation doesn't come from yeast it comes from lactobacillic fermentation

[@alexcamilleri3997]

Washing fruit and veg under the tap doesn't remove any microorganisms. The goal when washing is to remove any debris or insect waste/eggs. You'll never wash fresh produce into sterility.

[@shane3428]

Oh wow! How long can you keep the sauce in the bottle? I’ve had one in the bottle for about 1.5-2 months but I thought it might be bad by now. It was fermented… so do you think it should be okay still?

[@ChilliChump]

Should still be ok as long as it was fermented properly

[@shane3428]

@@ChilliChump // Cool! Thanks for replying :) I have it a try today again and it still tasted good and my stomach wasn’t hurting so I think it was safe😂

[@3000gtwelder]

100 subs to 74,000! Nice job man!

[@ChilliChump]

Thank you!

[@mdugan1990]

8:42 "Just reached 100 subscribers" Sitting at 126K now... Taking some inspiration from this video for my ripening 7pot douglah...

[@senorabroomesrabroome1314]

What’s’doughla’

[@GregWilsonEnglish]

I am interested in making some fermented BBQ sauce. I was wondering if you could give me some pointers or advice on what worked for you. Thanks!!

[@ChilliChump]

Greg Wilson hmm...that's an interesting question! I haven't ever done a fermented BBQ sauce...but it sounds amazing. I did a bit of research and this recipe I found online looks pretty good simplerootswellness.com/homemade-bbq-sauce/. I may give it a go myself but with a spicy twist. Future video idea!

[@johnstilley5063]

Why do you need to brine it? Just asking. If the purpose is fermentation, would that happen faster without brine? Like, just mash up your peppers and throw them into a jar without the brine. Just curious!

[@ChilliChump]

John Stilley The lactobacillus bacteria which does the actual fermenting survives great in the brine....other bad bacteria, mould and other nasties can't survive in the brine....that is main reason for the brine, creating the right atmosphere for the good bacteria to do their job!

[@johnstilley5063]

Okay, that's a solid reason, and makes sense. Thanks! And thanks for the quick response.

[@johnstilley5063]

Okay, last question. I see you do a 2% brine solution. But I don't see you weigh the peppers. I saw someone else weigh the papers and added 2% of the weight of the peppers in salt. So he wasn't concerned with how much water went in, or the concentration of the brine, but the salt in relation to the pepper mass. Is there any reason to think one approach is better than the other? Thanks again!

[@ChilliChump]

If you are doing a pepper mash then you should weigh the peppers and add 2% salt accordingly...but if you are doing it this way then you just need a water and salt brine instead. There is no "right" way...it just depends on what you are trying to do. When Tabasco do their sauce they make a salt and pepper mash, no water. The trick is just to ensure you have enough salt to keep the bad stuff out...but not too much to make the end product too salty!

[@johnstilley5063]

Thanks again!

[@elisabettarenwick6269]

Can you use green (unripe) chillies for making fermented hot sauce or do you have to wait until the chillies are ripe to start the fermentation? Many thanks for your help. Much appreciated.

[@ChilliChump]

+Elisabetta Renwick you can use green chillies but you will have a challenge with them fermenting. Fermentation happens when the lactobacillus "eats" the sugars of whatever you are fermenting. So it is preferable to have ripe chilli's, which will contain more sugars!

[@elisabettarenwick6269]

Thanks so much for your very quick and very helpful reply. I live in New Zealand and our chillies are just starting to ripen. We've never made chilli sauce of any type but are going to do fermented hot sauces. Your videos and replies have been very, very helpful. Thank again.

[@ChilliChump]

+Elisabetta Renwick No problem at all, and good luck! I'm sure it will turn out great! Let me know how it goes

[@truculenttabasco]

Do you store the sauce in the fridge, or just in the cupboard after it's made?

[@ChilliChump]

If bottled correctly (everything properly cleaned, sterilised and sanitised) then it is shelf stable. No need to refrigerate

[@robthomas5488]

Say Chili Chump...1) your an inspiration in the Hot Sauce world. 2) Do I always have to use brine in fermenting peppers or canbI just slice my peppers, use kosher salt, mix them in a bowl and place in jar with plastic bag or jar lid with a air lock?

[@ChilliChump]

Hey Rob. 1. Thank you, that's kind of you to say! 2. Have a look at this video discussing the 2 methods I use. Either brine or mash.

[@michaelormerod1898]

So what's the difference between what you did here and using the fridge.. Why no fridge. Does this have a long shelf life

[@ChilliChump]

By fermenting you change the flavour profile (for the better in my opinion). But more importantly you make it shelf stable by decreasing the pH through lactofermentation. This means you can have it on the shelf for at least a year if you kept everything clean when you bottled. I have a couple sauces I have made that are perfectly fine 2 years in.

[@michaelormerod1898]

@@ChilliChump thanks man found this channel by accident last night and I've binged it. Gonna get me a grow on and make some sauces, so thanks got the inspiration. I'm thinking of getting some lemon drop chillies and seeing how it works out

[@MegaMarkoni]

How long can this hot sauce 'survive' on the shelf? Thank you!

[@ChilliChump]

If fermented and bottled correctly, it will be shelf stable for at least a year.

[@MegaMarkoni]

@@ChilliChump thank you! I have just finished my first hot sauce out of Bhut Orange Copenhagen chillies like you described in this video. Thank you so much!

[@NSPlayer]

yum

[@andycarter8311]

Hey, just finished some fermented chillies but havnt any vinegar, can I stick the fermented chillies in the fridge before I go get vinegar later today?

[@ChilliChump]

Hi Andy, yes of course you can! Won't do it any harm at all

[@tomneal72]

once ive made up the jar can it be stored outside of the fridge for several weeks or can i put it in the fridge ?

[@ChilliChump]

If you have space in the fridge, stick it in there, but on the shelf should be fine if it has fermented properly...it is a shelf-stable process!

[@boboscurse4130]

I'm only getting a couple of ripe peppers at a time. Can I freeze them as they come, then thaw them and ferment them? Will that work?

[@ChilliChump]

Yeah that should be ok, just make sure that when you start your fermenting that you have some peppers in there that haven't been frozen before. That will make sure there is some lactobacillus (fermenting bacteria) ready to do their job.

[@boboscurse4130]

Aha! That's what I was wondering! Thanks. And just out of curiosity, if I didn't have any, could I use something from the grocery store, or do their process kill everything? Love your videos...I always get a nice sweat. :) I just planted some 7 pot seeds, but it's a race against the calendar. It's now July 16, but here in NC I have a good chance. Two years ago I harvested my last hot peppers on December 11th.

[@jamesbenson8008]

You appear to be using plastic caps. Does your sauce seal in the bottle? Is it shelf stable without refrigeration? Or should I use metal caps if i want to heat pack it?

[@ChilliChump]

Hi James. You don't need to heat treat it. The fermenting takes care of that. It makes it shelf stable by decreasing the pH and making it more acidic. So no need for canning the sauce. I still have a few jars of sauce from more than a year ago that have been on the shelf the whole time. Still healthy and tasty

[@jamesbenson8008]

And this would be the same concept if I were to strain the pepper mash out of my final product?

[@ChilliChump]

Yes absolutely. You are aiming for a pH of 4.6 or below. But a proper fermentation and a bit of vinegar will get you there. You can do it with the fermentation alone, but a bit of vinegar or lemon juice just makes sure. Alternatively get yourself a cheap pH meter (they go for about £10 on Amazon) and test your sauce.

[@jamesbenson8008]

Picked up a pH meter and some airlocks the other day, going to start my first pepper mash fermentation test soon. Thanks for the advice!

[@ChilliChump]

It's a pleasure!

[@CrabtreeGuitar]

Question: I've been doing canning with Ball recipes for a while. I've been warned that deviating from tried and studied recipes could be dangerous. Is fermentation a work around for this issue? Ive always wanted to do more and be more creative with it, but I dont want to give my family botulism.

[@ChilliChump]

Hi Ronald, fermenting correctly avoids botulism. Have a look at a few of my videos on the topic and some of my recipes, will give you a good idea on how to do it. With fermenting you are aiming to reduce pH (increase acidity), and you are starting things off in a brine/salty environment. It is pretty easy to see when the fermenting is working. And I find it to be the safest way to make hot sauces if done right!

[@CrabtreeGuitar]

@@ChilliChump I'm going to do that, thanks. I just subscribed. I may also look for some books on it.

[@thisthatandtheotherchan5548]

Those look delicious.

[@Hotsauce-cj7kj]

Wow brother, I’m backtracking your videos from near the beginning. Definitely come a long way man. Thank you for this AMAZING channel. I’m in the beginingest of stages in creating my own signature sauce and this channel will be a huge catalyst I believe. Hey Chili Chump, when I need consultation, do you have an email address? Anybody else I could consult with??

[@ChilliChump]

Thank you! I'm glad you are finding it useful. You can get in touch here for consulting. chillichump.com/chillichump-consultancy/

[@cherylnorise57]

I know you do a lot of peppers. Can you do pickles. Mine are always soggy. I'm also waiting for my Tabasco peppers to ripen. Love your videos

[@ChilliChump]

Hi there, have you seen this video of mine? kzbin.info/www/bejne/faXIaHVor7VqjaM

[@TheHokkaidogaijin]

Does the sauce need to be refrigerated or can it be left out at room temp?

[@ChilliChump]

If you fermented correctly, got the correct pH, and bottled correctly, then it is shelf stable until opened.... No need for refrigeration

[@boboscurse4130]

How do you know what percent brine you want? I've seen 2%, 3%, 5%...

[@ChilliChump]

I use 2-3% brine. I wouldn't go as high as 5%, or else the end result will be a bit too salty tasting.

[@inderneilboseroychowdhury]

I eat Habanero and ghost Pepper's raw..Anyway it's not a achievement.. Just a Habit..Combination of Garlic & Hot pepper is 👌.. Good Recipe..

[@kimberlyriddell8574]

Does adding vinegar kill the probiotics?

[@ChilliChump]

No...but it does slow down their activity

[@spencerflack]

Now I was debating on buying a water lock, but after seeing this I want to try it with just the bag and rubber band. My question is do you have to burp it or anything doing it this way?

[@ChilliChump]

No need to burp it. The elastic band allows the air to escape when enough pressure builds

[@jmannUSMC]

Do your sauces ever keep fermenting after bottling? I had a sauce that kept fermining in the bottle and when I went to open it the next day I had carbonated hot sauce fly everywhere! Any ideas how to prevent this?

[@ChilliChump]

Hi Joseph, yeah I have had that happen before...if your pH isn't low enough, or there are sugars still available to ferment. I would heat it beyond 65C for 10 minutes if you are concerned

[@skyhernandez1174]

Also do you refrigerate after making it? Or os it okay to leave in the pantry as is?

[@ChilliChump]

It is shelf stable

[@harryhathaway1086]

I'm not into real spicey foods but I love gardening. I grew Large Cheyenne peppers, Orange/red Habenero , Bhut JOLOKIA,Red Cherry peppers and some none heat peppers that look like jalapenos but turn a bright yellow when ripe. I never made a hot sauce and never fermented any foods before. I'm gonna use all my peppers in one sauce. I'd start on this project tonight but I don't have any rubber gloves. Lol

[@ChilliChump]

Lol....rubber gloves are a must with the really hot peppers! Quick tip, if your local garage/petrol station has gloves at the pumps...grab a few of those in a pinch ;-) And if I didn't like spicy food I reckon I would still grow my peppers, the fruits and flowers are all so varied! Such a beautiful plant.

[@AlabamaTree]

I think I’ve made a mistake with my first ferment :( The brine has gone cloudy so I’m guessing I used the wrong type of salt. I used sea salt but it might have caking agent in it? Quite annoying as I’ve got Kosher Salt in the cupboard....

[@ChilliChump]

Cloudy isn't a problem...all is not lost!

[@AlabamaTree]

Oh, ok your ferments always look bright and clear. Thanks fir the reply 🙂