I'm looking into making some sauerkraut. I'll naturally let the lacto get into the cabbage and ferment. I'll want to use the mason jars later down the road for yeast washing. Do you think I can just run the jars, lids, and rings through the dishwasher to kill off the lacto or do you think I need to play in some bleach water?
I'm no expert, but as far as I'm concerned anything that will contain working yeast gets sanitized shortly beforehand. Starsan has served me quite well so far, so I'll stick with it.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'll be using the mason jars for the kraut. After I'm done with the jars I'll be running them through the dishwasher with a sanitization cycle anyway. I want to know if that's good enough to kill off the lacto. To my knowledge it might take more than just star san with cultures that large. It's coming Maybe a little sooner than I'd expect.
I'd get new lids, they are cheap and I'd be worried about flavor as much as bacterial contamination. I've been using mason jars for yeast for years and they are great, but you do need to replace the lids occasionally.
I use the sanitation cycle so infrequently (never), that it didn't occur to me. Like I said, I'm no expert, so I've essentially said nothing twice. If sanitizer can't kill it, try radiation?
Berlinnerstout, berlinner pale, berlinner porter... maybe its time for a berlinner wild ale category.
[continuation of derail] I need to work on getting a berliner line of beers. Last berliner I had was pretty darn amazingly good. Guess I will need a third fermentation freezer w/controller so I can start doing lagers as well as ales. [/continuation of derail]
Are you planning on actually canning the sauerkraut or just storing the finished product in "unsealed" mason jars ? The lids are only good for one sealing cycle so I would consider them disposable items. I make homemade kraut all the time and then can it for extended shelf life...light years better than store bought. Let me know if you have any questions/concerns... Cheers
