My sauerkraut gave off a weird smell after 3 days and I almost tossed it

I was making my usual batch of sauerkraut last Tuesday and around day 3 the jar started smelling kind of like sweaty feet mixed with sulfur. I've been doing this for about 2 years and never had that happen before. I panicked and almost dumped the whole thing down the sink but decided to ask a buddy who's been fermenting for like 12 years. He said it was probably just a sulfur bacteria phase from too much air exposure and to stir it and push the cabbage back under the brine. I did that and let it go another 4 days and the smell faded completely into that normal tangy kraut smell. Has anyone else had that funky sulfur thing happen mid-ferment and just rode it out?

2 comments

2 Comments

ellis.felix16d ago

My buddy who's been fermenting for 12 years told me the same thing when my batch smelled like burnt matches around day 4. He said it's super common in the first week and usually means the lacto bacteria are still getting established. I let it ride out too and it turned into my best batch yet, so you def made the right call not tossing it.

mason.mary16d ago

I'm not buying it honestly. Burnt match smell can be a red flag for sulfur compounds which sometimes means something's off like a bacterial infection. Just because it worked out one time doesn't mean it's safe or worth the risk with every batch. Fermenting is cool but playing with bad smells isn't something to shrug off.