Bärbucha's Fermented Vegetables - FAQS

In this blog entry, I will answer most of the questions that we get about our Fermented Vegetables.

To help find those answers faster, they will be grouped into key categories.

But first, for those who are not familiar with our Fermented Vegetables, here are some important basics.

We offer the biggest selection of Lacto-fermented Vegetables in Berlin, and probably in Germany.

Our Vegetables are fermented for a minimum of one month, but that only happens if we run out of one particular vegetable.

Otherwise, they ferment for at least 2-3 months. Obviously, all of our Vegetables are raw, and full of healthy Lactobacillus bacteria, beneficial enzymes, and vitamins.

That means that they have NOT been pasteurized, like some of the commercially made vegetables.

For the fermentation process we use stone crocks

and/or our 5 liter Fermentation Jars.

We do not use plastics, or stainless steel containers.

We also use glass jars to pack our Vegetables when they are ready.

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Added Substances.

Do you add sugar to your Fermented Vegetables?

No, we do not add sugar to our vegetables, but there is one exception. When preparing our Kimchi, we add a little bit of unrefined brown sugar to it, as a bit of sugar is traditionally used in Korean recipes. This sugar is then broken down into organic acids during our 2-3 month fermentation process. In the end, no sugar is left in our Kimchi.

All other vegetables are made without added sugar, as sugar has no place in traditional lacto-fermented vegetables.

In the so called "canned vegetables" sugar is, or can be used more widely.

Do you add vinegar to your Vegetables?

Our standard fermented vegetables do not contain any vinegar, as again, traditionally it does not belong there. Standard lacto-fermented vegetables are made with a salt brine.

Vinegar most often used in production of "canned Vegetables".

Again, we make our Fermented Red Cabbage where in addition to the salt brine, we also add some of our unpasteurized Kombucha Vinegar.

But that is more like a hybrid ferment, and not a standard.

Is there milk, or milk products in the lacto-fermented vegetables?

No, there's no milk or milk products in lacto-fermented vegetables. The "lacto" part comes from specific strains of bacteria called "Lactobacillus" in Latin. These species comprise many food fermenting lactic acid bacteria. When these bacteria multiply, they form a milky-looking sediment, which can be best seen on our cucumber Pickles.

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Flavor.

Do Fermented Vegetables taste sour?

Yes, they do. And they should.

When vegetables are fermented for a proper amount of time, all the natural sugars that are present in those vegetables are transformed into organic acids, and lactic acid is the primary acid. For that reason, even sweeter tasting vegetables like beets or carrots taste sour.

That is a normal process.

If the fermented vegetables do not taste sour, that means that either they have not been fermented for long enough, or sugar have been added to them.

Your Fermented Vegetables are too sour for me. What can I do?

Usually, when people are not used to fermented vegetables, they can seem too sour to them. That usually happens when their taste buds have a limited exposure to various flavors.

After eating small portions of fermented vegetables, that feeling usually goes away.

To help with it, you can mix our fermented vegetables with cooked sweeter vegetables like carrots, beets, or pumpkins. You can also use avocados and nut butters, like almond butter.

Below is just one, of many salads that we used to offer.

Here are our Carrots with Ginger and Turmeric, balanced with roasted sweet potatoes, peas, tomatoes, greens, and cashews.

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Storage.

How long can I keep them?

You can keep our fermented vegetables in the fridge almost indefinitely. Provided that they were not opened. We usually stamp a "best by" date which is about four months ahead from the purchase date. But if you don't open the jar, you can keep the a lot longer.

When the jar was opened, then you should consume the vegetables within the two-three week's time. The length of time depends on two factors:

1. The temperature inside your fridge (which should not be higher that 5-6 degrees C.

And 2. Did you eat the vegetables directly from a glass, or did you eat them from a plate.

When you eat fermented vegetables directly from a jar, each time you put a spoon or a fork inside your mouth and then again inside the jar, you introduce different bacteria and yeasts into the jar. By doing so, those vegetables that remain inside the jar can develop a white layer of Kahm yeast on top. That is why we do not recommend eating directly from a glass.

Can Fermented Vegetables go bad, and do they go bad?

On their own they they should not go bad. But when stored improperly in higher temperatures, or when other bacteria or yeasts are introduced into them, they will eventually spoil.

I kept a jar of fermented vegetables and a juice started coming out of it. Did it go bad?

Normally, this should not happen. But if it does, than it is the indication that this jar was not stored in a right temperature. If there are no color changes, and the vegetables still smell good and do not smell bad, then most probably they are still OK.

If in doubt, throw it out. Or at least bring them back to our Cafe (if possible) for closer inspection.

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Consumption.

How do I eat fermented vegetables?

You can fermented vegetables as a side dish to a meal. You can also incorporate the into a sandwich, or you can make them a part of a salad.

In a salad, they will provide a natural sour note and thus you can skip the use of vinegar.

Can I cook Fermented Vegetables?

The answer is yes. You can cook them, but you will also kill all the beneficial bacteria and enzymes which are present inside the vegetables.

So the choice is yours. Do you want just the sour flavor, or you want all the benefits.

How often can I eat them?

That is entirely up to you. If you have a need to eat them every day that is quite fine. If you want to eat them once in a while, that is also fine. Your body should usually tell you that.

Just remember that they should become a part of your meals on more regular basis, if you want to keep your microbiome good and healthy.

How much should I eat?

If you are not used to naturally fermented vegetables, then you should limit yourself to a teaspoon or two for the first 3 days. If you eat too much, you might cause a revolution in your stomach. After that, you can eat more.

I tried other brands and I was bloated. Can the same happen with your Vegetables?

Bloating can happen when a person is not used to eating fermented foods. Lactobacillus bacteria will try to recolonize your digestive track, and they might have to put up a fight with other bacteria and yeasts.

The other cause can stem from the fact that most of the commercially produced fermented vegetables are fermented for only two-two and a half weeks. And that is not enough time for those vegetables to be fully fermented. In this case they are still partially raw, and that can cause bloating in stomachs.

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Other.

Is your Kimchi hot and is it Vegan?

Our Kimchi is mildly spicy and it is Vegan, as we do not use fish sauce to make it.

As a matter of fact, all of our fermented vegetables are Vegan.

Can I drink the brine from your Dill Pickles?

You not only can, but you should as it is very refreshing and delicious.

We use our filtered water, unrefined sea salt, garlic and fresh dill to make that brine.

I am familiar with Fermented Vegetables but what are those Fermented Vegetable Juices that you offer?

These are the left over brines from our fermented vegetables. Each vegetable needs to have enough liquid during the fermentation process, and that liquid is a mixture of a salt brine and the juice from given vegetable(s), which that salt brine pulls out.

When the vegetables are ready, and when they go into our retail jars, there is a little bit of that liquid that is left over.

Those juices are great for quick shots, or mixed with good olive oil, as salad dressings.

Can I get plain Sauerkraut at Bärbucha?

No, you can not, as we do not make it. From the very beginning we wanted to offer something special, something which you can only get at our place.

For that reason we offer six different versions of Sauerkraut:

Spirulina Sauerkraut, Winterkraut, Superkraut, Sauerkraut with Ras-el-Hanout, Chipotle Sauerkraut, and Smoked Sauerkraut.

The closest one to plain Sauerkraut would be our Superkraut. It's like a Sauerkraut Plus (with Cauliflower and Red Bell Peppers).

Why are your fermented vegetables more expensive than let's say fermented vegetables in Organic (BIO) stores?

First, we have to differentiate those fermented vegetables in Organic stores. The majority of them sit on regular shelves as they have been pasteurized. The label might say fermented, but somewhere (quite often on the back) you will find a smaller print stating that this product was pasteurized. Those are often least expensive. Then there's a few jars which you will find in the fridge. Those vegetables are usually raw and fermented. But the fermentation time which those vegetables undergo, lasts usually about 2.5 weeks. And that's way too short to develop all the beneficial organic acids and enzymes. Also, when those vegetables are commercially produced, stainless steel containers are used, and quite often plastic tubs.

Our vegetables are fermented for an average of 2-3 moths, with some of them fermenting for much longer. Plus we use traditional fermentation crocks or glass jars.

For that reason our process requires more time and it is more labor intensive. But you get more benefits from our vegetables, and other ferments.

Where can I get Bärbucha's Fermented Vegetables?

In person, you can only get them in our Kombucha Café in Berlin-Schöneberg.

Exactly the same vegetables are also available through our online store.

Those we ship throughout the whole Germany. When you place an order, we ship them the following Monday, so they arrive at your door on Wednesday, or Thursday.

The packages are shipped with a tracking number.

Below is a link to our online store section with those vegetables.

Buy here