Fermentools' Starter Kit Review #ComplimentaryProductReceived

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

My family had the privilege of trying the Starter Kit from Fermentools for this review to use in conjunction with our own curriculum at home. This is a Homeschool Review Crew Review. All opinions expressed are my own or those of my family.

Fermentools was started by Matt Gross in 2013 to produce a product that turns any wide mouth mason jar into a fermenting vessel with a custom designed airlock system. In 2019 Alex and Cassie Deputie joined the Fermentools family to expand upon the vision that started the company. They along with their 7 children use fermented foods and nutrition to maintain health, even since Cassie was diagnosed with chronic health issues in 2005. The Deputie family run Fermentools together and assemble, package, and ship every kit and product that is ordered from their website. All of their products are made and sourced in the USA.

Fermented foods are really good for you because of the probiotic nature of the end product. Probiotics are live microorganisms, good bacteria, that provide health benefits when consumed, generally by improving or restoring the gut flora. Having good gut flora is extremely beneficial for our: immune systems, digestive systems, skin, and absorption of nutrients from the foods we eat. It is generally great for overall health.

 Fermentools Starter Kit comes with all you need to start fermenting foods and beverages. Fermented foods and beverages should be created in an anaerobic environment away from air. This is helped by submerging the food underneath the brine (salt water solution) with a weight. The Fermentools kits come with glass weights that are the perfect size for a wide-mouth jar to keep the food under the liquid so that mold will not grow. This environment is necessary for lacto-fermentation to happen and produce a pro-biotic rich preserved product. The airlocks that Fermentools uses help keep the oxygen and external air away from the submerged food trapping in carbon dioxide and lactic acid. Carbon dioxide is produced and the more of it that is, the more air is pushed out and kept out of the container via the airlock. With this kit you can make sauerkraut, fermented veggies, pickles, beverages like Tepache, sodas, Kombucha, etc.; fermented hummus and other condiments, sourdough bread, fermented legumes, dairy like yogurt and cultured butter, fermented fruit, Kimchi, and Curtido. They also have these recipes and more on the Fermentools' website.

Fermentools’ Starter Kit Includes:

• Himalayan Powdered Salt – This ancient Himalayan sea salt has over 80 trace minerals and is ground fine enough to easily mix with cold water.
• 1 Soda Lime Glass Fermentation Weight – Made to fit inside your standard widemouthed Mason jar perfectly, are 2 ¾ inches in diameter and 10mm thick, and won’t react with your food like other weights on the market.
• 1 Rubber Canning Gasket – These are durable rubber gaskets from Tattler canning lid company and last up to 10 years when used for canning....probably longer for fermenting.
• 1 Stainless Steel Lid – Made from 304 food grade surgical stainless steel, the corrosion resistant lid will last a lifetime and is dishwasher safe. This lid is far superior than regular canning lids and has a hole with a 10° extrusion to make a tight seal on the stopper.
• 1 #2 Rubber Stopper with Hole – This is made from natural rubber and is used with the fermentation lid and air lock.
• 1 #2 Rubber Solid Stopper – This is made from natural rubber and can be used when removing the airlock to seal the container until a regular lid can be installed after fermentation is completed so that no air will enter the vessel.
• 1 Three Piece Air Lock – This is to help air escape with the help of carbon dioxide buildup. The CO₂  helps push the oxygen through the air lock and out of the vessel.
• Instruction Guide with Basic Sauerkraut recipe – Goes through what's included, how to use, fermentation process, and other tips...along with a simple Sauerkraut recipe and some variations.

How We Used This and Our Thoughts:

We received the Starter Kit and thought the craftsmanship was wonderful. This looked like a very nice kit that will last a good long time. I was very happy with the products and excited to start the fermentation process. I have never done this before and since it was my first time making fermented foods or beverages, except for making Milk Kefir, I was also a little nervous. I have a lot of friends that do this on a daily basis, so I was also in good company...even though if I needed their help I could only ask them by phone or online since we were still social distancing because of COVID-19 restrictions. I also was excited to share this process with my kids, as this was a great learning experience for both them and me. Fermentation is also a great way to preserve harvests and since we have a large garden and orchard I have wanted to do this for a while.

The veggies going into my ferment.

We made carrot, purple cabbage, radish sauerkraut with the Fermentools' Starter Kit. I shredded 4 carrots, 10 radishes, and a small head of purple cabbage. It was very colorful looking.

Shredded veggies for my ferment.

After adding the 1 ½ tablespoon of the Himalayan powdered salt, my daughter Zari massaged the vegetables with her clean hands in a large mixing bowl for 10 minutes until they became softer and more liquidy. We could have used a masher tool instead, but she wanted the tactile experience. I liked that there was a conversion chart right on the salt that tells exactly how much salt you need for the brine you would like.

Zari mashing the veggies and salt to make the brine.

Then we packed the large wide mouth canning jar that we had with the veggie mixture and brine until we only had about 1 inch of space between the food and top of the jar. We then added the glass weight so that the veggies were all submerged under the brine and unexposed to air.

From top clockwise: placing glass weight, rubber gasket, fermentation lid, and canning ring.

Next we placed the rubber canning gasket on the outer lip of the jar making sure it was clean and dry first so it would create a good seal. We then added the stainless steel lid, writing side up, making sure the gasket didn't slip into the jar. We found a wide mouth canning ring in our supplies at home to place around this and tightened it down. After that we stuck the rubber stopper with the hole in the hole in the lid that came with the kit.

Last fermentation steps: place stopper with hole and fill airlock 1/2 way with water and place in stopper.

Last, we filled the airlock 1/2 way with non-chlorinated water and placed it in the rubber stopper hole. Then we placed the whole contraption into one of our cabinets because it had to be in a dark, moderately warm place. Typically you wait 3-14 days depending upon how fermented you like things, usually about a week is good. We did a whole week and the carrot, purple cabbage, radish sauerkraut was really good.

The pluses of having this kit verses not were numerous. I did not have to have a large crock to ferment with. I did not have to take the time to 'burp' the jars every day myself so that they wouldn't explode. I also did not have to worry about mold because of air getting in. I was also thankful that the Starter Kit from Fermentools was so easy to use.

There are so many yummy looking recipes on Fermentools' website that I want to try! I will definitely be trying out more recipes with this kit! I recommend the Starter Kit from Fermentools highly!

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You can purchase the Starter Kit or other Fermentools products here. You can get 15% off with coupon code CREW2020 until June 30, 2020.

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