Home Fermentation Glossary: 24 Terms Explained
The words that show up in home fermentation specs, reviews and how-to guides, explained without jargon. Open any term for the full explanation and what to look for when buying.
- Airlock lid
- A lid fitted with a one-way valve that lets fermentation gases escape while keeping air and insects out.
- Read more about airlock lidRelated: Best Airlock Lids
- Anaerobic fermentation
- Fermentation that happens in the absence of oxygen, the condition most vegetable and some dairy ferments rely on.
- Read more about anaerobic fermentation
- Backslopping
- Using a small amount of a finished ferment to start the next batch, a traditional way to keep a culture going.
- Read more about backslopping
- Brine
- Salt dissolved in water used to submerge vegetables during fermentation, with strength measured as a percentage of weight.
- Read more about brineRelated: Best Salts for Fermenting Vegetables
- Continuous brew
- A kombucha brewing method that draws off finished tea from a large vessel while continually adding fresh sweet tea.
- Read more about continuous brew
- Dry salting
- Mixing salt directly into shredded or chopped vegetables so they release their own brine, as with classic sauerkraut.
- Read more about dry salting
- Fermentation weight
- A glass, ceramic, or silicone weight placed on top of vegetables to keep them submerged below the brine line.
- Read more about fermentation weightRelated: Best Fermentation Weights
- Headspace
- The empty gap left between the top of a ferment and the lid, sized to allow for bubbling and gas buildup.
- Read more about headspace
- Iodized salt
- Table salt with added iodine and often anti-caking agents, generally avoided by fermenters for clarity and texture.
- Read more about iodized salt
- Kahm yeast
- A harmless but unappetizing white film that can form on brine surfaces, distinct from colored, fuzzy mold.
- Read more about kahm yeast
- Koji
- Rice, barley, or soybeans inoculated with a specific mold used to start miso, soy sauce, and other Japanese ferments.
- Read more about koji
- Lacto-fermentation
- Fermentation driven by lactic acid bacteria that preserves vegetables and gives sauerkraut and kimchi their tang.
- Read more about lacto-fermentation
- Milk kefir
- A tangy, pourable fermented milk drink made by culturing milk with milk kefir grains.
- Read more about milk kefirRelated: Best Milk Kefir Grains for Home Brewing
- Natto
- Fermented soybeans made with a specific bacterial culture, known for a sticky, stringy texture and strong aroma.
- Read more about natto
- Onggi
- A traditional Korean earthenware crock, valued for kimchi and other ferments for its breathable, porous walls.
- Read more about onggiRelated: Best Onggi Crocks
- pH
- A numeric scale measuring acidity, used by fermenters as one indicator of how far a ferment has progressed.
- Read more about phRelated: The Best pH Meters for Fermentation
- Salt percentage
- The weight of salt relative to vegetable or brine weight, used to control fermentation speed and safety margins.
- Read more about salt percentageRelated: The Best Kitchen Scales for Fermentation
- SCOBY
- Symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast used to ferment sweet tea into kombucha, often called the kombucha mother.
- Read more about scobyRelated: Best SCOBY Starter Kits
- Second fermentation
- A sealed bottling stage for kombucha or water kefir that builds carbonation and lets in added flavors.
- Read more about second fermentationRelated: The Best Swing Top Bottles for Kombucha and Fermented Drinks
- Starter culture
- A small amount of live bacteria or yeast, such as sourdough starter or yogurt culture, used to begin a new ferment.
- Read more about starter culture
- Tannins
- Naturally occurring compounds, often added via grape or tea leaves, that many fermenters use to help keep pickles crisp.
- Read more about tannins
- Tempeh
- Fermented, pressed soybeans bound into a firm cake by a specific mold, commonly used as a meat alternative.
- Read more about tempeh
- Water kefir
- A lightly fizzy, dairy-free fermented drink made by culturing sugar water with water kefir grains.
- Read more about water kefirRelated: Best Water Kefir Kits
- Whey
- The thin, yellowish liquid that separates from curds in fermented dairy, sometimes reused as a starter for other ferments.
- Read more about whey