Review on 🍺 Fermentology Carboy Caps – Set of 4 Silicone Caps for 3/5/6 Gallon Glass Jug Fermenting – Ideal for Homebrew Wine, Beer, Mead by Blair Foster

The heart of the lock system is the Masontops cover. It is durable and very resistant to absorbing flavors or odors from fermentation. I've been using Masontops lids on homemade pickled peppers and kimchi and other products for several years and have been impressed with their quality! An integral part of the lid is a thick, durable silicone O-ring that can be replaced if necessary. The O-ring is also removable for thorough flushing/cleaning. It looks like the silicone grommet in the lid can also be easily swapped out if needed. The locks are well designed and a stopper for refrigerated storage without cap changing completes the lock system. I've been fermenting wine, beer, sauerkraut, chili peppers and pickles for decades. As with most things, I started with a "construction kit" or "starter kit" (model railroad, here). Sets are mostly good to watch if you're genuinely interested in learning more about the "skills" required to pursue that interest/hobby. The same thing happened with mason jar fermentation. Mason banks have their limitations. You need "headspace", so whatever you ferment is limited to about 50-80% of the advertised jar capacity. And "more" space creates fewer "problems" than "too little" space, especially in the early, comparatively "turbulent" stages of fermentation. My first "set" of a mason jar included 3 lids with built-in "waterless" airlocks, 3 fermentation weights (rocks), and a vacuum pump (large syringe). And a recipe book that is, so to speak. Air, especially oxygen and airborne wild bacteria and mold spores, is NOT conducive to fermentation; and the vacuum pump was something of a "joke", more like "well, doesn't hurt"; but I seriously doubt its functional value. As a rule of thumb, don't break the fermentation seal unless the fermentation is active enough to restore the necessary carbon dioxide "buffer" in the headspace. The "sampling" of actively fermenting foods such as wine or beer says little about the finished product. The fermentation ends when it is complete, not before. However, nothing is truly more secure than a properly maintained, water-filled, properly functioning "closed system" gateway. In this case, that is a jar and a lid/lock with an o-ring. I state that I am NOT interested in the probiotic values/benefits of fermented foods, I ferment for TASTE. My goal is to preserve them (sterile preserves) or refrigerate them for relatively immediate consumption once fermentation is complete. . The ONLY really useful item I found in the original set were the fermenting weights with their sculpted "finger grip". but even with most "size" wide-mouth mason jars, there's still a little shoulder to contend with, so depending on what's being fermented, this can present problems. Fermentation sources and gates can enhance the functionality of some foods. Needless to say, my first mason jar fermentation kit was pretty disappointing; but at least I learned NOT to buy/use! Disposable waterless locks might be the case for some people, but NOT in "my kitchen"! There is no visual indication that they are working and they can be damaged fairly easily, which can be difficult to spot. My wife and I are of an age where "on a large scale for domestic use," fermenting sauerkraut, peppers, and pickles in the jug produces far more than we can consume. The amount of canned food and/or the space required in the fridge mean that large-scale fermentation is just NOT as fun as it used to be! The starter in the mason jar is small enough to make everything satisfying again; but even on a small scale, there is absolutely no substitute for quality ingredients and "healthy” fermentation and storage methods. Fermentologie Sauer System lids and airlocks are the quality ingredients you really need to make any fermentation as successful as possible!