I think the "white stuff" has been discussed from time to time
and usually it is a kind of yeast. My Mom described that it was
often on their homemade pickles in the past (though I haven't
gotten it). EM gets it too, or something like it.

Mold is typically "fuzzy" and it smells like mold.
Or at least the kind of mold that ruins ferments
does ... the kind of mold that turns rice into sake
or beans into miso is yummier.

Anyway, yeast tends to grow when there is more sugar
available, and beets are loaded with sugar. If there are
enough LAB around, they will drown out the yeast,
which is the theory behind the whey or other innoculants.
Some yeasts don't taste very good either.



On Fri, Jul 3, 2009 at 6:12 AM, Patricia Meyer<b-healthy@...> wrote:
>
> I will also subscribe to the "no whey" is necessary for most ferments
> camp.  I started fermenting with whey because of the Nourishing
> Traditions but some time after realized that I liked the cabbage
> fermentation with salt only and other interesting flavours: ginger,
> carrots, caraway, etc.  much better. And have never had a bad batch
> (some taste better than others though!).
>
> The one ferment that I sometimes have problems with is Beet Kvass and
> it requires whey or another inoculant (I have tried with sauerkraut
> juice, probiotic pills and pickle juice).  Does anybody know why it
> forms a film of white stuff on top sometimes?  Is it mold?
>
> Patricia
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> ------------------------------------
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> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
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>



--
Heather Twist
http://eatingoffthefoodgrid.blogspot.com/