Fermenting oats question

[resodziadzu]

Not quite an implements question but..... We make a soup (barszcz) out of fermented oats, but we can't get the oats to ferment anymore. When my mother made this in the 60's, 70's, the mix of oats, water, and a slice of rye would get really sour and stink to the high heavens. Now, I do everything she did but it just doesn't ferment. I have tried this with Quaker Oats, and health food store oats with no success. Any thoughts from the oat growers????

 

[NW Ohio Tim]

Not an oat grower, but I dabble in wine. What kind of water are you using?? Well water is OK, if it goes through a softener the salt may not let the oats ferment. Same with city water, the chlorine will keep it from working.

Go buy a gallon of [i:e26d2b4626]steam distilled water [/i:e26d2b4626]and try it before you give up.

Tim in NW Ohio ~ Merry Christmas

 

[BCnT]

have you tried whole oats from the feed store?
thats about the only place you can get grain that hasnt been modified in some way.

 

[resodziadzu]

Used municipal water, chlorinated, but not heavily. No detectable
chlorine taste but will try some well water. As for feed store oats,
i'd worry about its purity. I plan to plant some next spring (if all else
fails) and grow to maturity.

 

[oldmulebob]

I'm wondering where you have it sitting. It will get sour in no time if its above 65 degrees or higher just from the wild yeast in the air.

 

[Bob Bancroft]

I grow oats, and my wife uses oats making bread and cereal, amongst other things. But we buy all the oats we eat. Eating oat hulls is like trying to chew on tree bark, even after processing, soaking, and cooking.(Once in a while one sneaks through).
So- did your mother use hulled oats?(groats)Or rolled oats?(which have been steamed- possibly reducing any fermentability) I would also agree it's more likely the water than the oats. Seems like anything we've got around here rots pretty quickly when wet.

 

[NW Ohio Tim]

If the change in water doesn't work, and you're using good oats, I'd try adding a little yeast. I wonder if modern rye bread has somehow been treated to kill the yeast. (I assume that's the reason you add it, on top of flavor)

Good luck, let us know what happens.

I've never had or heard of Barszcz, but I'd like to try it. Tell us more, what nationality is that??

Tim ~ Off to Google [i:d09b98e9fb]barszcz[/i:d09b98e9fb]

 

[Tim(nj)]

If they are triple-cleaned oats aimed specifically at the horse owner, they are probably better grade than what Quaker puts in oatmeal for human consumption. Seriously!

 

[agpilot]

Hi Tin (nj): Well, I 'did' like Oatmeal... So how poor is Quaker??
On top of that, I buy the store brand SureFine. I donn't see too many evil looking chunks in it. (Grin) ag

 

[Tim(nj)]

That was meant to be tongue-in-cheek. You know how fussy horse owners can be!