Skip to main content

← All questions

Asked by paul_faf ·June 16, 2020 ·14.8k readers

FAA creating pressure in jars

Hey there, I made my first batch of FAA (over 5.5 months) this winter. It smells slightly fishy, but in a candied salmon kind of way (not bad). I strained it last week and put it into 1L glass jars with sealers, and I've noticed that there has been pressure build up if the jars are sealed tight. The FAA was somewhat thick when straining. I have LAB I was considering adding to the jars, but perhaps more brown sugar is the best bet to stop the activity for storage? Any advice?   Thanks!

storage faa

Top answer

From the KNF library

From the KNF library Drafted by Claude from Office Hours and the books · Sep 2026 · 7 sources

The library does not say how to stop the activity. It does say what to expect.

Cho's recipe says at least 6 months are needed to get well-fermented FAA (Cho, Recipe, p. 50). Another source says FAA will continue to digest for 3 years (Cho's Solutions, p. 13). Gas from a batch this young is no surprise. Drake's answer to a similar question says opening a sealed FAA bucket lets the gases out (Office Hours Ep. 35, 30:59).

Added LAB looks unneeded. FAA ferments raw fish with sugar and LAB (Office Hours Ep. 11, 7:13), and FAA itself carries LAB (Office Hours Ep. 23, 11:15).

On sugar, the library gives a ratio: between 30% and equal parts by weight of brown sugar (KNF Demystified, p. 39). It also says to add more sugar if the batch smells (Cho's Solutions, p. 13). It never says sugar stops fermentation or prevents alcohol.

The sources split on sealing. One says to seal the bucket and leave it (Office Hours Ep. 35, 30:59). Cho says to cover the container, not seal it, so air can flow through (Cho, Recipe, p. 51).

The library says nothing about sealed 1L jars for storage.

1 more answer
joelorusso · Nov 14, 2021
You still might want to add sugar so you do not end up with alcohol.

Also discussed on Office Hours

Know the answer? Members answer, ask, and get their questions onto the Sunday show.

Sign in Become a member