IMO 2
Good Morning,
My question is after you mix your IMO 1 into IMO 2 do you still leave your 1/3 air space for your microbes? I did not follow that and my mixture completely dried out in my jar. I suspect that is why it dried out.
Thank you
The answer
i want to say yes but no in the book i have it dont say leave 1/3 air but does show a air gap at the top of the jar so id say yes 2/3 1/3 does apply as in most KNF but i also see in vids much larger air spaces in chris trumps IMOs meaning as u use it u dont put it in a new jar to keep the 1/3 air constant so no its not needed per say.... i would suspect it dried out from being kept to warm or there was such a thin layer it did dry out or the starting rice moisture content was to low... IMO is the hardest part of KNF iv been trying to get the perfect collection for a couple yrs but theres always something off and i just end up using it all by the end of the season cause its just not worth keeping long term but i will say i do make some dame good compost with it all lots of funguys
Happy Experimenting
From the KNF library
From the KNF library
Drafted by Claude from Office Hours and the books
·
Sep 2026
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2 sources
Yes. Drake's sources fill the IMO 2 jar only 2/3 full. Cho says that fill level creates the best conditions for fermentation. (Cho, Recipe, p. 13)
- Mix IMO 1 with equal weight of brown sugar. Put it in the jar, 2/3 full. (Student's Manual, Basic Course, p. 44)
- Cover with a paper towel and rubber band. (Student's Manual, Basic Course, p. 44)
- Keep it at 23-25°C. (Cho, Recipe, p. 13)
Cho expects a wet result. During fermentation the mixture turns to gruel. (Cho, Recipe, p. 13) A jar that dried out is not what he describes.
The library does not say what dried your jar out, and it gives no fix for a dry batch.
Sources
- p. 44 Student's Manual, Basic Course · “Mix contents of box with equal weight of brown sugar and place in jar, 2/3 full”
- p. 13 Cho, Recipe · “Fill 2/3 of the clay jar with the mixture. This creates the most favorable environment for fermentation.”
