Problems

Mold or kahm yeast? White fuzzy mold A flat white film Green, blue or black spots Mold on a sourdough starter Mold on a SCOBY A layer on top of the miso A jelly-like layer on the vinegar Tiny worms in the vinegar

Cloudy brine Vegetables poking above the brine White sediment at the bottom of the jar Slimy brine The jar is overflowing

It went soft It turned slimy It lost its crunch

It smells rotten It smells of sulfur It smells of yeast or alcohol Too salty Too sour It isn’t souring It tastes bitter Smells like rotten eggs It tastes like vinegar

Garlic turned blue or green Sauerkraut turned pink The top has darkened

No bubbles It is bubbling like mad The lid is bulging Exploding bottles The gravity has stopped falling The honey ferment isn't bubbling

No new SCOBY forming The SCOBY sank Kombucha tastes like vinegar Flat kombucha Brown strands in kombucha

Kefir grains aren’t growing Kefir separating into whey Kefir is too sour Slimy water kefir

Runny yogurt Grainy, split yogurt

Starter isn’t rising Starter smells of nail polish Gray liquid on top of the starter

Black spots on tempeh It smells like ammonia Koji isn’t growing

Garlic honey and botulism How long does it keep in the fridge? What if I already ate some?