Anyone making their own sauerkraut?

[Luc]

I have six plants in the ground right now starting to grow. I have every intention of turning all of it into kraut as SHE just doesn't like cabbage in any form...

Same here, it has to be pickled or she won't eat it...

 

[Confuzius]

What sort of temperature do you have to maintain on the fermenting kraut?
Would it be dangerous to keep outside?

I'm trying to figure this out because my balcony is huge while my kitchen is tiny.

 

[danek]

I thought that outside was the preferred place, because wild yeasts will find your brew easier. Just keep it covered with a towel so you don't get bugs, leaves, and bird crap in it.

As far as temperature goes, I understand that it depends on what type of kraut you want to make. I've heard that warmer 70-80F will ferment faster and give you more of a spicey bite, while cooler 50-65F will take longer and be sweeter.

 

[Luc]

I was keeping it inside, so room temperature (21C-23C). I know you can ferement it at a lower temperature (15C without much problems). If I remember my beer 101 correctly, below 10C the yeast will be inactive... At 15C it will ferment but take longer. Pass 35C the yeast will die (too hot).

What Dane is describing is correct, that should be right.

For the yeasts, I read on wikipedia (I think) that a cabbage already has some wild yeast on the leaves (trapped inside) so no need to add anything else, the thing will work. The important thing to remember with fermentation is do not seal whatever you are using to ferment it, it might explode. If air/pressure can be evacuated, that's find. A cloth would do the trick, again, as mentionned by Dane!