There are several features claimed by the makers and sellers of Pickle Pipes that enticed me to test out the product for myself and these are:

In short, after that rather long explanation, Pickle Pipes allow CO2 to escape from the vessel without letting oxygen in making this essential task of lacto fermenting food rather easy. Also, since the fermentation process creates CO 2 gas we need a device on the vessel that will let this gas escape whilst still keeping oxygen from getting in because obviously if the build-up of gas is not released the jar or container could explode. Why? Because good bacteria (lactobacilli) thrive in an oxygen-free environment and bad bacteria need oxygen and since fermentation is a live food we want the good bacteria to win otherwise the food will spoil. That is, for the fermentation process to work correctly and for a wonderful sour delicacy, like sauerkraut or dill pickles to be created, the food must be fermented in an oxygen-free vessel whilst still being able to 'breathe' or dispell carbon dioxide (CO 2). Well, if you're familiar with lacto fermentation (being a way to preserve produce and make tasty treats through fermenting) then you'll probably know the process of lacto fermenting requires an oxygen-free environment. What are Pickle Pipes?Įssentially, Pickle Pipes are waterless airlocks made of silicone, specifically designed to fit the tops of wide mouthed Mason Jars. Nevertheless, my first impressions tells me the extra few dollars spent is worth it. Naturally, American buyers can purchase these products at various online stores, such as Amazon here, far cheaper than us Aussies even though many of the items are made in China (closer to us). Masontops in the USA (founded by Phil Barron and Mike Bacher) are the inventors of Pickle Pipes – they actually ran a Kickstarter campaign to initially fund the development, and they also make a range of products mainly centred around complementing the ever popular Mason Jar. My Pickle Pipe fermenting kit purchased online (image above) I purchased my Pickle Pipes online in Australia from Nourishme Organics eBay store here as part of an overall fermentation kit which included: 3 x Pickle Pipes 4 x Pickle Pebble glass fermentation weights 3 x 950 mil Mason jars (including bands and lids) 1 x Pickle Packer (a wooden utensil used to pack/push produce into the jars or to pound cabbage to make sauerkraut) and a Masontops fermenting guide recipe book (via download). How these silicone fermentation airlocks perform over the next several weeks will determine whether I decide to purchase more Pickle Pipes or not. I've literally only had my Pickle Pipes for 3 days and they're working for me already by helping me lacto ferment some organic, heirloom, homegrown rainbow carrots.

Goose goose duck airlock