Sauerkraut FAQ
Answers from my kitchen in Sydney. These are the questions people ask me most about traditional sauerkraut, how to store it, and what to expect when your order arrives. Can't find yours? Send me a message. I read every one myself.
Jump to: About our sauerkraut · Eating & enjoying · Storing & freshness · Shipping & delivery · Our story & where to buy
About our sauerkraut
What ingredients are in Cabbage Mama sauerkraut?
Just vegetables, salt and water. No vinegar, no preservatives, no additives.
My Traditional Eastern European Sauerkraut comes in three flavours:
- Classic: cabbage, carrot, salt and filtered water.
- Caraway Seeds: cabbage, carrot, caraway seeds, salt and filtered water.
- Cranberry (limited edition): cabbage, carrot, cranberries, salt and filtered water.
Reset Shot: 100% sauerkraut brine, nothing added.
Is your sauerkraut raw and unpasteurised?
Yes. My sauerkraut is never heated or pasteurised. It ferments slowly in its own brine and then goes straight into the fridge, so it stays raw, crunchy and alive.
Does your sauerkraut have live bacteria?
Yes. It's naturally fermented and never heated, so the live cultures from fermentation are still in it. Because it's made the natural way, the mix varies from batch to batch, so treat any number as a snapshot, not a promise. When I sent samples to an independent lab, they counted 29 million lactic acid bacteria per gram in the Classic and 82 million in the Caraway. See the full lab results.
Has your sauerkraut been lab tested?
Yes. I sent both recipes to an independent food microbiology lab in Sydney. They counted the live bacteria and screened for yeast and mould, and the same lab worked out a nutrition panel for each recipe, which goes on my new labels.
Is it vegan?
Yes. Every flavour, and the Reset Shot, is completely plant-based: vegetables, salt and water, nothing else.
Is it gluten-free and dairy-free?
Yes. There's no gluten and no dairy in any of our ingredients. It's simply vegetables, salt and water.
What's the difference between fermented and pickled cabbage?
Fermented cabbage turns sour naturally. Salt draws the juice out of the cabbage, and the good bacteria that live on the vegetables slowly turn its natural sugars into lactic acid. Pickled cabbage is soaked in vinegar instead. The flavour, the texture and the process are completely different. Read more: Does Real Sauerkraut Need Vinegar? Fermentation vs Pickling
Kitchen Tip: Our family recipe has never used vinegar. Just cabbage, carrot, salt, water and time.
Why is sauerkraut sour?
The sourness is lactic acid, made by the good bacteria as they ferment the cabbage. There's no vinegar in it. The longer sauerkraut ferments, the tangier it gets, and it keeps slowly getting a little more sour in your fridge too.
Why does every batch taste slightly different?
Fermentation is a living process, and cabbage changes with the seasons. Just like homemade bread or wine, small differences between batches are part of what makes traditionally fermented food special.
Is sauerkraut good for gut health?
I'm not going to make health promises about my sauerkraut. What I can tell you honestly: it's a raw, naturally fermented food with live cultures, and people across Eastern Europe have eaten it this way for centuries. If you have a health condition, your GP or dietitian is the right person to ask what suits you.
Eating & enjoying
How much sauerkraut should I eat each day?
There's no official amount. My serve is about 100g, two or three good forkfuls. If fermented food is new to you, start with one forkful and see how you go.
Can I drink the sauerkraut juice?
Yes, and I'd encourage it. The juice is the natural brine from fermentation: raw, sour, salty and full of live cultures. Sip a little straight from the tub, or splash it into salad dressings or, yes, a Bloody Mary.
Kitchen Tip: In Russian and Ukrainian families, a glass of brine the morning after a celebration is an old tradition. I love it so much that I now bottle it on its own as the Reset Shot. 😉
What is the Reset Shot?
The Reset Shot is 60mL of 100% sauerkraut brine: the juice from our sauerkraut, bottled on its own with nothing added. It's raw, unpasteurised and has live cultures. It tastes sharp, salty and sour with a clean cabbage tang, and it can have a little natural fizz.
Shake it gently and open it slowly. Drink it straight as a shot, or add a splash to a dressing or a glass of water. Keep it in the fridge. Shop the Reset Shot.
How do I eat sauerkraut?
Most people start with it cold, straight from the tub: on a sandwich, with eggs, next to a steak or sausages, on a grazing board or through a salad. You can also cook with it in soups, stews, dumplings and traditional Eastern European dishes.
Kitchen Tip: Heat destroys the live cultures. If that matters to you, serve it cold on the side or stir it in at the very end. Find more ideas in our Recipes.
Storing & freshness
How should I store my sauerkraut?
Always in the fridge. Press the cabbage back under the brine after each serve, and always use a clean fork or spoon.
How long does sauerkraut last?
Unopened: up to 3 months in the fridge. Check the best-before date on your tub.
Once opened: enjoy it within 1 month. Keep it cold, under the brine, and use a clean fork every time.
Why is my sauerkraut or Reset Shot fizzing?
Because it's alive. Real sauerkraut keeps gently fermenting even in the fridge, and fermentation makes a little natural gas. That's why your tub may fizz when you open it, why the lid can push up a little, and why I tape and bag every tub before it goes out. It's a sign you've got the real thing. Vinegar-pickled cabbage doesn't do this. Read more about why sauerkraut fizzes.
Kitchen Tip: Open tubs and Reset Shots slowly, over the sink, especially the first time.
Why is there liquid in the tub, and is cloudy brine normal?
That liquid is the natural brine made during fermentation. It keeps the cabbage crunchy and fresh, so don't pour it out. Cloudy brine and a fine white layer settling at the bottom are completely normal too.
How do I know if sauerkraut has gone off?
Sour, tangy and fizzy is all good. Throw it out if you see fuzzy mould on top, if the cabbage turns slimy, or if it smells rotten rather than sour. If that ever happens with a tub from me, please get in touch.
Can I freeze sauerkraut?
Best not to. Freezing softens the crunch and reduces the live cultures. It keeps happily in the fridge instead.
Shipping & delivery
Is it safe for sauerkraut to travel unrefrigerated?
Yes. Fermenting is how families kept cabbage through long winters, long before fridges. The salt and natural acidity protect it, so a few days in the post is fine.
Warmth does speed up fermentation, so your tub may arrive a little fizzier or tangier. Pop it in the fridge as soon as it arrives.
When do you ship?
Every order goes by Express Post. I send interstate orders Monday to Wednesday, and Sydney orders Monday to Thursday, so your sauerkraut never sits in a warm depot over the weekend. Orders placed later in the week are packed fresh and sent the following Monday. Express shipping is $11.95 Australia-wide, and free on orders of $99 or more.
Can I pick up my order in Sydney?
Yes. You can pick up from Alexandria: Unit 12, 40-42 O'Riordan St, Alexandria NSW 2015, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
What if my tub arrives leaking or damaged?
Please send me a photo through the contact page and I'll sort it out with you.
Why does my order come in a tub, not a glass jar?
Online orders come in clear, food-safe tubs because they're light, they don't break in the post, and you can see exactly what's inside. My 450g glass jars are made for shops.
Are your tubs recyclable?
Yes. Rinse your tub and lid, and pop them in your recycling bin. Or keep them. They're handy in the kitchen and freezer.
Our story & where to buy
Is this the same recipe your grandmother made?
It comes from our grandmother Ulyana, who made sauerkraut every autumn in a small village in Siberia, and it has been passed down through our family ever since. What hasn't changed: cabbage and carrot, salt, time and patience. No vinegar, no shortcuts. What has: I now make it in small batches in a commercial kitchen in Sydney. Read our story.
Is sauerkraut German, Russian or Ukrainian?
All of them. "Sauerkraut" is the German word, but fermented cabbage has been made across Central and Eastern Europe for centuries. In Russia it's called kvashenaya kapusta (квашеная капуста), and in Ukraine kvashena kapusta (квашена капуста). The Eastern European style, the one I grew up with, usually includes grated carrot and is crunchy and fresh, sometimes with caraway or cranberries. That's the style Cabbage Mama makes.
Is your sauerkraut made in Australia?
Yes. Every batch of Cabbage Mama is handmade in our commercial kitchen in Sydney, using traditional fermentation methods.
Is Cabbage Mama Australian owned?
Yes, 100%. It's my small family business, and I make every batch in Sydney.
What makes Cabbage Mama different from supermarket sauerkraut?
To be honest, I couldn't find a sauerkraut in Australia that tasted like the one I grew up with. Most supermarket options I tried were soft, vinegary or heat-treated. Mine is naturally fermented with no vinegar, never pasteurised, made in small batches, and it keeps its crunch.
Kitchen Tip: If you think you don't like sauerkraut, there's a good chance you've only tried the supermarket version.
Can I buy Cabbage Mama in shops?
Right now you can order online and I'll send it to you. I'm also starting to supply delis and grocers in 450g glass jars. If you'd love to see Cabbage Mama in your local shop, tell them about us. Shop owners can visit our Wholesale page.
Kitchen Note: I'm putting the finishing touches on the Cabbage Mama Recipe Book. Subscribers to my emails will hear about it first. 🥬