Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is a traditional fermented food, believed to have originated in China over 2,000 years ago. It was then introduced to Europe via migrating tribes. The name comes from the German for “sour cabbage”, with the sour taste the result of the action of beneficial bacteria in the fermenting process. 

Known as lacto-fermented, because lactobacillus is one of the main bacterial drivers, sauerkraut has become one of the most popular — and gut-friendly — of fermented foods.

Modern-day fermentation revivalists such as Sandor Katz, teach us the transformative nature of sauerkraut. The emphasis is on the epic interaction of the beneficial bacteria with the vegetables used in fermentation. It is this transformation which ancient societies saw changes the structure of the food from the original into something far more nutritious.

As Katz says in an interview with Emergence Magazine, “...the word “fermentation” comes from the Latin word fervere, which means “to boil,” and so prior to science settling on an understanding of fermentation as the transformative action of microorganisms, people recognized fermentation by the bubbles.”

Fermentation was originally used by the ancients to store vegetables for consumption in the hungry months of winter when little grew. However as well as feeding communities, sauerkraut also helped to maintain their health.

At Gutsy Ferments, we believe we make the finest commercial sauerkraut available, with our attention to detail, dedication to great sauerkraut and use of local, organic ingredients.

We stock a wide range of sauerkraut in our store to suit every taste and preference. Here are just some:

Organic Smoked Garlic Kraut

One for the garlic lovers! This is made of cabbage, peppercorns and cold smoked garlic. Excellent as a wonderfully pungent side dish for the main meal of the day, or in sandwiches. Full of beneficial bacteria, the goodness and wonderful taste of garlic will enhance any meal. 

Organic Pepperberry Kraut

Featuring red cabbage combined with the unique pepperberry spice, this kraut creates an unforgettable taste. Perfect for a colourful, gut-friendly side dish, or just spoon some straight from the jar. A vibrant, flavoursome sensation.

Organic Carrot, Ginger and Turmeric Kraut

Sauerkraut is usually made from cabbage, but that needn’t always be the case. In this kraut, we fuse the taste sensations of carrot, ginger and turmeric, to create a healthy, tasty sauerkraut sensation.

Recent decades have seen science link the importance of a balanced gut microbiota to many physical and mental outcomes as well as digestive health. The trillions of good bacteria contained in sauerkraut — and promoted as part of the fermenting process — has become crucial in helping our bodies work. 

Scientific research is now linking the gut to many physical and mental benefits. One of the best ways to promote good gut health is by eating good bacteria-rich fermented food such as sauerkraut.

We source local, organic ingredients for our kraut. Not only does this make our sauerkraut fresher and healthier than those made with “imported” ingredients, but we also help support local producers.

Supporting local farmers where we can is an important part of our ethos at Gutsy Ferments, reducing “food miles” — the distance travelled from the producer of the raw material to the user. 

We select only the best chemical-free vegetables and spices.

How our Sauerkraut is made

We proudly adhere to traditional methods of making sauerkraut. 

We hand massage all of the seasonings into the vegetables before fermenting and then pack them into oak barrels. The barrels are then sealed to make them airtight and the mix is fermented for four to six weeks depending on the outside temperature and time of year. It is the time taken to ferment that makes the difference. Our team know that the kraut needs to be fermented for this length of time for the probiotic goodness to be maximised.

When the sauerkraut is ready, we hand pack them into sterilised jars ready for sale.