I keep a plain brine ready all the time. I see no need to refrigerate it or consider it expired after a week or any given time.

Thanks for sharing your opinion. I’m just sharing what I’ve learned from fermentation experts. I’d rather play it safe and trust their expertise than save a few cents on salt.

Fermentation experts say not to save pre-made, unused salt water for more than a week? Do you happen to have a written source for that, either on the internet or in paper publication? I cannot presently imagine the reason, but am open to having it explained to me.

This is not about saving money on salt. It would not save any money at all. For me, it is about saving time when I have just picked pounds of vegetables to clean, trim, pack in freshly washed containers, spice, and carry to the shelves in the cellar. I can have cooled brine whenever I need it.

My most handy source is Fermented Vegetables, by Kirsten and Christopher Shockey, which is one of the in-depth resources I've used to learn about fermentation. While they recommend making extra brine, they say in multiple places in the book to not keep it in the fridge for more than about a week. It rarely goes into detail, but my guess is that the longer it stays in the fridge, the more likely undesirable things are going to get started in the brine.

For me, i make brines ahead of time all the time, use longer than less than a week. Depending on the salt and sugar or vinegar in the recipee. In the fridge stops fermentation, so i have no idea.

Wondering what your recipes for brine would be because different veggies seem to require different salt to water ratios.

I have pink hymilaian salt brine sitting around all the time. use the same salt to water ratio for all veggies, well less for kraut because only salt added. i have no idea why there would be different ratios, been fermenting for years. Right now, red cabbage and caraway kraut, green and carrot kraut, apple and cabbage kraut juice, making golden beet, cabbage with ginger and tumeric today, have a bucket of dilly beans, fermenting pineapple, apple and a mix of hot peppers, plus some curried cauliflower all with the same salt to water ratio.