For sauerkraut, kimchi, fermented pickles, sourdough starters, cultured drinks, and small-batch fermentation at home.
A complete small-batch lacto-fermentation setup pairing The Little Fermenter, an integrated airlock, internal press, and water moat, with a compatible 100 mm Le Parfait glass jar. Designed to help keep vegetables beneath the brine while allowing fermentation gases to escape.
The all-in-one airlock, press, and water-moat device without an additional jar. Choose Solo when you already own a compatible Le Parfait Screw Top Jar or Familia Wiss Terrine with a 100 mm opening.
Selected Le Parfait Screw Top Jars feature the 100 mm opening required for The Little Fermenter. The broad mouth makes vegetables easier to pack, press, monitor, and remove after fermentation.
Wide-mouth, straight-sided Familia Wiss Terrines that pair with The Little Fermenter in compatible 100 mm sizes. The broad opening makes them convenient for cabbage, kimchi, whole vegetables, and larger cuts.
The iconic Le Parfait wire-bail jar for traditional vegetable fermentation without a separate airlock. Follow a method written for wire-bail jars, keep ingredients below the brine, and release pressure periodically when directed by the recipe.
A traditional wire-bail system with a wider opening and straighter sides. Super Terrines are easy to pack with cabbage, vegetables, and larger ingredients for classic fermentation methods without The Little Fermenter.
Complete your setup with fermentation salts, spice blends, cabbage pounders, shredders, prep tools, books, replacement parts, and other essentials for preparing and managing small-batch ferments.
Fermentation is a living process, and clear glass lets you observe it without unnecessarily disturbing the contents. You can monitor whether vegetables remain submerged, follow changes in color and texture, and track visible activity through the jar. The smooth glass surface cleans thoroughly between projects and does not retain the strong aromas associated with cabbage, garlic, and spice.
Le Parfait offers several vessel and closure styles, allowing you to match the glass to the method, from The Little Fermenter airlock system and traditional wire-bail vegetable fermentation to sourdough starters and cultured drinks.
The Little Fermenter combines an airlock, internal press, and water moat in one compact stainless steel device. The press helps hold ingredients beneath the brine, while the airlock allows fermentation gases to escape without routinely opening the jar.
The Little Fermenter works only with selected Le Parfait Familia Wiss Terrines and Screw Top Jars featuring a 100 mm opening. Choose the complete Kit when you need both the device and compatible glassware, or choose The Little Fermenter Solo when you already own a compatible jar. Super Jars and Super Terrines are not compatible with The Little Fermenter.
Super Jars and Super Terrines support a traditional wire-bail fermentation method without The Little Fermenter. Ingredients are packed beneath the brine using a weight or outer leaf, and the jar is closed using its glass lid, fresh rubber gasket, and wire-bail mechanism. Depending on the recipe and process, pressure may be released periodically, a practice commonly called "burping."
Super Jars offer the classic rounded Le Parfait silhouette, while Super Terrines provide a wider opening and straighter sides for easier packing and serving. Always use a recipe and process specifically written for the selected vessel and fermentation method.
A sourdough starter is a living culture of flour and water maintained through regular feedings. As wild yeast and bacteria become active, the starter develops bubbles, expands, and creates the natural leavening used in sourdough bread.
Clear glass makes it easy to mark the starter level, monitor its rise and fall, and observe changes in texture and activity. Choose a jar with enough room for expansion, a wide opening for simple stirring and feeding, and sides that make growth easy to track. Follow a sourdough-specific method rather than sealing the jar airtight during active fermentation.
Cultured drinks and dairy follow different fermentation processes from submerged vegetables and sourdough starters. Kefir, kombucha, yogurt, and naturally fermented beverages each have their own temperature, airflow, closure, and storage requirements.
Selected jars can support preparation and culturing when used according to the recipe, while Le Parfait Bottles provide an elegant way to portion, refrigerate, serve, and store finished cultured drinks. Active fermentation in a sealed bottle can create pressure, so use only a tested recipe and a bottle appropriate for the intended process.
Match the vessel to the process, not only to the batch size. Use The Little Fermenter with selected 100 mm Familia Wiss Terrines and Screw Top Jars. Choose Super Jars or Super Terrines for traditional wire-bail vegetable fermentation.
Select a roomy, easy-to-clean glass jar for maintaining sourdough starter, and explore Bottles for portioning and storing kefir, kombucha, fermented sodas, and other cultured drinks. For salt ratios, brine management, headspace, temperature, storage, and troubleshooting, continue to Fermenting 101.
The complete airlock, internal press, water-moat system, and compatible jar for manageable batches of lacto-fermented vegetables.
ShopThe all-in-one fermentation device without an additional jar, for selected Le Parfait vessels with a 100 mm opening.
ShopSelected 100 mm wide-mouth Screw Top Jars for use with The Little Fermenter and versatile kitchen storage.
ShopWide-mouth, straight-sided 100 mm terrines designed for easy packing, pressing, monitoring, and serving.
ShopIconic wire-bail glass jars for traditional vegetable fermentation with periodic pressure release when directed by the recipe.
ShopStraight-sided wire-bail jars that make cabbage, vegetables, and larger ingredients easier to pack and remove.
ShopGlass bottles for portioning, serving, refrigerating, and storing kefir, kombucha, fermented sodas, and other finished cultured beverages.
ShopSalts, spice blends, pounders, shredders, books, replacement parts, and tools for preparing and managing fermentation projects.
ShopAssemble the device, fill and maintain the water moat, position the internal press, and prepare a compatible 100 mm Le Parfait jar for small-batch vegetable fermentation.
Learn how to prepare, pack, submerge, monitor, and manage kimchi using the traditional wire-bail jar method without a separate airlock.
Create a flour-and-water starter, track its rise in clear glass, and learn the basic feeding and maintenance rhythm for a healthy active culture.
Classic Small-Batch SauerkrautA foundational cabbage ferment for learning salt distribution, brine formation, submersion, and timing.View the recipe
Classic KimchiA richly seasoned cabbage ferment suited to The Little Fermenter or an appropriately managed traditional wire-bail jar method.View the recipe
Fermented Dill PicklesCucumbers transformed through salt-brine fermentation for naturally tangy flavor, not a vinegar quick-pickle method.View the recipeThe Little Fermenter is an all-in-one lacto-fermentation device combining an airlock, internal press, and water moat. It is designed to allow fermentation gases to escape, help limit outside air exposure, and hold vegetables beneath the brine when used with a compatible jar.
The Little Fermenter works only with selected Le Parfait jars featuring a 100 mm opening, including compatible Familia Wiss Terrines (350 mL, 500 mL, 750 mL, 1L d100) and Screw Top Jars (1L, 2L). Check the compatibility guide for exact sizes before ordering.
No. Super Jars and Super Terrines use wire-bail glass lids and do not accept The Little Fermenter device. They are suited to traditional wire-bail fermentation methods instead.
Yes. Super Jars and Super Terrines can be used for traditional fermentation methods that involve monitoring the ferment and releasing pressure when required. Follow a method specifically written for wire-bail jar fermentation.
You do not routinely open the jar to release fermentation gas. The device vents gas through its airlock system. Maintain the water moat and follow the setup and care instructions supplied with the device.
Common projects include sauerkraut, kimchi, brined cucumbers, carrots, radishes, hot-sauce ingredients, sourdough starter, kefir, kombucha, yogurt, and fermented beverages. Each method requires its own vessel, closure, temperature, airflow, and storage guidance. Explore all fermentation recipes.
Choose a clear jar with a wide opening for easy feeding and cleaning, enough extra capacity for the starter to expand, and sides that make growth easy to track. Use the lid according to the sourdough method rather than sealing the jar airtight during active fermentation.
Use Bottles only according to a tested recipe and the bottle's intended use. Active beverage fermentation can create internal pressure. Bottles are well suited to portioning, serving, refrigerating, and storing cultured drinks, but any secondary fermentation instructions must address pressure, closure, temperature, and refrigeration.
Visit Fermenting 101 (coming soon) for guidance on salt ratios, brine, submersion, headspace, temperature, storage, normal fermentation activity, surface growth, and when a batch should be discarded.
