2nd Batch

I took some pictures in the making of the second batch; I was too excited with the gooeyness of the first batch to think about pictures.

I used the same protocol in soaking, pressure-cooker steaming time in the crockpot as the first batch. I did one small thing different, even though the recipes said not to. I took a cupful of soaked soybeans and chopped them for a second or two in a food-processor: it didn't come out in uniform pieces, but it was only to experiment. I wrapped that cupful into a cheese-cloth sack and put it in the pressure cooker with the other, whole, beans.

The beans as they look after soaking and cooking.

This time I divided the whole beans into three jars instead of the original two, as there wasn't enough aeration to the bottom of the beans in the two jars for uniform growth. I used a sterile spoon handle to create a channel through the center of the jar to allow more surface area to be exposed to air. 

I saved a little of the Bacillus subtilis starter for the chopped soybeans from the cheesecloth sack. I admit, I did not use an aseptic technique getting them out of the sack -cheesecloth is tougher than it looks. I tried to mix it and fluff it up as much as possible, but it resembled clumpy bean paste as I put it in a fourth jar.

The beans are covered in a white of Bacillus subtilis after 20 hours in 108ºF water.

After about 18 hours with loosely topped lids, the whole beans turned out as good as could be expected, not entirely covered with fuzz, but good enough; there wasn't an ammonia smell this time.

I regret that I didn't take a picture of the mashed soybeans, as they turned out quite differently. It appeared spotted with dark centered growths, much like one finds on old cheese or in a petri dish. I discarded it, though it smelled the same and had the same stringiness.

Total fermented batch.

I'm doing a third batch and will likely try more using black soybeans, purported to have greater health benefits than classic soybeans.

Bread pan, with one separation started, to be covered with tinfoil with holes

In this third batch, I used a bread pan, separating the beans with a sterile spatula and meat thermometer. I doubt it will allow much deeper growth, but I figure I'll leave the remaining beans to germinate after I skim the top ones.