I had my doubts, but it worked. The final product was relatively crisp and mild...and very salty. With a large batch it is difficult to gauge the cabbage weight, so I may have oversalted. I drained the brine and rinsed before cooking and it cut the saltiness, but diminished the taste a bit. It stinks while brewing, and the gasses produced from fermentation make the kraut volume increase a bit, so put it in a slightly larger container than you think it needs. Will stain plastic.