It’s really easy to imagine it happening in a time before refrigeration.
Fermentation can happen quite fast, especially in warmer climates. My wife ferments mustard greens (similar to sauerkraut) for only a day or two depending on the temperature. It’s easy to imagine someone concluding “if a day tastes this good, I wonder what 5 days tastes like?”. And so on until they eventually recognize the preservative nature of fermenting.
It’s really easy to imagine it happening in a time before refrigeration.
Fermentation can happen quite fast, especially in warmer climates. My wife ferments mustard greens (similar to sauerkraut) for only a day or two depending on the temperature. It’s easy to imagine someone concluding “if a day tastes this good, I wonder what 5 days tastes like?”. And so on until they eventually recognize the preservative nature of fermenting.