Anyone making their own vinegar?

[MichelleMD]

Just curious how many of you make their own vinegar from fruit scraps or alcohol. If so, what kind and whats your preferred method?

 

[Mark]

I think @ClissAT makes her own vinegar if I recall correctly... or she uses homemade stuff?

 

[MichelleMD]

At Marks request, I'm updating this thread as I've had good success with an apple scrap vinegar ratio I found online. A few days ago, I made it up for the second time and both have worked well. You are supposed to be able to keep this going as long as you save the 'mother' which is the culture that develops and subsequently causes fermentation. I got the formulation here, but the chef od that blog got his from here.

• Peels and cores from six large apples

• 1 tablespoon of sugar

• 2 quarts dechlorinated water

Combine apple scraps, water and sugar in a large, wide-mouth glass or ceramic vessel and stir. Cover with a thin cloth. With most ferments, you don’t want air to come into contact with your food. For vinegar, you do. Also, especially with fruit and sugary fermentations, explosions are a real possibility. Pressure builds up in a closed container while the bacteria create carbon dioxide as a byproduct of fermentation. If you choose to close your vessel, in the next step, you will open it several times a day to stir and this opening will also release built-up CO2. Over the next several days, stir your fermentation several times a day when you think of it. Stirring aerates your ferment, encouraging microbial activity and helping prevent mold formation. Once the ferment starts bubbling, stir it once per day. Fermentation times vary, but your vinegar will likely start to taste sour after about a week. Strain through a cloth-lined colander set over a bowl.

I'm on day 2 of this process. What I aim to do is make several types of vinegar several ways. Apple scrap is first then, I want to attempt a vinegar from white wine. Both of these I am trying to grow a mother. If this doesn't work, I plan on buying a white wine mother and trying it a bit more direct. I want a very acidic finished product to which I plan on making into my daily cleaner by adding orange peels and sage from the garden.

I'll take a picture once this brew starts to bubble.

 

[Mark]

Thank you! I have some apples left from our harvest, which are getting past use by if I can find some time I'll give it a go!

It's great to have a record of how to make vinegar here...

 

[ClissAT]

Mark I draw the line at making vinegar
Although if it gets much dearer I may start making it.

 

[MichelleMD]

Thank you! I have some apples left from our harvest, which are getting past use by if I can find some time I'll give it a go!

It's great to have a record of how to make vinegar here...

You can take you bad apples and turn the whole apple into scrap for vinegar. Just have it all cut into small pieces. The ratio I gave is just a starting point. Ratios don't really need to be followed in vinegar making, or so I've read. Just plop it all in a crock, cover with water, add some sugar if you like, and give a good stir - aerate often and good vinegar results.

 

[Kasalia]

When we collected wild apples, all the cores and skins go into a big bucket and just cover with water, and let it sit with a tea towel over the top. It ferments after quite a few weeks and really when we get around to it, we then bottle it, as apple cider vinegar. The first lot is clear, then it gets cloudy. I use it for making pickles as its a much lighter vinegar than the bought stuff. Good on salads too. Last lot was 24 wine bottles so it lasts me quite a while. Mind you we picked several bushels of apples this time 2 years ago, to get that much vinegar. Highly recommend it.

 

[Mark]

That's so cool you guys rock!

We go through a ton of vinegar here so now I'm excited to see if I can make our own

Does it matter much on the water to apple ratio or is a rough estimate usually fine?

 

[MichelleMD]

From what I know, you just need to have the fruit covered. It the same as making wine, accept you let it ferment past the point of alcohol. If I discover differently, I'll let you know.

 

[MichelleMD]

Found some good info: http://www.backwoodshome.com/vinegar/

 

[Kasalia]

We just cover the apples with water, plus if you press the apples down a bit covers your hand, very technical. Leave it till you remember like "I wonder how the vinegar is doing?" Taste it and you will know.

 

[Mark]

Here's a pic of my apples cut and crushed sitting in a large jar with muslin over the opening. I have no idea if this is going to be a successful way to make vinegar but I'm giving it a try anyway...

 

[MichelleMD]

Looks good to me

 

[Mark]

Looks good to me

I'll take your vote of confidence as a good sign

 

[Kasalia]

It will be fine, put it into a dark spot also.

 

[Mark]

Yep, I've got it in a pretty good darkish spot where I've done my other ferments - I'm looking forward to seeing it transform...

 

[ClissAT]

I'll watch with expectation of a good outcome.
I might try it then too.

 

[Mark]

Ok, so now I've strained the mix and got rid of the solids... It's starting to smell like vinegar but is still too weak. This is a 4 litre jar btw...

 

[Kasalia]

It seems a bit early to do that, are you following a recipe? Hopefully the sediment will make it stronger. Just curious as a shorter time would be so much easier that having barrels of rotting apples around.lol

 

[Mark]

It seems a bit early to do that, are you following a recipe?

I'm just winging it I needed to get rid of the main solids because it was going all yucky and the fermantation stage at stopped anyway.

That image is a little old... There is a "mother" forming on top of the liquid so I've still got hope it'll turn to vinegar. I didn't add extra sugar or anything (as per the recipe) I want to see if it can be done with just the natural fructose in the apples.