Collins Country

Homemade Vinegar

I had a plastic jug of apple juice in the cupboard.  Apparently it was opened, then closed and returned to the cupboard.  My husband noticed that the jug was bulging (It looked like it was going to explode!) so I carefully opened it.

It smelled just like vinegar.  I am not going to use it (in fact, I dumped it down the drain), but it got me to thinking about making vinegar.

The word "vinegar" derives from the Old French vin aigre, meaning "sour wine." Louis Pasteur showed in 1864 that vinegar results from a natural fermentation process (from wikipedia). 

• Has anyone ever made vinegar on purpose? 
• How did you go about it? 
• What do you use it for?
• Any tried and true recipes out there?

I am very interested in this process, so any information (books, links, testimonials) would be terriffic!

Untitled Comment

{ 09:14 , Wednesday, January 16, 2008 } { Posted by Kitty }

I have no clue as to how to do it, but I'm thinking you made apple cider vinegar, lol. I would have tasted it, but thats just me. Post something if you find out how to do, sound interesting..........Kitty

Vinegar

{ 11:29 , Wednesday, January 16, 2008 } { Posted by borderling }

I've always wanted to make fresh apple cider vinegar and so I googled it and came up with this site. www.ehow.com/how_3894_make-homemade-vinegar.html? If you use organic apples Voila! Organic vinegar. I think I'll give this a try next fall when the apples are ripe. Thanks for the idea.
From Glory Farm

<i>Untitled Comment</i>

{ 12:08 , Wednesday, January 16, 2008 } { Posted by Sweetmama2 }

The national vinegar Musuem(sp) is in Roslyn SD (in the middle of nowhere in a town of 200 people) believe it or not and the owner Lawerence Diggs (the man who started it) has wrote alot of book and such on the subject of vinegar. I have talked to the man on ocassion but never did ask him about making it. I will do my best if I run into him again in. He happens to go to surronding towns visiting and shopping as there is no store in that town. But I am sure that if you addressed a letter to him he would answer all your questions and send a reply! Lawerence Diggs,Roslyn SD 57261
http://www.vinegarman.com/

Edited by Sweetmama2 on Wednesday, January 16, 2008 at 02:13

Vinegar

{ 07:42 , Thursday, April 24, 2008 } { Posted by cradtke }

We make our own red wine vinegar. What you need is a "mother" so you get a live culture and it will do all the work for you. I went to the organic food store and bought a small bottle of red wine vinegar with a mother in it. I can't remember what the bottle said but there was a slimy sponge in the bottom of the bottle. I poured it into a gallon jug and added some wine (hubby makes his own that wasn't up to his standards). The mother woke up and turned the wine to vinegar. The mother eats the alcohol and when the alcohol is gone, the mother goes dorminet until more wine is added. I assume apple cider vinegar is made the same way using fremented apple cider. Hope this helps you! Carol
Forgot to add: this vinegar is stronger then what you buy in the store so you may need to adjust amounts in recipes.

Edited by cradtke on Thursday, April 24, 2008 at 09:47