What Vinegar Actually Is
Vinegar is the result of acetic acid bacteria (AAB) converting alcohol into acetic acid. You need a liquid with 5 to 12 percent alcohol, a mother culture (or raw unfiltered vinegar to inoculate from), and oxygen. The process takes 4 to 8 weeks depending on temperature and surface area.
5to 8 Percent
Choose Your Base
Wine (red, white, or rose), dry hard cider, or flat beer all work well.
Choose Your Base
Wine (red, white, or rose), dry hard cider, or flat beer all work well. Avoid anything with artificial sweeteners or preservatives as these will kill your bacteria. Leftover wine that is a week or two old is perfect and already starting the process on
Inoculate With a Mother
Pour your base liquid into a wide-mouth jar or crock (wide opening = more
Inoculate With a Mother
Pour your base liquid into a wide-mouth jar or crock (wide opening = more oxygen surface = faster conversion). Add 20 percent raw apple cider vinegar with the mother, or use a dedicated vinegar mother from a brewing supplier. Cover with cheesecloth held
Wait, Taste, and Bottle
A rubbery disc (the mother) will form on the surface within 1 to 2 weeks.
Wait, Taste, and Bottle
A rubbery disc (the mother) will form on the surface within 1 to 2 weeks. Do not disturb it. Taste weekly with a clean spoon dipped in below the mother. The vinegar is ready when it smells sharp and clean and tastes fully sour with no sweetness. Bottle
Save Your Mother
Once the vinegar is done, remove the mother and store it in a small jar with a
Save Your Mother
Once the vinegar is done, remove the mother and store it in a small jar with a little finished vinegar in the fridge. Use it to start your next batch immediately. A healthy mother can last indefinitely when fed regularly with fresh alcohol.
Surface Area Is Everything The main variable you can control is the width of your vessel. A wide crock or a standard canning jar with the widest mouth you own will outperform a narrow bottle every time. More surface means more oxygen contact, which means faster, cleaner conversion.