Apple cider vinegar is a natural product that has many uses, whether you drink it for its health benefits or use it to clean your home. If you use a lot of raw apple cider vinegar, it will seem expensive if you buy it often. If you know the right ratio and how long you need to let the vinegar ferment, you can save money by making your own apple cider vinegar easily.
Ingredients
- Apple
- Water
- Sugar or honey
Step
Part 1 of 2: Making Basic Apple Cider
Step 1. Choose a good apple
Even if the apples take a long time to ferment, the apples you choose can significantly shape the final taste of your vinegar. Choose the best quality apples available in order to finally get the best apple cider vinegar.
- For a more complex and stronger vinegar, try using different combinations of apples. Use two sweet apples, such as the Malang apple or the red apple, with one tangy apple flavor, such as the McIntosh or Liberty apple type, for a slightly tangy vinegar in the end.
- Instead of using whole apples, use apple slices that are left over from other dishes to make apple cider vinegar. One whole apple is roughly the equivalent of two apple slices. Store the skin, center of the apple, and other pieces in the freezer until you are ready to make the vinegar.
Step 2. Wash the apples with clean water
It's always a good idea to wash fruits and vegetables with clean water before consuming them, and this also applies when you want to cook or ferment them. Rinse and scrub the apples thoroughly with clean water to clean them so that unwanted things don't get into the vinegar.
- You can use as many apples as you want to make apple cider vinegar. The more you use, the more vinegar you'll get! If you're new to making your own apple cider vinegar, try using 3 apples for vinegar the first time. You'll get a fair amount of vinegar, but it's not too risky if it fails.
- If you're using leftover apples, make sure the whole apples are pre-washed before separating them out.
Step 3. Cut the apples into small squares
The more exposed the surface of the apple, the faster the vinegar will ferment. Use a clean knife to cut into one-inch cubes, and save the skin and center of the apple.
If you're using leftover apple slices, there's no need to cut them again
Step 4. Transfer the apples to a glass jar
Since apples will ferment for up to 3 months, place them in a sterilized wide-mouthed glass jar. Fill the jar up to of the maximum, so it's best to use a liter glass jar or a larger jar.
Never use a stainless steel container to ferment vinegar. When apples ferment, the acidity of the vinegar can damage the steel, or it will give the vinegar a metallic taste and change the taste
Step 5. Soak the apples in water
Make sure the apples are completely submerged in water because if you don't soak the apples, they can rot instead of fermenting into vinegar. For best results, use filtered or mineral water that is free of impurities that could damage your vinegar.
- For a glass jar with three apples, you will need about 800 ml of water. Use more or less water as needed.
- Better more water than less. If you add too much water, the apple cider vinegar is a little less strong or takes longer to ferment. If you don't have enough water, some of the apples will not be submerged and they may rot and spoil the vinegar completely.
Step 6. Add 1 teaspoon (4 grams) of raw crystal sugar
Stir the mixture well to make sure everything is dissolved. The sugar will ferment and turn into alcohol so the apple cider will turn into apple cider vinegar. Raw crystal sugar is perfect for making apple cider vinegar, but you can use honey or other sugar if you like.
Step 7. Cover the jar with a filter cloth
When apples ferment into cider and finally into vinegar, the mixture still needs to breathe. Cover the mouth of the jar with a piece of filter cloth tied with a rubber band. That way the jar remains closed, but the gas produced during the fermentation process can still escape.
Part 2 of 2: Vinegar Fermentation
Step 1. Store the jar in a warm and dark place
Find a place to ferment the vinegar long enough, away from distractions. Place it in the bottom or top of the kitchen cabinet, in the corner of the kitchen, or anywhere that is not exposed to direct sunlight. Each house has a different and most suitable place.
The jar should be placed in a place where the vinegar is fermenting at room temperature, which is around 20 degrees Celsius
Step 2. Stir the mixture once or twice a day
Stirring the mixture will help the fermentation process, as well as rotate the apples. Stir in the apple cider with a wooden spoon once or twice daily for the first week or two. Don't worry too much if you forget to stir it a day, as long as you keep stirring it regularly.
If you see the apples sticking out of the water, use a ballast or other object so that the apples are sufficiently submerged and make sure they are submerged
Step 3. Wait for the apples to sink to the bottom of the jar
When you check your apples daily, watch for bubbles that indicate the fermentation process. After a week or two, the apples should have completely sunk to the bottom of the jar. This indicates that the apple has fermented and is no longer needed to make vinegar.
If you see froth forming on the top layer, scoop and throw it away
Step 4. Strain the apples from the cider water and pour the apple cider back into the jar
Use a plastic strainer or cheesecloth to strain the apples from the juice. Just like the previous step, avoid using metal because it can damage the fermentation process. Pour the apple cider back into the jar, cover it with a filter cloth and tie it with a rubber band. Place the jar back in a warm, dark place.
Once the apples are strained, you can throw them away. The apple is no longer fit to eat after being fermented
Step 5. Let the apple cider ferment for 3 to 6 weeks, stirring every few days
This is when the apple cider will start turning into apple cider vinegar. Stir the contents of the jar every 3 to 4 days, so that the vinegar moves slightly as it ferments.
- At this time, the sweet apple cider aroma will turn a little sharp. This means that fermentation is taking place, and the apple cider is turning into vinegar.
- The longer you let the apple cider vinegar ferment, the stronger the taste and the sharper the aroma will be. After about 3 weeks of fermenting, start tasting the apple cider vinegar every few days until you get the desired taste and acidity.
- The length of the fermentation process varies depending on the climate you live in. During the summer, apple cider takes not too long to ferment. In winter, the fermentation process takes longer.
Step 6. Transfer the fermented vinegar to a glass jar with a lid and store it
Use clean, sterilized jars and seal them tightly to stop the fermentation process and keep the apple cider vinegar fresh. Store the vinegar in the refrigerator so it doesn't spoil.
- Storing apple cider vinegar in the refrigerator will stop the fermentation process, but if you store it too long, the fermentation will continue. If the vinegar becomes too acidic, add a little water to thin it out and lower the acidity as desired.
- While you can store apple cider vinegar at room temperature, it can continue to ferment.
- If a gelatin-like layer forms on the surface of the vinegar, you don't have to worry and that's actually good. That layer is called the "root" of the vinegar and can be used to make the next apple cider vinegar. Add the vinegar along with the apples to speed up the fermentation process.
Warning
- Do not use homemade vinegar to make pickles, as pickling requires a 5% acetic acid level. It's hard to know the acetic acid level of homemade vinegar, so it's best to use store-bought vinegar to be on the safe side.
- If you notice a green, gray, black, or brown coating or mold growing on the surface of the apple cider vinegar as it ferments, it's best to throw the vinegar away and start making it again. It may be a sign of harmful bacteria that can make you sick.
