While vinegar can be easily purchased at the store, you'll find it satisfying to make your own, and it tastes great too. All you need is a clean jar, an alcoholic drink, a starter for the fermentation process, and at least 2 months of time for the starter to work. Once you've mastered how to make a versatile vinegar that works with almost any alcoholic beverage, you can move on to special recipes for making wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, or balsam vinegar (if you're willing to wait at least 12 years!).
Ingredients
- Vinegar starter (prick), both homemade and store-bought
- 350 ml of wine (wine) and 350 ml of distilled water
OR
710 ml beer or hard cider (apple fermented alcoholic beverage) with a minimum alcohol content of 5% ABV (alcohol by volume / alcohol by volume)
Step
Part 1 of 4: Putting Alcohol in Jars
Step 1. Clean a 2 liter wide-mouthed glass jar with soap and water
You can make vinegar using ceramic containers or used wine bottles, but wide-mouthed glass jars are easier to use and find. Remove the lid and ring of the jar (because they are not needed), then wash and rinse with dish soap and clean warm water.
If don't want to make a lot of vinegar, use a 1 liter jar and reduce the amount of alcohol (and water) used by half.
Step 2. Use boiling water to sterilize the inside of the jar
Boil a pot of water, place the jar in the sink, and carefully pour the boiling water into the jar. Discard the water if you can hold the jar without feeling the heat. It will take at least 5 minutes for the water to cool enough to the touch.
- Make sure the jars are not cold when you put the boiling water in them. A drastic change in temperature can crack the jar. If necessary, rinse the jars with hot water first to warm them up.
- This method does not sterilize jars if you want to use them to safely canning or preserving food. However, this sterilization method is sufficient if you just want to make vinegar.
Step 3. Pour wine (alcoholic drink from wine) and 350 ml of water each to make wine vinegar
Basically, vinegar is made by bacteria that convert alcohol (ethanol) into acetic acid. The success rate will be high if you use an alcoholic liquid of 5%-15% ABV, although the ideal is 9%-12%. Most wines contain 12%-14% ABV alcohol, and when mixed with water in equal proportions (i.e. 350 ml each) will produce a good balance and acidity.
- Use distilled water (not tap water) to reduce the chance of an unpleasant vinegar taste.
- If you want a less sharp vinegar, use 240 ml of wine and 470 ml of water. To make a sharp vinegar, use wine and water in a 2:1 ratio.
- You can use white or red wine as desired. However, avoid wines that contain sulfites (you can check the label).
Step 4. Add 710 ml of beer or hard cider to replace the wine
Any alcoholic beverage can be used to make vinegar as long as the alcohol content is at least 5% ABV. Look at the label on the bottle of beer or hard cider to make sure the alcohol content is at the minimum, then put it in a jar without diluting it with water.
You can also use other alcoholic beverages that have a high ABV as long as they are diluted with water to reduce their ABV levels to 15% or less
Part 2 of 4: Inserting the Pod and Storing the Jar
Step 1. Put or pour the starter (which can be purchased at the store) into a jar
The root contains the bacteria needed to convert ethanol into acetic acid. Prickly heat sometimes forms in open wine bottles, with the appearance of a slimy lump that floats on the surface. You can buy starters (sometimes called "vinegar starters") in gel or liquid form. Look at the grocery store or the internet.
- If you are using a store-bought gel starter, follow the directions on the package for how much to add. Use a spoon to add the starter to the alcohol in the jar.
- If it is in liquid form, pour 350 ml of the starter into a jar, unless otherwise stated on the package.
Step 2. Use the homemade starter from the previous vinegar preparation
A prickle will form when you make the vinegar. So, if you or a friend have ever made vinegar, you can use the starter that formed when you made it. Take the starter with a spoon and put it in the prepared jar.
- If you wish, you can repeat this process many times over several years.
- You can use a different type of vinegar (such as wine) to make a new vinegar (such as apple cider vinegar).
Step 3. Cover the jar with a cheesecloth or tissue, then wrap it around with a rubber band
Place a tissue or cheesecloth in the mouth of the jar, then wrap it around with a rubber band. The jars should be covered with a translucent material to create fresh air circulation inside.
Do not leave the jar open. Open jars are susceptible to dirt and dust, and don't miss fruit flies, which then die and float on the surface of the vinegar
Step 4. Place the jars in a dark, well-ventilated location at moderate temperature for two months
Place the jars on a shelf in the kitchen or other dark, well-ventilated area. The vinegar-making process requires temperatures between 15 and 34°C, but the ideal temperature range is 27–29°C. So, choose a warm place whenever possible.
- If there is no dark spot in the house, wrap the jar in a thick towel, but don't cover the cheesecloth or tissue in the mouth of the jar.
- Do not shake, stir, or move the jar (if possible) during the first two months of the vinegar-making process. This will make it easier for the starter to form the vinegar and do its job.
- You will smell the vinegar and possibly a sour smell from the jar before 2 months of the manufacturing process. Ignore this smell and leave the jar for 2 months.
Part 3 of 4: Tasting and Bottled Vinegar
Step 1. Use a straw to scoop up some vinegar after 2 months have passed
Remove the rubber band and jar cover, then dip the straw into the liquid without damaging the gel that floats on the surface. Close your thumb on the top end of the straw to catch any of the vinegar that is in the straw. Remove the straw from the jar, then place the straw in the glass. Next, release your thumb to drain the vinegar into the glass.
To do this, you can use single-use plastic straws or reusable straws
Step 2. Taste the vinegar you took, and let the vinegar sit longer if necessary
Drink a little of the vinegar. If the taste is too weak (because the fermentation isn't complete) or it's too sharp and intense (because the vinegar has overcooked over time), close the jar again and leave for another two weeks to continue the fermentation process.
Continue to taste the vinegar every 1 to 2 weeks until it reaches the desired level of acidity
Step 3. Take the starter if you want to use it again to make a new vinegar
Carefully scoop up the lump of gel that floats on the surface of the finished vinegar, then place it in another jar filled with starter liquid (e.g. wine and water in equal proportions). That way, you can continue to produce your own vinegar!
Alternatively, you can slowly pour most of the vinegar into another container, which will leave a small amount of vinegar at the bottom of the jar with the caustic floating in it. Next, put the alcohol back in the jar and start making a new vinegar in this jar
Step 4. Pasteurize the vinegar so you can keep it for a long time
Once the root is removed from the fermenting jar (or left in the jar), pour the vinegar into a medium saucepan. Place the pot on the stove over medium-low heat, and check the temperature with a kitchen thermometer. When the temperature is over 60°C, but less than 70°C, turn off the stove and allow the vinegar to cool to room temperature.
- By pasteurizing, vinegar can be stored in a glass container indefinitely. Store vinegar at room temperature and in dim lighting.
- If you want, you can skip the pasteurization process as vinegar can keep for months or even years without compromising on quality and taste. However, this short process is actually very useful so that your homemade vinegar remains of good quality for a long time.
Step 5. Pour the vinegar into the bottle using a sieve and funnel
Place the unbleached coffee filter (unbleached brown paper filter) into the funnel, then insert the tip of the funnel into the mouth of a clean, sterile glass bottle. You can use an old wine bottle. Slowly pour the vinegar into the bottle through a sieve. Close the bottle with a cork or threaded cap.
- Use water and soap to clean the bottle, then pour boiling water into it and let it sit for about 5 to 10 minutes to sterilize it.
- Write a label on the bottle stating the type of alcohol you are using and the length of time the vinegar should be allowed to ferment. This is especially useful if you are using vinegar as a gift or piling it up for collection.
Step 6. Do not use this artificial vinegar on food that will be canned, preserved, or stored at room temperature
This vinegar is perfect for salad dressings and marinades, or for flavoring foods that will be cooked or refrigerated. Because the acidity (pH level) varies, homemade vinegar is not safe to use on foods that will be canned or stored at room temperature.
- If the acidity level is too low, vinegar cannot ward off harmful pathogens such as e. Coli present in foods that want to be preserved.
- This also applies to homemade, pasteurized vinegar. However, the vinegar itself can be stored at room temperature (whether pasteurized or not) in a dark or cool place.
Part 4 of 4: Trying Some Vinegar Recipes
Step 1. Try making maple vinegar for a unique taste
To get 710 ml of starter liquid, mix 440 ml of pure maple syrup, 150 ml of dark rum and 120 ml of distilled water. Follow the all-purpose vinegar recipe in the main section of this article.
Maple vinegar has a unique and rich taste, which is perfect for sprinkling over roasted chicken or roasted pumpkin
Step 2. Try avoiding alcohol to make apple cider vinegar
Puree about 2 kg of apples using a food processor, then squeeze the pulp using a cheesecloth to get about 710 ml of starter fluid needed. Alternatively, you can use 100% organic apple juice or cider. Follow the vinegar preparation method described in the main part of this article.
Although this starter fluid does not contain alcohol, the sugars in apple juice can feed the starter in sufficient quantities to do its job. However, you will need more time to ferment until you get the vinegar you want
Step 3. Try making honey vinegar as a non-alcoholic alternative
Boil 350 ml of distilled water, then mix it with 350 ml of honey. Stir the two ingredients together until thoroughly combined, then allow the mixture to cool until it reaches slightly above room temperature (but no more than 35°C). After that, use this starter liquid to make the vinegar as described in this article.
