To make vinegar, you need a sugar source, water, yeast, and acetic acid bacteria. The yeast will consume the sugars and produce alcohol, and then the acetic acid bacteria will consume the alcohol and convert it to acetic acid
. Steps to make fruit vinegar:
- To make fruit vinegar, you will need fruit, sugar, water, and a starter, such as raw apple cider vinegar 'with the mother'
. High fructose fruits such as apples, pears, mangoes, strawberries, grapes, figs, or watermelon are recommended
- Chop the fruit into small chunks and add it to a gallon glass jar along with 255 grams of organic cane sugar
- Fill the jar with water
- Add a few tablespoons of raw apple cider vinegar with the mother to help establish a good microbial community. Stir the mixture until the sugar is dissolved
- Cover the jar with a tight-weave cloth, such as a cut-up t-shirt, and secure it with a rubber band
. A cloth lid is necessary because the bacteria requires oxygen to convert the alcohol into acetic acid
- Stir the mixture once or twice a day and allow it to ferment at room temperature for three weeks. You should notice the mixture bubbling within one week
- After three weeks, strain out all the fruit pieces, replace the cloth lid, and allow the mixture to ferment for 6 more weeks
- A vinegar mother will form on the surface, which looks like a kombucha SCOBY but is very light in color. You can keep this to start your next batch of fruit vinegar
- After fermentation, bottle the vinegar and seal it with a solid lid. Store at room temperature
When making wine vinegar, use two parts wine, one part starter vinegar (one with live, active cultures, also known as the vinegar mother), and one part clean water. Allow these to ferment for several weeks until the desired flavor is reached .
