Homemade Organic ACV

[Noodlynoo]

Sounds plausible, with a SCOBY as large as that!

I'm trying a different method this time, more equipment involved and will take longer, but I'm curious to see if it will turn out better than my previous attempts. And I already have the equipment. It involves turning the juice into a more pure hard cider first, then into vinegar, rather than a gradual process. My previous attempts turned into vinegar, but some of the sugars did not convert and it was a much sweeter vinegar than I am used to.

Also, this way I will better be able to tell the % of vinegar concentration by measuring specific gravity with the hygrometer (you inspired me to find mine!)

http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com/homemade-apple-cider-vinegar.html

pdirt, do you think making ACV via the alcohol method will make a nicer and more beneficial vinegar than mine?

 

[pdirt]

pdirt, do you think making ACV via the alcohol method will make a nicer and more beneficial vinegar than mine?

I'm not sure. You have a great big mother, which is quickly converting the alcohol to vinegar. I suppose there might be something in regards to "aging", like wine, but I don't know enough yet about vinegar making to tell you much.

I do notice, buying expensive vinegars from a store that the better tasting ones are "aged X years". I have a bottle of balsamic that says aged 18 years. What that really means, for most vinegars in this class, is that they started a batch of vinegar 18 years ago and have been backstopping (with some of the mother) for 18 years. So there may be a very small portion of that bottle that actually has 18 year old vinegar. These are the 10-20oz bottles that sell for $10-$20. If you go to a gourmet store, like Whole Foods, or a specialty wine shop, you might find truly aged vinegars. These are tiny little bottles that sell for $20-$80, or much more. When they mean aged 15 years, they really mean it. More complex flavors and subtler acidity.

But in terms of aging 2 weeks vs 2 months, I'm not sure just how much difference there would be. Time to hit up the library for a book on vinegar to find out!