Make your own Apple Cider Vinegar

[WalkingWolf1]

Just want to relate a recent experience. A friend had a milk cow with mastitis. He had tried several treatment options including antibiotics and probiotics. The milk was still testing with a high bacteria count. An old dairyman related a story on using ACV on their herd back-in-the-day. I gave my friend a gallon of ACV I had recently made and he started giving 4 ounces a day drizzled over her daily feed rations. After 1 week the milk now test out clean. He has repeated the tests at two day intervals and it remains clean. I know there are varying opinions on the validity of the use of ACV in our livestock. The guy with the milk cow now wants to start making his own ACV. Incidently, the old dairyman said they made ACV in 55 gallon containers back-in-the-day.

 

[Tivona]

Cute -- This is usually spoken by the naive. You don't need ACV to make ACV but you do need a source of Acetobacter spp and that is easily obtained in the mother of ACV.

It is simple and fun to make and can be quite educational if you have children in the home. You have the apple juice extraction lesson, the fermentation of the sugar lesson as well as the conversion of the alcohol to vinegar lesson on top of the health benefits of making your own unpasteurized ACV from scratch fostering independence and creativity. Here is a pic of a batch I started yesterday. After a fermentation period of ~ 1 week I will let the yeast settle for 2-3 days. I will then decant into another container and add 10 ounces of unpasteurized ACV and leave on the counter top. Will be ready to use in ~ 6 weeks.

I am curious as to the use of the airlock. Is it only used during the alcohol fermentation stage then removed during the vinegar making stage? Or do you use the airlock on the bottle after adding the vinegar mother as well? Seems like the first post in the thread method doesn't worry about the fermentation step but just sort of does both stages at the same time. Making the alcohol and converting it to vinegar as the alcohol becomes available. I am guessing that the method used with the airlock and alcohol fermentation then adding the mother would make a more consistent type?

 

[WalkingWolf1]

Airlock for the initial fermentation. I'll let it sit on the counter for about a week after it is finished to let the yeast settle then decant and inoculate with mother. Cover container with paper towel secured with a rubber band.

 

[galanie]

I used some acv to start the ferment and it went through a stage where it smelled like alcohol.... It sorta smells like acv but not exactly. I can't stand the taste of acv so I will not taste it (g) I haven't tried shaking it I've stirred it and it will go down to the bottom and the next day more is back. It's been brewing for about a month... I think I heard it takes at least two months? Does that sound right?

You don't need to ever stir it. If you don't stir, that's when you get the layer on the top. You're supposed to have a layer of whitish, jelly looking stuff on the top. Since you're stirring, you aren't seeing that but rather bits and pieces of broken up "mother." That's what I think it is. And yes, two months sounds about right. You can probably tell by the smell if you aren't into tasting it.

 

[packjen]

Just remember not to put the ACV in your chicken's galvanized water container. The ACV reacts with the zinc and can be deadly.

 

[marymac]

I just made my first batch of apple cider vinegar, now the wait! Made it from cores and peelings, can't wait to see the results!

 

[FrenchToast]

I just made my first batch of apple cider vinegar, now the wait! Made it from cores and peelings, can't wait to see the results!

Care to share how you made yours? Thanks

 

[marymac]

Care to share how you made yours? Thanks

Sure, here is the link to the directions. I used a 5 gal. crock and a 5 gal. plastic bucket to ferment my apple scraps and cores.
http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2012/09/diy-make-your-own-apple-cider-vinegar.html

 

[Meadowchick]

Thanks for that link, Marymac! We have 2 large pear trees which will provide us with lots of fruit & peelings to make ACV with...Now I am anxious to try this recipe!

I am also wondering about using blueberries for vinegar...anybody know?

 

[Stuffedcritter]

I've made it using cranberries 50/50 mix apple peels turned out with nice flavor. All the critters get in their water helps keep fleas and flies off them. Vet completed me how nice the dogs coats were if you have rabbits "bucks" it helps with the smell.