Making Apple Cider Vinegar

csinclair461
csinclair461 Posts: 159 ✭✭✭
edited November 2020 in Ferments

I have been making my own apple cider vinegar for several years. Recently a relative of mine has started to make some as well. Its opened up some discussions we have both been learning from. They asked me the other day whether to add more water to a jar of vinegar that has been strained, but then evaporated some of its water. I don’t do that, because I dont want to mess with the ph. But it got me to wondering if it would be better to, if it isn’t too much water- maybe leaving it along leaves it too concentrated. Any fermenters here want to weigh in on their practices? I may have been making this for awhile, but there are always things to improve on!

Comments

  • Obiora E
    Obiora E Posts: 517 ✭✭✭✭

    @csinclair461 I have never made Apple Cider Vinegar but made some Red Wine Vinegar from a bug that I received from a friend. How do you make your Apple Cider Vinegar?

  • csinclair461
    csinclair461 Posts: 159 ✭✭✭

    I fill a jar about 3/4 full of apple peels/cores, not stems, or even diced apple. Then I fill jar with sugar water (1 Tablesppon sugar to 1 cup water). Cover with a clean cloth (or I use a coffee filter) and let sit 2 weeks-1 month. Then I strain it, and let the strained ferment sit for another month or two. When I use a sweet apple like red delicious, it turns out a lot sweeter of a vinegar than store bought.

  • Amy
    Amy Posts: 35 ✭✭✭

    I have wanted to try my hand at making apple cider vinegar from my own apples. I have a fermenting setup to use on a quart jar. Would that be okay to use?

  • csinclair461
    csinclair461 Posts: 159 ✭✭✭

    @JoAnn Yes, that would work fine- I use quart jars and half gallon jars. Oh, and of course, the apple parts need to be kept submerged, like with sauerkraut.

  • vickeym
    vickeym Posts: 2,134 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @csinclair461 I tried making apple cider vinegar with cut up apples, cores and peels. Not sure what happened but under the weight the mixture molded. Would anyone have any idea why? Everything had been cleaned and sterilized first, washed the apples, used a coffee filter to protect it. No idea why it molded.

  • csinclair461
    csinclair461 Posts: 159 ✭✭✭

    @vickeym my guesses would be maybe the sugar/water ratio was not right, or there was a bit of mold on one of the apple pieces that was missed (sometimes in the peel by the stem). Any chance there was chlorine in the water? Was the mold just under the weight? Dark mold? No chance it was a scoby? (Probably not, but sometimes they look questionable at first). I’m not sure, but I encourage you to try again. I have a similar issue I am trying to sort out- some of my batches turn out great, and some taste/smell wrong- like a chemical. I toss out the wrong tasting ones, but hope to stop that from happening :P

  • vickeym
    vickeym Posts: 2,134 ✭✭✭✭✭

    No chance of chlorine. Just under the weight in the liquid there, not on the apples themselves. It was green and whitish so mold for sure. I plan to try again. Hoping to get apples from a better source next time. This season my local grocery store (only have one) seems to only have apples that have been waxed. Looking for a chance to get to into the nearest larger town (about an hour and a half away) to get some better apples.