Making Cider Vinegar at Home

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Making Cider Vinegar at HomePosted by: "Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Mi"tdlists (AT) multiculturaladvantage (DOT) com tdemorsellaThu Feb 15, 2007 4:16 pm (PST)http://ohioline. osu.edu/hyg- fact/5000/ 5346.html[NaturalHealthForum] Making Cider Vinegar at HomeHYG-5346-97Two factors require special attention when making vinegar at home:oxygen supply and temperature. Oxygen is spread throughout themixture by stirring it daily and by letting air reach the fluidthrough a cheesecloth filter, which is used in place of a regularlid. The temperature of fermenting cider should be kept between 60and 80 degrees Fahrenheit (F). Lower temperatures do not alwaysproduce a usable vinegar, and higher ones interfere with theformation of the "mother of vinegar." Mother of vinegar is a matthat forms on the bottom of fermenting wine that has gone bad.Do not use a metal container when making vinegar; acid in themixture will corrode metal or aluminum objects. Glass, plastic,wood, enamel, or stainless steel containers should be used formaking or storing vinegar. The same holds true for making or storingfoods that have more than 1 Tablespoon of vinegar in the recipe.Steps for Making Cider VinegarThe following steps must be followed to make a high-quality cidervinegar:1. Make a clean cider from ripe apples.2. Change all of the fruit sugar to alcohol. This is called "yeastfermentation. "3. Change all of the alcohol to acetic acid. This is called "aceticacid fermentation. "4. Clarify the acetic acid to prevent further fermentation anddecomposition.Step 1--Making CiderCider is made from the winter and fall varieties of apples (summerand green apples do not contain enough sugar). Fruit should begathered, then washed well to remove debris. Crush the fruit toproduce apple pulp and strain off the juice. Use a press orcheesecloth for straining.Adding yeast to activate fermentation is not essential, but willspeed up the process. Special cultivated yeasts are available forthis purpose at wine-making shops and biological labs--bread yeastsare not recommended. To make a starter, crumble one cake of yeastinto one quart of cider. This makes enough starter for 5 gallons ofcider; double the recipe proportionately when making more.Steps 2 and 3--Making Alcohol and Acetic AcidPour all of the liquid into one or more containers to aboutthree-quarters capacity; do not close the lids on the containers.Stir the mixtures daily. Keep the containers away from directsunlight and maintain the temperature at 60 to 80 degrees F. Fullfermentation will take about 3 to 4 weeks. Near the end of thisperiod, you should notice a vinegar-like smell. Taste samples dailyuntil the desired strength is reached.Step 4--FilteringWhen the vinegar is fully fermented, filter the liquid throughseveral layers of fine cheesecloth or filter paper--a coffee filterworks well for this. This removes the mother of vinegar, preventingfurther fermentation or spoilage of the product.Storing Your VinegarThe vinegar is now ready for storage in separate, capped containers.Stored vinegar will stay in excellent condition almost indefinitelyif it is pasteurized. To pasteurize, heat the vinegar before pouringit into sterilized bottles, or bottle, then place in a hot waterbath. In both cases, the temperature of the vinegar must reach atleast 140 degrees F to sterilize the product, and should not exceed160 degrees F. Use a cooking thermometer to ensure the correcttemperature is met. Cool the containers and store at roomtemperature out of direct sunlight.Flavored VinegarFlavoring can be added to homemade vinegar just before bottling.Good examples of additives include green onion, garlic, ginger, orany combination of dried or fresh herbs. To make flavoring, placematerial in a small cheesecloth bag and suspend in the vinegar untildesired strength is reached. This will take about 4 days, except forgarlic, which takes only 1 day. For every 2 cups of vinegar, use oneof the following: 1/2 cup crushed fresh herbs, 1 tablespoon of driedherbs, 2 large cloves of garlic, or 8 small green onions. Other goodflavorings include tarragon, basil, nasturtium, chives, mint,chervil, borage, hot chilies, and raspberries. Adjust the amounts totaste, but be careful not to overload the vinegar. Too muchvegetable matter can destroy the acid and ruin the preservativequality of the vinegar.Some flavorings may not go well with cider vinegar's distinct tasteand color. When flavoring store-bought vinegar, use more delicate ordecorative flavors. When flavoring store-bought vinegar, you willstill need to pasteurize it and use sterile bottles.Flavored vinegars taste great and have a beautiful color, makingthem excellent for use in salads. You will be tempted to displayflavored vinegar; however, be sure to keep your bottles out ofdirect sunlight, which will destroy the flavor, acidity, and colorof the vinegar.Uses for Homemade Cider VinegarBecause the acidity of homemade vinegars will vary, do not use themin foods to be canned or stored at room temperature. Homemadevinegar is, however, excellent in salads, cooking, or freezer andrefrigerator pickled products.Prepared byChristine Nicholas, InternDoris Herringshaw, Extension Agent, Family and Consumer Sciences

 

 

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