Vineger Making?

Ok, who makes vinegar here? What are some good sites to read about making vinegar?

Thanks, Jon.

Reply to
Jon Foster
Loading thread data ...

on purpose? ;^) sorry, I couldn't resist...

Reply to
bobdrob

Yes, on purpose! But the trick is to keep it away from the vino you want to save.

Jon.

Reply to
Jon Foster

I've done it once.... just cover your fermenter with a pot lid instead of with a cloth. A fruit fly or three will inoculate your must with acetobactor and you're on your way to delicious wine vinegar. Best done on batches of 1 or 2 gallons; that's pretty much a lifetime supply.

Gene

Reply to
gene

I am thinking of taking a magnum or two from various wines I have been making and turning them into vinegar. I think I will buy the culture though...just to have some sort of quality controll.

Reply to
Droopy

I make it and to be honest there isn't a lot out there that I have found since it's so straightforward. There are lots of posts here about it, do a search here first.

I started with a culture and am up to 5 gallon batches, people really love homemade vinegar.

If you have a higher acid wine I prefer them for vinegar making; stronger tasting wines make more interesting vinegar also.

The process I use is:

1 part culture

2 parts wine mixed with 1 part water, add to culture and expose to a lot of air.

I use a carboy and 4 X gauze over the mouth, attached with a rubber band.

Never make it near wine, I have this in a separate room.

Joe

Reply to
Joe Sallustio

Joe, My 04 Zinfandel got oxidized (not entirely sure because no other batches did and pot/ met. was the same) so I was considering turning them into vinegar (what an expensive proposition). What are your thought about carrying out the vinegar-making in my hot Georgia attic during the summer? Can you actually go too far with vinegar?

My goal at some point (over several years of reduction in barrel) is to mimic Balsamic vinegar since my 5 gallon barrel is losing it's oak character and using cubes in conjunction seems like cheating. Time to buy a 10 or 15 gallon barrel, I suppose.

Reply to
patrick mcdonald

That could be too hot; my attic gets over 120 F near the top, is yours ventilated? If so you would probably be OK. Hotter is better to a point; I'll look around in some references and repost temperature info.

If it's oxidized the sulfite is probably low which is good for vinegar. You can't go too far with vinegar, the bacteria just converts the alcohol to acetic.

That barrel does other things too though, it can still concentrate your wine even if it doesn't add the oak character anymore. I have a 5 gallon I'm working through mellowing and believe me I have thought about consigning it to vinegar making more than once...

Balsamic is not made this way, they boil white must to concentrate the sugars and then they let it go to vinegar.

I feel your pain on the Zin but if it becomes good vinegar you didn't waste your time on it... Homemade vinegar is _really_ tasty; I make way too much and it goes pretty fast.

Joe

Reply to
Joe Sallustio

I picked up a bottle of Mother of Vinegar for cider from my local brew shop and the label says to keep it in the 80 to 90 degree range (Fahrenheit).

Jon.

Reply to
Jon Foster

Jon That sounds about right, it really takes off if it's on the warm side. It's kind of funny but if it's too cool nothing much happens. If I did the same thing to a wine accidentally though, look out...

Joe

Reply to
Joe Sallustio

DrinksForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.