Vinegar
Make your own vinegar.
Apple cider, wine, fruit-scrap and kombucha vinegar from scratch, plus the mother that makes it and the test that tells you how strong it is.
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The workflow
Know how strong your vinegar is
01
Before you start, and when it is done
Predict how strong the vinegar will get from the cider or wine you begin with, test the finished batch, and dilute it to 5% for pickling.
Learn
Vinegar guides
FAQ
Common vinegar questions
How is vinegar made?
In two fermentations. Yeast first turns the sugar in juice or wine into alcohol, then acetic acid bacteria (Acetobacter) use oxygen to turn that alcohol into acetic acid. The second stage needs air, so vinegar is made in wide, open containers covered with cloth.
How long does homemade vinegar take?
Usually 1–3 months for the acetic stage at 20–30°C, after any alcohol fermentation. Taste and test it; it is ready when it is sharply sour and the alcohol smell is gone.
Can I use homemade vinegar for pickling?
Only if you have measured its acidity. Safe home canning and pickling recipes are built on vinegar of at least 5% acetic acid. Homemade vinegar varies, so test it or keep it for dressings and cooking.