Vinegar is a dilute solution of acetic acid that may be made through a variety of chemical and biological methods. Wine vinegar is vinegar made from wine by allowing acetic acid bacteria to ferment it. This type of vinegar also contains other compounds already present in the wine, such as citric acid, tartaric acid and other acids. You can make wine vinegar with a good wine and mother of vinegar.
Instructions
1. Use a high quality wine. Many of the wine's characteristics will be carried over to the vinegar, so you should only use a wine that you would be willing to drink.
2. Thoroughly clean and dry a food-safe container. This will typically be a plastic jug of the appropriate size. It's essential that there are no foreign bacteria in the wine.
3. Pour a solution of two parts wine and one part distilled water. Add the mother of vinegar according to the directions, which is typically a few ounces. Mother of vinegar is a solution of cellulose and acetic acid bacteria and is available at stores that carry winemaking supplies.
4. Cover the open jug with a layer of cheese cloth to keep out dust and store it at 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit for about three to four months. If the solution smells like vinegar, you can carefully transfer the vinegar part into bottles. Ensure that you don't get any of the mother of vinegar by siphoning off the top of the solution or pouring it through cheesecloth.
5. Store the mother of vinegar in a jar with an airtight lid. You can reuse it as a starter the time you make wine vinegar.
Tags: mother vinegar, acetic acid, acetic acid bacteria, acid bacteria, make wine, vinegar with