Making Vinegar

[Elmer]

Apparently I felt my patience has not been tested enough with wine making.
I have decided to start making Vinegar.
This came about when I had close to 20 bottle of a Mosti Mondale 10L kit of Chianti, which I had sweetened with 2 cups of Cranberry Juice.
The wine is not bad and is drinkable, but since i have started making 16L/18L kits, there is simply no comparison.

So I bought a 8 oz jar of the mother. I used the following recipe found on the label:

Mother
8 oz water
16 oz of wine

I placed the mixture in a gallon jug with a spigot, covered the top with a stretchy nylon stocking and placed the lid on gently. I placed the container in a cooler and closed the lid lightly to allow air in. I then placed the cooler in my garage next to my deep freezer. The garage averages in the high 70's and the exhaust fan from the deep freezer keeps everything warmer. So far 2 weeks in I have seen no growth, no film on the top, but it smells like it is working towards vinegar.
I guess I have to keep waiting!

Anyone else actively making vinegar?

All I keep thinking is that the MM 10L kit is such junk I cant not even make vinegar out of it!

 

[lawrstin]

Are you going to pasteurize it?


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[Elmer]

Are you going to pasteurize it?


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When done and in a jar, more than likely!

 

[GreginND]

I haven't tried it yet but plan to try to get a vinegar crock going. My understanding is that you can keep adding leftover wine to it and it will continue to make vinegar.

 

[mikewatkins727]

I haven't tried it yet but plan to try to get a vinegar crock going. My understanding is that you can keep adding leftover wine to it and it will continue to make vinegar.

Made vinegar the last two years. First year made slightly over 1 gal, second year made 1½ gallon. Both times I used apples from the farm; juiced them & added yeast. Put it all into a two gallon container covered with a clean cheesecloth. Let it ferment until SG < 1.000 then racked off lees. Left in same container with cheesecloth covering for several more months with vinegar mother from another batch. After 3 - 4 months I titrated it for acid concentration and diluted to 5%.

As much as we have used this year, looks like I'll need to up the volume to 2 or more gallons.

So nice using materials from the earth (& farm).

 

[Elmer]

The only issue I currently have is that I have no idea when I am making progress.
2 weeks into the process and I see no slim and the mother has not grown.
knowing that it can take weeks and months to see any visible change, this is simply becoming an exercise in patience!

But As the weather starts to change and temp starts to dip, I need to find a warmer place that will be more suitable for storage.
The basement seems likely, but I want to keep my mother away from my wine.

 

[mikewatkins727]

Ah, yes. Patience. Suggest you tuck your vinegar jar away somewhere & try to forget it. Then 'discover' it in a few months. Maybe in 3 or 4 months you will notice something floating in the vinegar (mother).

 

[Tom_S]

I thought about making some red wine vinegar, but I read somewhere that you don't want the acetobacter (bacteria which turns wine into vinegar) anywhere near where you make wine, and if you do get it there it's very hard to get rid of. Anyone have some insight into this?

 

[GreginND]

Tom. Yes that's right. Keep your vinegar making area far away from your winemaking area. Different buildings would be best. And always wash well and sanitize when moving yourself or equipment between them.

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[Elmer]

I thought about making some red wine vinegar, but I read somewhere that you don't want the acetobacter (bacteria which turns wine into vinegar) anywhere near where you make wine, and if you do get it there it's very hard to get rid of. Anyone have some insight into this?

I make vinegar in the garage and wine in the basement.
The 2 are on opposite sides of my house.

In fact I just tossed 2 dozen wine bottles that I had forgot were stored in the garage after I started vinegar!

 

[Tom_S]

And that's why I haven't made any red wine vinegar. I don't really have a good place to make it, our garage tends to be pretty dirty and hot during the summer, and that's where I store all my empty wine bottles.

 

[Elmer]

In order to stop myself from checking the progress daily (and thereby rendering my wine room off limits) I moved the vinegar to the rafters of my garage.
I wrapped the jug in an insulated wind breaker and stuffed the cooler with plastic bags to keep the jug from sliding in the cooler.

This was 2 weeks ago and I have since checked it to find the mother growing ever so slowly.

I have it on my schedule to feed the mother in 2 weeks.
As it happens someone bought me a bottle of Icognito wine, (which I did not like). I took the last 8 oz of this wine, put it in a container and put it in the fridge as 1/2 of the 1st feeding.

 

[Elmer]

Moved my vinegar from the garage to the back of my liquor cabinet, which is still opposite floor from my wine.

I did change containers from a 2 gallon plastic, w/spigot to a 2Q glass pickle jar. It is simply just easier to store.
While I was at it I fed the vinegar. 16 oz of red wine 8oz of incognito, 8 of super Tuscan). Than I whipped to get oxygen in there. I attached a wooden spoon to my drill and whipped until I got lots of suds. I then added the mother back in (she is growing).
When I was done I put the vinegar away.
I then cleaned drill, counter, sink, kitchen, hands, feet and spoon with clorax wipes.
I then ran the dishwasher. Washed the clothes I was wearing, just to be save.
(On a slight side note my wife likes when I work on my wine & vinegar because I frantically clean before and after)



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