What mistake makes vinegar

[chris889671]

I thought my concord had high alcohol a month ago. I added oak chips to mollow out the taste. I did not add clearing agents trying to keep the chemicals low. I tasted it today and the light bulb clicked. Its vinegar. the strong alcohol taste is replaced with vinegar. A simple answer is all Im looking for. What makes vinegar?

 

[djrockinsteve]

Bacteria. Acetobacteria. Too much air and insufficient sulfites leaves your wine vulnerable to attack.

First before you go to far, wine very dry tastes like vinegar in a kinda way. Back sweeten and see.

If it is vinegar, let it age in a carboy with cheese cloth over the top so air can get in and keep it far away from any wine making of yours. Attic is a good choice. Let it go a few months and you can make a good batch.

I have a gallon in my attic I need to check. Wife loves vinegar.

 

[AlFulchino]

your cause would be...."unprotected wine" sort of like a resulting pregnancy from unprotected s*x

 

[wvbrewer]

Oxygen, Allowing oxygen to get to it will make vinegar. Try what Steve says and see how it goes.

 

[buddy]

When you turn this wine into vinegar it will form a "mother of vinegar" on the top. It is like a slimy, leathery blob that floats on top of the wine. If this is in the carboy it might be difficult to remove through the small carboy neck.
I make my vinegar in a large wide mouth glass container.
The bacteria needs to be at room temperature to work effectively.

 

[Rocky]

I have not tried this but I have heard of people who keep a covered crock in their kitchen, with the "mother" at work in it and they pour any left over wine (what the heck is that?!) into it and have a perpetual supply of fresh wine vinegar. They just shove a baster thru the top layer and pull out what they need. Sounds like it would work.

 

[djrockinsteve]

My neighbor had a batch he let sit in his attic 3 years. It was great. My wife keeps asking me about mine but I always have wine going in kitchen or I'll be racking soon and afraid to expose them in close proximity. I'll have to check it soon, my attic is not protected from the outside.

 

[djrockinsteve]

On another note, if you want to make vinegar I think I did a tutorial on it but go grab a few bottles of wine that you don't really care for and make a batch.

 

[buddy]

My neighbor had a batch he let sit in his attic 3 years. It was great. My wife keeps asking me about mine but I always have wine going in kitchen or I'll be racking soon and afraid to expose them in close proximity. I'll have to check it soon, my attic is not protected from the outside.

Don't be overly concerned about having wine and vinegar nearby.
My wine making area is in a different room from my vinegar production but the two area are only about 15 feet apart and I have never had any interaction between the two.

 

[JohnT]

Just to add my two cents..

DJRocknSteve hit the nail on the head.

In order to make vinegar, you need to introduce the right type of bacteria.

Oxygen does not create vinegar. It is the bacteria in the air that creates vinegar.

In all cases, when wine unexpectedly converts to vinegar, it is the winemakers fault. If this happens, you need to take a careful look at your janitorial and sanitary practices. If proper sanitation practices are used, this should not happen.

a few tips...

1) maintain proper SO2 levels (30ppm)
2) make sure to properly clean equipment
3) keep all wine vessels filled as much as possible.





johnT.

 

[chris889671]

Bacteria. Acetobacteria. Too much air and insufficient sulfites leaves your wine vulnerable to attack.

First before you go to far, wine very dry tastes like vinegar in a kinda way. Back sweeten and see.

If it is vinegar, let it age in a carboy with cheese cloth over the top so air can get in and keep it far away from any wine making of yours. Attic is a good choice. Let it go a few months and you can make a good batch.

I have a gallon in my attic I need to check. Wife loves vinegar.

I did have too much head space(2.5 gal. in a 3 gal. carboy) nothing floating yet. Is there a chance my taste buds cant tell the difference between dry wine and vinegar? its not a real strong vinegar taste like cider vinegar. the wine looks good and smells good. it still hasnt cleared. could i add sulfite and clearing agents to save it?

 

[djrockinsteve]

You want very little headspace. For now rack it to a smaller Carnot with 1-2 inches of space from bung. Add sulfite.

As you rack take a small amount and add a pinch or two of sugar to it. Stir and try it out.

Very dry wine tastes somewhat like vinegar. If it tastes good great. If its bad make vinegar out of it.

 

[JohnT]

You want very little headspace. For now rack it to a smaller Carnot with 1-2 inches of space from bung. Add sulfite.

As you rack take a small amount and add a pinch or two of sugar to it. Stir and try it out.

Very dry wine tastes somewhat like vinegar. If it tastes good great. If its bad make vinegar out of it.

or back sweaten it

 

[djrockinsteve]

John I was referring to adding sugar to a sample to see how it tasted before doing the whole batch. If it is bad don't waste your time.

 

[chris889671]

Thanks for all the help. I'm gonna try saving it before I make vinegar. The only thing I use vinegar for is cleaning the coffee pot.

 

[chris889671]

You want very little headspace. For now rack it to a smaller Carnot with 1-2 inches of space from bung. Add sulfite.

As you rack take a small amount and add a pinch or two of sugar to it. Stir and try it out.

Very dry wine tastes somewhat like vinegar. If it tastes good great. If its bad make vinegar out of it.

would camden tabs work(potassium metabisulfite)?

 

[djrockinsteve]

Only for a short amount of time. Too much headspace is an invitation to trouble.

Always top off or transfer to a smaller vessel.

 

[chris889671]

Im gathering bottles, its all I have thats smaller. I'm gonna use celephane and rubbers band for air locks.

 

[djrockinsteve]

When you make wine try to make some extra so when you rack you have extra to top off. Excess from that is samples. #2 bungs fit in bottles. Magnums are great too.

 

[Minnesotamaker]

Thanks for all the help. I'm gonna try saving it before I make vinegar. The only thing I use vinegar for is cleaning the coffee pot.

I make vinegar (on purpose) and I use in in cooking. It goes really well on French fries or American fries. It's also really good in black beans and rice. Oh, and don't forget salads.

I'll see if I can upload a video later of my vinegar in process so that if you're interested, you can see the mother.

Here's The Mother Of Vinegar Video -----> [ame="http://youtu.be/8GajT6fwczE"]Mother of vinegar video link[/ame]