Homemade Vinegar

Filed in archive Tricks & Techniques on September 21, 2007

If you drink wine, from time to time you'll have some bottles that weren't finished and the wine isn't good for drinking anymore. Don't throw those dregs away! Make some homemade wine vinegar.




The word vinegar is derived from two French words. Vin - wine and aigre - sour. The rules of vinegar making, if you want to call them that, are simple. You need some old wine, a vinegar starter, or mother, a vinegar crock, air and time. There's nothing difficult or artistic about it.

Step One- Add vinegar mother to vinegar crock.

Step Two- Fill crock about 50% full with 6% alcohol product to be converted.

Step Three- Cover crock with cheesecloth, dishtowel, etc. Air needs to circulate but you want to keep insects out. Do not seal the crock.

Step Four- Allow vinegar crock to rest in a warm place. If you can reach a temperature of 80 to 90 degrees F, the vinegar with produce more quickly. (I just leave it at room temperature and it is fine.)

The wine will be converted into vinegar in about 1 to 6 months, depending upon temperature. Once conversion is complete, you may draw off some of the vinegar for consumption and then replace that amount with new wine. The mother will grow and this will allow for more vinegar to draw off and an increased capacity for making more vinegar.

I've been making my own red wine vinegar for over two years now and the results have been fantastic!
This is my vinegar crock.




This is a helpful article if you're interested in making your own vinegar.

To order a vinegar mother or a vinegar crock, try this online shop.