I am hoping to use up the dregs of our apple crop by making apple cider vinegar, and am wondering if anyone knows where I can get a mother? Or, I've heard that you can leave the strained juice covered with cheesecloth, and that it will turn to vinegar without adding yeast. Any tips from an experienced vinegar brewer? Thanks!
hales
09-01-2009, 07:43 PM
Braggs organic ACV is said to contain the live "mother".. couldn't you just add it to your dregs?
I know that apple juice will ferment pretty quickly on it's own, but I think the correct strains would probably help..
Scott.
I am hoping to use up the dregs of our apple crop by making apple cider vinegar, and am wondering if anyone knows where I can get a mother? Or, I've heard that you can leave the strained juice covered with cheesecloth, and that it will turn to vinegar without adding yeast. Any tips from an experienced vinegar brewer? Thanks!
farmfresh
09-01-2009, 10:40 PM
The mother gets it going much more quickly, much like using a sourdough bread starter, yogurt starter, cheese culture, etc. But you may be able to catch your own mother, the key is to use a large mouth container so there is maximum surface area exposure to air; keep it covered, some fruit flies are okay because they usually have bacteria on them that contributes to inoculation. I read somewhere that it is better to ferment the apple juice all the way through to alcohol before adding the vinegar mother. The sugars in fruit first ferment to alcohol throught the activity of yeasts, then another bacteria (acetobacter) converts alcohol to vinegar; yeast is irrelevant in regards to making vinegar. Apples ferment fine without addition of yeasts. I have some mother available, but first juice and ferment your apples.
I am hoping to use up the dregs of our apple crop by making apple cider vinegar, and am wondering if anyone knows where I can get a mother? Or, I've heard that you can leave the strained juice covered with cheesecloth, and that it will turn to vinegar without adding yeast. Any tips from an experienced vinegar brewer? Thanks!