Q&A for How to Make Apple Cider Vinegar

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  • Question
    How can I mix apple cider vinegar with water?
    Community Answer
    You should add 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to a glass of warm water.
  • Question
    What are the differences between store bought apple cider vinegar and naturally prepared apple cider vinegar?
    Charlie Scheele
    Community Answer
    Most store bought apple cider vinegar is distilled. It does not have the "mother" bacteria, which gives the vinegar its healthful qualities.
  • Question
    Is apple cider alcoholic?
    Community Answer
    There are two types of apple cider. One is alcoholic, and the other is not.
  • Question
    Do we need to add any preservative to increase its shelf life? If so, how should this be done?
    Joseph Hendren
    Community Answer
    Not at all! One of the great things about apple cider vinegar that is homemade is that it'll last almost forever. Keep it in a lidded jar in the refrigerator and it will last longer than you could ever need it to.
  • Question
    Is it normal for the apple cider vinegar to form a circular opaque film at the top of the jar and then sink toward the bottom and reform another layer at the top? Should I stir it up or remove it?
    Joseph Hendren
    Community Answer
    It sounds like you've got a vinegar "mother" forming. You can leave this in the jar of vinegar, or take it out and store it. This will help jumpstart the fermentation of other batches of apple cider vinegar if you add it to the mixture when you first leave it to ferment.
  • Question
    How do I store apple cider vinegar to keep it from getting spoiled?
    Community Answer
    Keep it in the fridge, and close the lid tight. It's best to put a paper towel around the jar.
  • Question
    Should my container have small white bubbles on top of the water?
    Joseph Hendren
    Community Answer
    Absolutely! Bubbles are a sign that fermentation is happening. If you see bubbles forming on the apples or on the top of the jar, it just means that your cider is turning into vinegar.
  • Question
    How do I make coconut vinegar?
    Community Answer
    You can make vinegar by fermenting coconut water with yeast and sugar.
  • Question
    Can I make vinegar from tomatoes?
    Joseph Hendren
    Community Answer
    Making vinegar from tomatoes is absolutely possible, but will take much longer than apple cider vinegar. Mix 500 grams of chopped tomatoes and 1 liter of white vinegar in a glass and jar and let ferment for around 5 days, covered tightly with cheesecloth. Strain into a saucepan and add in 115 grams of caster sugar, cooking until combined. Leave the mixture to ferment for a further 3-6 months in a sealed glass jar. It should last for around 2 years.
  • Question
    Where can I buy apple cider vinegar?
    Community Answer
    You can buy apple cider vinegar at any local grocery stores.
  • Question
    Can I consume undiluted apple cider vinegar?
    Community Answer
    Drinking it raw can damage your esophagus, so you must dilute it.
  • Question
    This recipe is alcoholic or non alcoholic ACV?
    WikiContributor124
    Community Answer
    Since this recipe calls for fermenting the apples for 6 weeks, it will definitely contain some alcohol. Fermentation is what causes alcoholic beverages like beer and wine to contain alcohol so the same is happening here with the apples. However, the alcohol content will be very low, like the alcohol content in kombucha.
  • Question
    Can I make vinegar using yeast?
    Chandra Sanyal
    Community Answer
    You may use yeast. It makes cider quicker, but not as effectively as the natural method. Again, you cannot use bread yeast, it has to be the alcoholic brewer's yeast.
  • Question
    How do I use apple cider vinegar?
    Community Answer
    Apple cider vinegar has dozens of uses! It can serve as a cleaning product, facial toner, hair product, etc. You can do some online research to find out everything that ACV can be used for.
  • Question
    Do the apples have to be organic?
    Community Answer
    No, but organic apples will produce a healthier vinegar, as non-organic apples may contain pesticides that will stay in your vinegar.
  • Question
    Is it proper to add sugar to my apple cider vinegar?
    Joseph Hendren
    Community Answer
    Sugar will help the fermentation process happen much faster, but it isn't absolutely necessary. If you leave the apples to ferment for long enough without sugar, they will eventually make apple cider vinegar.
  • Question
    How much water do I need to make apple cider vinegar if I use 10 apples?
    Joseph Hendren
    Community Answer
    The amount of water you'll need will vary based on the size of the jar you are using to ferment the vinegar. For 10 apples, use around 2.4 liters or 2.5 quarts.
  • Question
    Is the layer of mold that forms on the water harmful? What color should it be?
    Joseph Hendren
    Community Answer
    A layer of gelatinous layer of bacteria may form over the top of the vinegar as it ferments. This isn't harmful. If any mold that is brown, black, grey or green begins to form on the top of the water, cider or vinegar, you should discard the whole jar and start again.
  • Question
    Can I use green apples to make apple cider vinegar?
    Community Answer
    Yes. The taste of your apple cider vinegar depends on what apples you use, and you can use any type. Unripe apples have less sugar than ripe apples, so the process may take a little longer (or you can just add more sugar).
  • Question
    What amount of apple cider vinegar should I drink daily?
    Community Answer
    Mix 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar with a glass of water (more than 1 TBSP can cause nausea); you can do this up to twice daily.
  • Question
    Is it necessary to just use cheese cloth?
    Community Answer
    It shouldn't be strained using anything metallic, but any other fabric will do as long as it's clean and doesn't allow any bits of apple into the jar.
  • Question
    Can I use a plastic jar for the apple cider vinegar if I don't have a glass jar?
    Community Answer
    No. you want to ferment in glass or ceramic, as ceramic is also glass. If you ferment in plastic, the plastic will leach into the fermentation as the acid from the vinegar eats away at it.
  • Question
    Can I blend the apple to get more surface area for the fermentation process?
    Community Answer
    Yes, you can cut the apples any way you choose, but the more surface area that is exposed, the faster the apples will ferment.
  • Question
    Is making apple cider vinegar profitable at a small business level?
    Community Answer
    Yes, but better to sell it yourself at a craft stall or foodie hall to get a good price. To give yourself a variety of products, try adding different herbs such as sprigs of rosemary or oregano after you have finished fermenting, and leave them to infuse for another two or three months.
  • Question
    What type of container should I use when storing large amounts of apple cider vinegar?
    Community Answer
    Glass or ceramic is safe. The acid can corrode metal or plastic.
  • Question
    Should I add more sugar to my apple cider vinegar after 2 to 3 weeks?
    Pete Storli
    Community Answer
    No. The sugar added initially is used to help the yeast get going faster. After things get 'cooking' (you should see bubbles rising) the sugar in the apples is used by the yeast (in the air). To ensure that the right yeast prevails, I add 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar to batch at the start. (This can be store-bought apple cider vinegar or from a previous batch.)
  • Question
    Do apples start fermenting automatically?
    Pete Storli
    Community Answer
    You can "ferment' them using only the water that they are submerged in, but it usually helps to add some sugar and apple cider vinegar.
  • Question
    Is it normal for vinegar to be very yeasty?
    Community Answer
    If by yeasty you mean bubbles are forming, or the apples appear a bit foamy, then yes. This is part of the process.
  • Question
    Should apples be submerged to make apple cider vinegar?
    Community Answer
    Yes, they have to be completely submerged. Or else, they will rot and spoil the whole process.
  • Question
    How important is darkness to fermentation?
    Community Answer
    It is not very important, it just has to not be in direct sunlight, so put it in a sunlight-free place.
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