North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Michele Stanton" <6ducks@gmail.com>]

Hi all,

Do any of you make your own apple cider vinegar?

I am making some by default and could use the benefit of your experience.

I bought 1/2 gal of some locally made apple cider (non-alcoholic) a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving.  It had been minimally processed, and when I remembered about it a week ago, the plastic jug was bulging, and lo and behold, it was fermenting in the frig.  Smelled yeasty, sort of like beer.  I let the gasses escape, put the lid loosely on, and put it back in the frig until I could figure out how to make vinegar of it.  This morning after I'd downloaded vinegar-making instructions, I took it back out of the frig, and it now smells much more like wine....the yeasty odor is gone.

 

I didn't measure sugar content at the beginning, have no wine-making equipment handy, stored it in the frig, not at the recommended temperatures, didn't add yeast, etc., etc.---can I still make vinegar of it?  It was great apple cider, I hate to just throw it out.

Is the process fairly forgiving of less-than-ideal conditions?  Any suggestions?  I have canning equipment, etc., if needed.

 

Thanks,

Michele

SW Ohio

 

PS I'm not sure which apples were in the cider, the orchard from which it came grows more than 20 cultivars.