I decided to start another thread on the subject. I had a vinegar mother given to me last year, feed it and feed it again on and off, never giving it much thought. It grew , looked like after birth, or something similar. It sunk down in the jar and I was thinking it had died. pic to follow.
pickles7,
Oct 2, 1:47am
pic no 1 http://images. trademe.co.nz/photoserver/10/106971810_full. jp g
pickles7,
Oct 2, 1:54am
This morning I made up a tin of apple cider, I added 1800 grams of sugar. In total 24 liters of water. I am using an old beer brewing barrel. The Specifid gravity is 1040, should give a alcohol of 6 % in 6-10 days. Specific gravity should come down to 1000. wine yeast and a pkt of yeast food was added. I put on an air lock. I have it sitting on a heat pad. It came out of a foot warmer, boot type. 2 temps. I have it on the coolest temp setting. I won't need to dilut this to make my vinegar, 6% is fine. I will be able to check it with a vinometer, on completion of brewing the cider.
pickles7,
Oct 2, 2:17am
I have now revived it putting it in a new jar of 2 parts white wine 1 part water. The same day I put the same wine water mixture in a dark bottle and added 4 Tablespoons of raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar with "The Mother. Two days on and it has a nice Mother growing, arround a teaspoon size. I will post a pic as soon as I get one.
pickles7,
Oct 2, 6:49pm
This morning I jumped up and took a look at the must. Nothing has happened over night. I gave it a good stir up. That may help. I will get a turbo yeast going in a jar. That has a higher alcohol tolerance, that is what I am looking for.
pickles7,
Oct 2, 8:46pm
no need for the turbo yeast, thank goodness I did not open a new satchet of it. I will put a pic up now of the new vinegar mother, # 5. http://images. trademe.co.nz/photoserver/40/107315840_full. jp g
pickles7,
Oct 3, 10:20pm
This morning I checked to see if all is progressing well. Didn't disturb, as all is good. My new vinegar mother is doing well. I am going to clean out an old black brewing barrel, I have been using in the garden to put the cider in, to turn into vinegar. Vinegar mother likes it in the dark.
buzzy110,
Oct 4, 3:29am
Pickles, that is very interesting. Just a pity I couldn't understand a word of it. lol. Actually I know about the Mother in cider vinegar and I know about the Must that comes from grapes when making wine. The Must is brilliant for cooking proper sausage in. Just thought I'd like to share. I would be interested in making Cider vinegar this year but it looks very technical. So what materials do I need to gather together to be 'ready' for kick off?
pickles7,
Oct 4, 5:33am
Hibuzzy not hard at all. You need to make cider first, then vinegar. I got my mother from adding raw cider vinegar in with some white wine and water. In less than 1 week it is smelling just like vinegar tasting like vinegar. I have 30 bottles of wine I intend to turn into vinegar that I made last year. It is the alcohol that is turned into vinegar.
pickles7,
Oct 4, 8:12pm
This morning I took a look at my cider brewing away. The dog was nutting off at the sounds coming from the brewing vessel. I have poured three bottles of my home brewed wine, 2 bottles of water into a large clean vessel along with 5 Tablespoons of raw cider vinegar. I put a clean cotton bit of material over with an elastic band on to hold. That is going to sit in my airing cupboard. Dark and warm.
buzzy110,
Oct 4, 9:38pm
Pickles that is brilliant. However, I don't know a thing about making anything like cider and stuff. Can you recommend a good link with step by step instructions for dummies. Hopefully it will also include all the materials I will need such as brewing barrel (size), one way valves, types of bottles, sorts of sugars, yeast, etc. I do the sourdough thing am wondering if the yeast filled hooch wouldn't work well to start the fermentation process. Remember I only have till my apples ripen at the end of summer and I need to be prepared.
buzzy110,
Oct 4, 9:41pm
Oh and by the way - your Mother looks disgusting. lol. Will I have to grow something like that?
pickles7,
Oct 4, 10:39pm
my mother is lovely. I am happy to keep her pickled. If you think she is nasty , go look at google images of vinegar mothers. lol. You tube is very good, to find out stuff, I use it heaps. watch it being done. I have made wine for years now. I thought there would have been others who would have come on this journey with me. So far it has been easy, to get a vinegar mother growing. Having all the gear , I should make 23 liters of cider vinegar for just under 50cents a liter. Brewed the proper way. Next year I will juice my own apples.
pickles7,
Oct 5, 7:01pm
This morning I tasted the brew I put down with the fruit flies, on the 29th September. tasted sour, I expect it will turn into vinegar, probably would have even without the flies. The bottle with the banana skin in is out side , I will go look at that later. Said to leave it for two weeks.
pickles7,
Oct 5, 7:22pm
gee I have to go out side next. brrrrrrrrr. The cider is blurping flat out. The other jar I put the 50/50 wine and water in with the raw cider vinegar has a thin blanket, over the bottom. I will share a site I cannot tear myself from at times, it is;http://oneblockdiet. sunset.com/2008/04/
pickles7,
Oct 6, 6:56pm
This morning I could hear the blurping, as I went past the laundry. Still going very fast. Starting to wish I used tourbo yeast, it would have been done by now.
pickles7,
Oct 6, 8:56pm
I have had a look at the banana skin, water and sugar brew in the glass house. mmmmm just looks merky, no flies, dosn't smell. T
pickles7,
Oct 6, 9:11pm
the other jar with the flies in is a bit cloudy. Not intending to use , just curious
buzzy110,
Oct 7, 1:02am
Your cryptic posts are keeping me enthralled pickles. Just wish I knew what it was you were talking about.
davidt4,
Oct 7, 2:50am
for buzzy110 Here is a link to a clear description of the vinegar-making process. It's very simple... . http://www.vinegarma- n.com/VinegarMaking. shtml
pickles7,
Oct 7, 2:52am
yep I guess you are a bit confused, then.
buzzy110,
Oct 7, 3:58am
thank you david. That page is bookmarked already for me when my apples ripen up.
pickles7,
Oct 7, 4:28am
lol buzzy that site is one of many. Not one, I came across. I found it easier to start mine from making apple cider from a tin. No messing around. No wild yeasts, clean n easy. 23 liters no fuss. I do intend to make up a beer as well, It is better that it is made without the hops. I will malt my own barley, that will be another thread. Mind you I am lucky I have been making wines for years. Never had one turn to vinegar though.
pickles7,
Oct 7, 5:17am
no need tobuya bookbuzzy. so very easy really. First, make the alcohol, Make sure the alcohol is arround6%. under and it will not be safe to use as a preservitive. over, and the vinegar mother may die. I will test mine after I have made it for acidity, as I am making vinegar, to make sauce. It has to be right.
pickles7,
Oct 7, 8:29pm
This morning I could hear my cider brewing as I passed the laundry. I haven't opened the lid for a while now. I tend to leave well alone once fermentation has started, keeps it clean. The jar [ pics 2 & 3 ] with the original mother in has a nice white film over the top. I will get a pic later. Fruit flies jar is not doing a thing, got to thinking they had clean feet. The jar I put vinegar, water and raw cider vinegar in has continued togrow its own mother well. The jar in the hot water cupboard is not doing much yet, maybe the amount of raw cider was not enough for the volume of alcohol, 3 of wine to 2 of water, my wine tested out to be 14% when I bottled it last year. Really needed another bottle of water, I will have to look for something bigger. geez hubby is getting a bit titchy. Didn't like " bigger"lol.
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