DIY Apple Cider Vinegar

Ingredients:

Apples: The amount of apples can vary. It also doesn’t need to be whole apples. You can use apple cores & scraps. You can also collect & freeze apple scraps overtime. Different varieties affect taste. I like to mix. Our trees are Gala, Honey Crisp, Granny Smith, & Red Delicious.

Non-chlorinated water: (filtered or well water) is best for fermentation projects.

Cane Sugar: I like organic but any sugar will work.

Apple Cider Vinegar ‘with the Mother’: I like Braggs but any brand will work

Glass Jar: This can be a small mason jar or a big 3 gallon crock. Just be certain to use glass.

Directions:

•Wash your apples using only water. If using whole apples go ahead & chop them up. Fill your jar approximately half full of apples. If you are using frozen scraps then be sure to thaw them in the fridge (warm temps are conducive to fermentation). Add at least some freshly chopped apples to your thawed scraps. This will add some live bacteria.

Who else can attest to the value of a 5 gallon bucket on a farm? We upcycle everyone that arrives!

•Add room temperature or warmer water until you reach a couple inches below the rim. The apples will expand & foam. Leave room to stir it comfortably without sloshing. If you are adding thawed apple scraps then be certain to use warmer water. You don’t want the mixture cold.

•Add the sugar depending on your water content. In the beginning it helps to measure out how much water you add. 1 TBS of sugar per 1 cup of water or 1 cup of sugar per 1 gallon of water.

•Note: Don’t worry too much about the sugar. It is eaten up by the bacteria & yeast. Honey does not work well as a substitute. The magic of fermentation will led to the creation of a SCOBY (the same friend we need for kombucha & sourdough!). A Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria and Yeasts.  The bacteria and yeasts feed on the sugar & the apples, converting it to alcohol then finally into acetic acid which is vinegar.

•Add the vinegar with the mother. Even if you have homemade I usually advise using store bought. It’s usually stronger & has a higher PH. This gets the process moving faster & inhibits mold growth. I like to add approximately half as much vinegar as I added sugar so for 1 gallon of water a 1/4- 1/2 cup of vinegar.

•Place your jars in a dark & warm-ish space (70-75 F is ideal). I use our pantry. Cover the top with a breathable material, but something with a tight enough weave to keep out fruit flies. I like coffee filters with a rubber band.

•This is when you have two choices.

The goal is to keep the apples from sitting at the surface for too long. Continuous contact with the air can lead to mold growth (mold growth means game over: throw it out & try again). There are two ways to avoid mold.

A) purchase fermentation weights that fit your glass container

B) commit to stirring the mixture once a day for 2 weeks.

Both of these methods work. Some of my large glass containers do not fit fermentation weights so I need another solution. Many homesteaders, making large quantities use the stirring method. It’s what I do.

•Whether you decide to use weights or stir daily, you will still need to keep an eye on the sugar. If it’s all settling to the bottom, you will need to stir it.

•In the next couple weeks, the mixture will get cloudy, sometimes brownish in color, & bubbles will form. A white sediment can emerge on the top. It’s okay to stir that back in. Anything fuzzy that resembles mold is a problem, but the rest are natural side effects of apple fermentation. By two weeks it’s normal to see apples sinking to the bottom.

•At two weeks, it’s time to strain the liquid. This is an easy job with a mason jar sample & a bit more challenging with 3 gallons. It’s important to use a fine mesh strainer. I prefer metal. Once you’re done you can compost the apples (or chickens like them).

•Take the remaining liquid & pour it into a clean glass container. If you have multiple jars going at once then you can combine the collected liquid into one jar at this point.

•Take your container & return it to a dark location (70 F or higher is best) & WAIT. What you have now is partially fermented weak apple cider. It will take months for the bacteria to continue to convert the sugars/alcohol into vinegar.

•You can taste test at 4-6 weeks & continue doing so until it is to your taste. If you want to be more scientific, ACV should have a PH of 2-3. You can use PH strips to test it.

Don’t be afraid if a SCOBY starts to form during the extra months of fermentation. When you do your final bottling you can pull it out. Chickens love them.

•When you’re done & the taste is to your liking, go ahead & bottle it for the final time. It is safe to store it in plastic containers or jugs. Or glass is great. It does not require refrigeration & is shelf stable for years. Mine never lasts that long, but popular opinion says 3-5 years.

•I recommend looking up the benefits of ACV for yourself, your family, your pets, your livestock & your chickens. In this post I discuss the many benefits Apple Cider Vinegar has for a flock of sheep.