Starters

With a vinegar starter, also known as a mother of vinegar, you can easily make natural vinegar yourself. The live acetic acid bacteria convert alcohol into acetic acid, so you can make artisanal apple cider, wine or beer vinegar at home.

Buy a vinegar starter

With a vinegar starter, also known as a mother of vinegar, you can easily make natural vinegar yourself. A mother of vinegar contains live acetic acid bacteria that convert alcohol into acetic acid. This allows you to make delicious, artisanal vinegar at home in a controlled way.

What is a mother of vinegar?

A mother of vinegar is a living starter culture of acetic acid bacteria that convert alcohol into acetic acid. During this natural fermentation process, the characteristic fresh flavour of vinegar develops. The mother of vinegar looks like a gelatinous, cloudy layer that forms during fermentation and can keep on growing.

A healthy mother of vinegar can be used for several batches and is suitable for different types of vinegar. Whether you want to make apple cider vinegar, wine vinegar or beer vinegar, the acetic acid bacteria ensure that the alcohol is gradually converted into vinegar. This makes a mother of vinegar the basis for making artisanal vinegar yourself.

Making vinegar yourself

To make vinegar you need an alcohol-based liquid, such as apple cider, wine or beer. During fermentation, the mother of vinegar gradually converts the alcohol present into acetic acid. Depending on the temperature and the alcohol percentage, this process usually takes several weeks.

Is an apple cider vinegar mother only suitable for apple cider vinegar?

No. Although there are different types of vinegar mothers, in most cases the acetic acid bacteria are not tied to one specific type of vinegar. An apple cider vinegar mother can therefore also be used to make wine vinegar or beer vinegar, for example, as long as the base liquid contains enough alcohol. Conversely, a mother of vinegar from white wine vinegar can also be used perfectly well for apple cider vinegar. In most cases the difference in flavour is minimal or not even noticeable. Do bear in mind that a mother of vinegar from red wine or sherry may cause slight discolouration when it is used to make white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar. This means one active mother of vinegar is often suitable for several types of homemade vinegar. Read more about making vinegar yourself here.

Why choose a vinegar starter?

A professional vinegar starter contains active acetic acid bacteria that get fermentation going quickly and reliably. This makes the chance of a successful fermentation greater than when you start completely without a starter. In addition, after a successful fermentation you can often reuse the mother of vinegar for a next batch.