Applecider vinegar mother | tested and safe

Make your own live raw apple cider vinegar with our apple cider vinegar mother.

What is apple cider vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar is a vinegar made from fermented apple juice (cider). It is used in salad dressings, marinades, vinaigrettes, food preservatives and chutneys. Apple cider is made by crushing apples and then squeezing out the juice. Yeast are added to the liquid to start the alcoholic fermentation process, which converts the sugars into alcohol. In a second fermentation step, the alcohol is converted into vinegar by acetic acid-forming bacteria (Acetobacter). Apple cider vinegar therefore no longer contains alcohol. Acetic acid and malic acid work together to give vinegar its sour taste.

What is a vinegar mother?

A vinegar mother consists of cellulose and acetic acid bacteria. It is very similar to a kombucha or jun SCOBY and also has a similar effect. If you add it to wine, cider or other low-alcohol liquids, the microorganisms in the mother convert the drink into vinegar. Although it does not look appetizing, vinegar mother is completely harmless, in fact it forms the basis for delicious homemade vinegar!

Can I make other vinegars with this mother?

Yes, you can, but make use of an ‘spare mother’ that arises automatically after your first batch of apple cider vinegar. Then start with a small portion of the other liquid (such as white wine) so that the mother can get used to the other beverage. Slowly change the ratio between apple juice / cider and the other liquid.

Buying a safe and tested vinegar mother

You can also get a vinegar mother from a friend. But, you never know what quality is and how safe it is. Therefore, you may prefer to get it from a reliable source. Our mothers are organic, tested and guaranteed pathogen-free!

Contents

• 1 live apple cider vinegar with 100 ml apple cider vinegar starter liquid
• Enough for the rest of your life!
• Shelf life is approximately 1 year.
• Store at room temperature

How do I make my own apple cider vinegar?

Tools

• glass jar with wide opening of about 1 liter
• a cloth or piece of kitchen paper
• an elastic band

Ingredients

Your starter is meant to make 1 liter of raw apple cider vinegar. Don’t worry though; the mom grows pretty fast, so you’ll be making a lot more in no time.

• Your starter
• 1 liter of the best possible apple juice

Steps

1. Put your vinegar mother with the starter liquid in your jar
2. Fill with the apple juice or apple cider. Use the best apple juice you can find, with as few additives as possible.
3. Seal the jar with a cloth.
4. Allow to ferment at room temperature for at least 8 weeks. The fermentation into alcohol will spontaneously pass through yeasts present in the air. If you use apple cider, the fermentation will go much faster.
5. After 8 weeks, the vinegar will be cloudy and should no longer taste sweet or alcoholic. Presumably a new mother has formed on the surface.
6. If necessary, wait a few more weeks.
7. Strain the apple cider vinegar and put it in a bottle before use.
8. Keep at least 100 ml + the mother for the next batch.

Buying a apple cider vinegar mother?

Order it at startercultures.eu, the European webshop for all your fermentation needs. By Meneer Wateetons, renowned Dutch fermentation expert and author. Order on weekdays before  3 pm and we’ll ship the same day.  Questions on the usage of the apple cider vinegar mother? Ask them in our chat, we’re here to help!

Online course ‘how to make vinegar at home’

Learn to Make Your Own Vinegar with culinary writer Meneer Wateetons. Making vinegar is a true celebration for fermentation enthusiasts. Yeast turns sugar into alcohol, and acetic acid bacteria transform that alcohol into acetic acid — a double fermentation process! Once you understand how this works, and how to harness the power of these microorganisms, you’ll be able to create your own vinegar in endless variations. From red to white, from cider to sherry, and even balsamic. For the more adventurous, the course even covers how to make innovative vinegars such as tea, kombucha, or even coffee vinegar (!). Click here for more info.