Ok, who makes vinegar here? What are some good sites to read about making
vinegar?

Thanks, Jon.

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on purpose? ;^) sorry, I couldn't resist...


"Jon Foster" wrote in message
...
Ok, who makes vinegar here? What are some good sites to read about making
vinegar?

Thanks, Jon.

--
Come visit us on the web!
http://www.largescale-trains.com
Home of the JJ&C Railroad

Yes, on purpose! But the trick is to keep it away from the vino you want to
save.

Jon.

--
Come visit us on the web!
http://www.largescale-trains.com
Home of the JJ&C Railroad

"bobdrob" wrote in message
. ..
on purpose? ;^) sorry, I couldn't resist...


"Jon Foster" wrote in message
...
Ok, who makes vinegar here? What are some good sites to read about
making
vinegar?

Thanks, Jon.

--
Come visit us on the web!
http://www.largescale-trains.com
Home of the JJ&C Railroad

Jon Foster wrote:
Ok, who makes vinegar here? What are some good sites to read about making
vinegar?

Thanks, Jon.

I've done it once.... just cover your fermenter with a pot lid instead
of with a cloth. A fruit fly or three will inoculate your must with
acetobactor and you're on your way to delicious wine vinegar. Best done
on batches of 1 or 2 gallons; that's pretty much a lifetime supply.

Tongue firmly in cheek

Gene

I am thinking of taking a magnum or two from various wines I have been
making and turning them into vinegar. I think I will buy the culture
though...just to have some sort of quality controll.

I make it and to be honest there isn't a lot out there that I have
found since it's so straightforward. There are lots of posts here
about it, do a search here first.

I started with a culture and am up to 5 gallon batches, people really
love homemade vinegar.

If you have a higher acid wine I prefer them for vinegar making;
stronger tasting wines make more interesting vinegar also.

The process I use is:

1 part culture

2 parts wine mixed with 1 part water, add to culture and expose to a
lot of air.

I use a carboy and 4 X gauze over the mouth, attached with a rubber
band.

Never make it near wine, I have this in a separate room.

Joe

Joe,
My 04 Zinfandel got oxidized (not entirely sure because no other batches did
and pot/ met. was the same) so I was considering turning them into vinegar
(what an expensive proposition). What are your thought about carrying out
the vinegar-making in my hot Georgia attic during the summer? Can you
actually go too far with vinegar?

My goal at some point (over several years of reduction in barrel) is to
mimic Balsamic vinegar since my 5 gallon barrel is losing it's oak character
and using cubes in conjunction seems like cheating. Time to buy a 10 or 15
gallon barrel, I suppose.

Patrick
"Joe Sallustio" wrote in message
ups.com...
I make it and to be honest there isn't a lot out there that I have
found since it's so straightforward. There are lots of posts here
about it, do a search here first.

I started with a culture and am up to 5 gallon batches, people really
love homemade vinegar.

If you have a higher acid wine I prefer them for vinegar making;
stronger tasting wines make more interesting vinegar also.

The process I use is:

1 part culture

2 parts wine mixed with 1 part water, add to culture and expose to a
lot of air.

I use a carboy and 4 X gauze over the mouth, attached with a rubber
band.

Never make it near wine, I have this in a separate room.

Joe

What are your thought about carrying out
the vinegar-making in my hot Georgia attic during the summer? Can you
actually go too far with vinegar?

That could be too hot; my attic gets over 120 F near the top, is yours
ventilated? If so you would probably be OK. Hotter is better to a
point; I'll look around in some references and repost temperature info.

If it's oxidized the sulfite is probably low which is good for vinegar.
You can't go too far with vinegar, the bacteria just converts the
alcohol to acetic.

My goal at some point (over several years of reduction in barrel) is to
mimic Balsamic vinegar since my 5 gallon barrel is losing it's oak character
and using cubes in conjunction seems like cheating. Time to buy a 10 or 15
gallon barrel, I suppose.

That barrel does other things too though, it can still concentrate your
wine even if it doesn't add the oak character anymore. I have a 5
gallon I'm working through mellowing and believe me I have thought
about consigning it to vinegar making more than once...

Balsamic is not made this way, they boil white must to concentrate the
sugars and then they let it go to vinegar.

I feel your pain on the Zin but if it becomes good vinegar you didn't
waste your time on it... Homemade vinegar is _really_ tasty; I make way
too much and it goes pretty fast.

Joe

I picked up a bottle of Mother of Vinegar for cider from my local brew shop
and the label says to keep it in the 80 to 90 degree range (Fahrenheit).

Jon.

--
Come visit us on the web!
http://www.largescale-trains.com
Home of the JJ&C Railroad

"patrick mcdonald" wrote in
message ...
Joe,
My 04 Zinfandel got oxidized (not entirely sure because no other batches
did
and pot/ met. was the same) so I was considering turning them into vinegar
(what an expensive proposition). What are your thought about carrying out
the vinegar-making in my hot Georgia attic during the summer? Can you
actually go too far with vinegar?

My goal at some point (over several years of reduction in barrel) is to
mimic Balsamic vinegar since my 5 gallon barrel is losing it's oak
character
and using cubes in conjunction seems like cheating. Time to buy a 10 or 15
gallon barrel, I suppose.

Jon
That sounds about right, it really takes off if it's on the warm side.
It's kind of funny but if it's too cool nothing much happens. If I did
the same thing to a wine accidentally though, look out...

Joe