On Mon, 11 Apr 2011 22:39:59 -0600, Dave Balderstone
> wrote:

>In article >, Ophelia
> wrote:
>
>> "Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > In article >,
>> > "Ophelia" > wrote:
>> >
>> >> Today I spotted pickling vinegar at the supermarket. I had a look and it
>> >> is
>> >> 6%. I suppose one needen't boil it down?
>> >>
>> >> --
>> > Boil it down to what end? It's stronger than most vinegar available
>> > here. I should think you could use it in any pickling recipe without
>> > concern for safety. What will you be pickling, Miss O?
>>
>> Ahh I didn't actually buy any because I have plenty of regular 5% malt
>> vinegar in my store. I saw it on a shelf of a store where one would not
>> normally see such a thing and it had a fancy label proclaiming it to be
>> 'Pickling Vinegar'! I was curious and had a look at it to see what it was.
>>
>> Just curiosity is all I had never seen that before.
>
>It's 7% here in Canada, but I don't use it for pickles. Tried it once
>and you'd be amazed at the difference those 2% make! Nasty...

7% is not all that common in my area of Southern Ontario and it is
much more expensive than the 5%. We have tried 7% in the past and
noticed little if any difference between it and the 5% so will never
pay extra for it again. 5% distilled white vinegar is cheaper than
water at Costco. Besides, most pickling recipes I've seen specify 5%.
We're talking 5% regular distilled white vinegar. "O" is talking malt
vinegar. At the price of malt vinegar around here, we'd have to up our
line of credit or re-mortgage the house to buy enough for a season's
worth of pickling.

Ross.