Lobster Man wrote:
>
> I'm thinking about trying my hand at making my own vinegar.
>
> Just wondering if anyone here has tried this and if they
> have any stories to share.

Here's what it says in _Fish_Cookery_ by Spencer and Cobb
(Little, Brown, and Company, 1927), pages 346-348:

"According to the amount of fruit, choose earthen
or glass vessel to contain it with the added water.
Wide-mouth glass jars, half gallons, or larger
crocks are the best. Use no metal containers.
Casks or small barrels are used by those going
into it on a large scale, but the amateur had
better try her hand first with the smaller amount.
Besides, unless one has a quantity of spoiled cider
or wine, the average person has only a small amount
of fruit fermenting at a time. When a jar of
fruit is opened and found 'working,' or little
odds and ends of stewed fruit accumulate, place
them in a half gallon or quart jar and add as much
water as fruit. Tie a cloth over the mouth and
put in warm place. In summer it works well in a
sunny place, in winter somewhere near the stove,
or where a temperature of around 70F may be
obtained. If kept in a cellar at around 50F
it is very slow in fermenting. Then add half
a yeast cake; placed on a bit of toast and
removed later it will soon start the fluid
working. Once it has begun to work it commences
to shoot up little bubbles and 'sings' merrily."

[. . .]

"The first stage of development produces alcohol
and if this is poured off into bottles after
'singing' has ceased the result will be wine.
After standing awhile longer, the acetic acid
stage is developed and the alcohol changes
into vinegar. Then the 'mother,' a gelatinous
cake, forms and the vinegar may be carefully
strained off and bottled or put in jars and
corked tight."

"The richer the fruit in sugar, the stronger
the vinegar. Allowing it to stand for two or
three months before using improves the bouquet.
Vinegar of this sort, the source of which is
known, may be used instead of lemon juice in
mayonnaise making and in salads and sauces of
all kinds."

"To make vinegar quickly it must be placed
in a warm place to ferment and the larger the
surface exposed to the air, the quicker it
will reach the acetic acid stage. If the
container is placed in a warm closet where
there is some real vinegar, in an open
container, it will become quickly impregnated
from the latter and will rapidly go through
the stage of alcohol and arrive at the
acetic acid or vinegar stage. The bacteria
from the real vinegar will attack the new
at the alcohol stage at once and the
development of 'mother' will occur very
quickly. Or to place some of the 'mother'
in the liquid at the alcoholic fermentation
stage induces the acetous fermentation by
the alcohol becoming oxidized, and acetic
acid or vinegar is the result of that
process."

"Vinegar may be made from the parings of
apples or other fruit, the easier way being
to cover them with cold water, boil down
as if for jelly, then let it drip through
a coarse strainer. To each gallon of juice
add a cup of sugar or syrup, put it in a
crock in a warm place and fermentation will
take place as described."

"When made of jam, jelly, or canned fruit
which has slightly 'spoiled' it will
require the addition of no sugar and the
amount of water should be slightly more
than the amount of fruit for a strong
vinegar."

"It makes no difference from what kind of
fruit vinegar is made, whether it be from
bright red berries or pale-colored fruit,
for as it ages the bright color fades or
the light color deepens, and it all takes
on the light-brown color of vinegar."

* * *

Say thank you to this woman:
http://content.lib.washington.edu/cg...&CISOPTR=45239