My local homebrew shop has cultures for red/white wine vinegar and
malt vinegar. Is there a difference? If so, what is it?

Does anyone have any recommendations?

I have been a homebrewer for about a decade, a winemaker for about a
year, but I have always wanted to try the home made vinegar thing. I
obviously have some prime stock to use and have heard the virtues of
homemade vinegar extolled for many years.

Thanks

JW

" wrote:
>
> My local homebrew shop has cultures for red/white wine vinegar and
> malt vinegar. Is there a difference? If so, what is it?
>
> Does anyone have any recommendations?

Do both cultures include eels? For first-rate
vinegar, you gotta have eels.

Quoting from:
http://www.star-k.org/kashrus/kk-palate-vinegar.htm

The last step of vinegar production is filtration
through diatomatious earth and/or mechanical
filters to remove any impurities. Vinegar filtration
is needed to remove unwelcome residents of vinegar
production, a roundworm known as vinegar eels.

What are vinegar eels? Vinegar eels are tiny round
worms that live in vinegar. They are usually
found in vinegar barrels and feed off the bacteria
that produce the vinegar. They are slender and
grow to a length of 1/16" to 3/8".

See pictures he
http://www.vinegarman.com/zoo_vinegar_eel.shtml

These are vinegar eels. They help make better vinegar
by eating the dead vinegar bacteria.

Quoting from:
http://www.fda.gov/ora/compliance_re...pg525-825.html

ADULTERATION WITH VINEGAR EELS

BACKGROUND:

Because some information which indicates that vinegar eels
aid in vinegar production, we do not believe the finding
of vinegar eels in a firm's bulk storage tanks or generators
should be considered as an objectionable condition unless
the firm's filtration system is not functioning or unless
the eels are present in the finished product.