Geoffrey S. Mendelson wrote:

Correcting my own post:

>
> I'm not sure any of it will work. Wine vinegar is not made from wine,
> it's made by fermenting grape juice with bacteria instead of yeast,
> often by accident. :-)

It's actually made from low alchohol 8%-10% wine. More than that
will kill the bacteria, too little will produce no acetic acid.

Wine vinegar made by accident is produced when the bacteria takes
over after the yeast start production of alchohol. The yeast can't
live in the vinegar and die off before they convert all of the sugar
to alcohol. If you are very lucky, as the bacteria make vinegar, the
yeast continue to make alcohol until there is no sugar left.

The progression is sugar --> alcohol --> vinegar.

>
> If the wine has fermented to the point that it will kill yeast, won't
> it kill the bacteria?

Yes.

> If you have a very low alcohol wine, it might work.

Yes, 8-10%, UNSULFITED. The sulfites kill the bacteria, which is why they
were added in the first place.

Geoff.
--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 Fax ONLY: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/