Step 1

Apples: Any variety of apple will work including crab apples. How sweet or sour the apple is will affect the flavor of the final vinegar.You can use the flesh of the apple chopped up or all parts of the apple such as the skin and core. The apple pieces or scraps can be fresh or previously frozen.Cut out any worm holes or bad spots. No need to pick out the seeds if there are any.

Step 2

Jar: Wash the glass jar in hot soapy water, sterilization is not required.

Step 3

Fill: Add the apples into the jar, no need to pack them down. Fill the jar anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 full.

Step 4

Sugar: Add the given amount of sugar into the jar with the apples. QUART JAR (975 ml) 2-4 tablespoons (25-50g)½ GALLON JAR (2 liters) ¼ - ½ cup (50-100g)1 GALLON JAR (3.8 liters) ½ - 1 cup (100-200g)If substituting the cane sugar with honey or maple syrup, use ½ to ¾ the amount of the cane sugar measurement.

Step 5

Water: Pour room temperature water over the apples and fill the remainder of the jar.

Step 6

Stir: Give the mixture a stir with a utensil or chopstick. Any remaining sugar granules will dissolve by the next day. Do not worry if the apples float up.

Step 7

Cover: Place a breathable cover over the jar opening such as a paper towel or coffee filter. Secure it with a rubber band. Place a label on the jar of the start date.

Step 8

Set: Place it on a countertop out of direct sunlight and stir it everyday to every other day until it's time to strain the apples. Regular stirring will prevent mold and kahm yeast.

Step 9

Allow the apple/sugar/water mixture to sit on the counter for at least 3 weeks, up to 6 weeks maximum.

Step 10

Phase 1: After about a week the mixture will become bubbly and there may be a scent of alcohol. Note: In phase 1, the natural yeasts are the main players of the show. The yeasts consume the sugar including the natural fruit sugar of the apples or juice and release carbon dioxide and alcohol as their by products. The C02 production is responsible for the bubbles and the alcohol is responsible for the scent. This phase can vary, lasting up to 2 or 3 weeks at most. Once the sugar has been consumed, the yeasts begin to die off which is the cause of the bubbles fading away. By the end of the entire fermentation process there is no more sugar remaining because the yeasts consumed it all.

Step 11

Phase 2: In phase 2 a bacteria called Acetobacter takes over. This bacteria is naturally present in the air, floating all around us. The Acetobacter find their way into the jar of apples. They don't feed on sugar the way yeasts do. Instead, the Acetobacter food is the alcohol that the yeasts created during phase 1.The Acetobacter feed on the alcohol and release acetic acid as their byproduct. By the end of phase 2, there is no more alcohol remaining since the Acetobacter consumed it all. After a month, what remains is water & acetic acid, that’s your vinegar!

Step 12

Note: The 2 phases of vinegar fermentation are not a hard line, rather they are a gradual transition from one into the other therefore there is overlapping.

Step 13

Somewhere between days 21-30 there should be no more bubbles and the smell of alcohol should be gone, replaced with the smell of sour-ness or acidity. The apples may have also sunk the bottom of the jar. A sediment at the bottom of the jar is also normal.

Step 14

PH Test: Take a PH reading to ensure the vinegar has the correct PH. It should be at least 4.0 and preferably 3.0 to 3. If the PH is above 4.5 then the fermentation process was not successful and the apple mixture is not safe to consume. Discard it if the PH is above 4.5.If the PH is lower than 3.0 that is ok, however it may be unpalatable due to being so acidic.

Step 15

Strain: Pour off the apples through a mesh strainer into a new clean jar. Press down on the apples in the strainer to work out the remaining liquid. Discard the apples when done.

Step 16

Taste Test: Taste the vinegar. You will be pleasantly surprised how much more appley and better tasting it is than the store vinegars!

Step 17

To make sure that the vinegar is positively done with phases 1 & 2, place the breathable cover back on the jar and allow it to sit on the countertop for an additional 2 weeks. During this time, no stirring or watching is needed.

Step 18

After the additional 2 weeks have passed, remove the breathable cover and replace it with a regular lid, securely tightened on the jar. Note: Metal lids tend to corrode over time, therefore it is recommended to use a plastic lid or wooden/plastic cork if applicable.

Step 19

Place the vinegar in the pantry or cupboard where you’d normally store any other type of vinegar. Vinegar can last for several years!