Apple Cider Vinegar - Homemade

1. In a large clean glass jar place all your clean apple scraps. Whatever the size of the jar it should be filled to half with your scraps.
2. The remainder of the container should be filled up with room temperature filtered water, making sure to use a measuring cup to track the amount of water you use.
3. Now add 1 tablespoon of cane sugar for every cup of water you added to the jar. ex: 6 cups water = 6 tablespoons cane sugar
4. Stir your mixture really well with a clean wooden spoon until all the sugar has dissolved.
5. To kick start your batch you can add a few tablespoons of finished apple cider vinegar. This step isn't necessary but it can help prevent the formation of mold.
6. Now cover your apple cider vinegar with a clean breathable material, such as a lint free tea towel, old pillow case or even coffee filter. I find the reusable bamboo paper towels work well. Tie or use an elastic to keep the cloth in place and any fruit flies out. Do not use cheese cloth as fruit flies can enter through the cloth.
7. Now place your apple cider vinegar in a dark warm location that is around 70 - 75 degrees F, if possible.

1. For the first two weeks you will need to stir the mixture well with a clean wooden spoon. This helps to prevent mold.
2. During this time you will notice the apples will turn brown and the liquid will become cloudy. Small bubbles should appear and will begin to smell like hard apple cider. A layer of yellowish-white settlement may settle on the bottom of the jar. This is all normal and good.
3. If any fuzzy, green or white raised mold on the surface is not good, but this rarely happens.
4. After two weeks of stirring it is time to strain your ACV.
5. Use a fine mesh strainer and strain into a clean large bowel. Now you can compost the apple scraps.
6. Pour the ACV vinegar liquid into a clean glass container and cover as you did before.
7. Continue to ferment.
8. Store again in a dark warm area for at least a month or longer. The bacteria will continue to convert the sugar to alcohol to acetic acid, creating vinegar.
9. After a month has passed give it a taste test. If it tastes plenty vinegary for your liking you can move to the next step. If not allow to ferment longer.
10. When in doubt you can use these simple PH test strips. Finished ACV should have a PH of 2-3.
11. Once it reaches the perfect fermentation level transfer the apple cider vinegar into bottles with tight fitting lids for storage. You can use old acv bottles or store it in swing top kombucha bottles.
12. As an acidic concoction, homemade apple cider vinegar does not have to be refrigerated for safety-sake. It is best to be stored in a relatively cool, dark place.
13. If you decide to refrigerate it the bacteria activity will slow down and prevent the vinegar from fermenting beyond this point.
14. Most people enjoy their ACV cold but even stored at room temperature, homemade ACV will stay good for up to five years. The quality and flavor will best though within the first two years.

*Wash your jar in hot soapy water and rinse well, then clean it with vinegar.

*Never use a metal spoon as the metal can react and kill your fermentation.

*From beginning to finish your ACV can take from 2 - 3 months before bottling.

*Sometimes a Scoby layer can develop on top of your liquid, a layer of Scoby is a thin smooth off white membrane made up of accumulated beneficial bacteria and yeast. It is normal and harmless. You can just discard it when you are ready to bottle your ACV.

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