Seeking advice on my ACV

[Boogity]

I'm attempting to make apple cider vinegar for the first time.

Last week I was finishing up on the apple harvest here at PlayStation to get ready for tree pruning. I picked two bushel of stragglers and many were not good quality and set them on a picnic table in the yard. This morning I selected about 30 or 40 of the apples, cored them, quartered them, and ran them through a food processor until mushy. I had to add about 3 oz. of water to each processor batch (quart or so) to keep the sauce working.

I poured the bucket-full of mash into an old (clean) pillow case and squeezed until I got about 1 1/2 gallons of liquid in a 2 gallon stainless steel pan. I put the pan in our mud room to become vinegar. I have it covered with the stainless steel lid that came with the pan. The lid is not tight fitting.

Just a few minutes ago I went out to pour the remains of the mash on the compost pile. But something inside me told me to take about two cups of the mash and put it into the liquid in the jug. I guess I thought that it needed more apple solids in the batch. Duh!

My questions are . . .
1. Should the liquid be brown?
2. Did I make a mistake by adding the solids?
3. Should I keep the batch in a warm place - a cool place?
4. Should the place be dark?

Any other advice is welcome.

Thanks,
Larry

 

[journey11]

Hi Boogity,

I have a batch of ACV that's been going for about 2 weeks now. One thing importantly I would mention is that you don't want a tight fitting lid on it. It needs air to work. Get an old t-shirt or bedsheet and use that to cover the bucket (use string, bungee, rubberband to hold it on tight.) The fruit flies will try to get into it, that's why you want to cover it tightly. Cheesecloth will not work, they can get through that. But still the bacteria need air to work.

I am not sure if stainless steel is ok. I know aluminum is not. Maybe someone else can weigh in on that. You don't want trace metals in your ACV. Glass or ceramic crock is best.

The liquid will be brown, that is normal.

The solids aren't necessary. I would filter them out.

Put it in a dark, room temperature place (I put mine in a kitchen cabinet.)

You need to get it out and stir it every day to give it more oxygen. The bacteria will feed on the sugars and produce alcohol first. It will become hard cider (strong stuff!) then it will go to vinegar. Takes about 3-4 weeks.

Here's a good how-to article on it: http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/how_to_make_apple_cider_vinegar.html

 

[Beekissed]

Ditto!

 

[VickiLynn]

Oops

I guess I'll go now and stir my vinegar that has been sitting unstirred for the past two weeks. I knew that seemed too easy.

 

[Beekissed]

Don't worry, Vicki! I didn't stir mine once....it took a little longer but it still made it to vinegar!

 

[FarmerDenise]

I strained the solids out after a day or so, I think. I tried to remember to stir it. It is not an exact science, or I would fail
In the end you will probably want to filter it again through a fine cloth to get more of the solids. Mine ended up being a beautiful clear applejuice colored vinegar. I get a little sediment on the bottom and once in a while I have a little bit of mother floating on top. It is a slimy looking glob. I save those in a jar of apple juice in the cupboard for future use.

The skins on the apples carry the yeastie beasties for making hard cider, wich turns to vinegar. So it does help to put those in your liquid.

 

[colowyo0809]

I strained the solids out after a day or so, I think. I tried to remember to stir it. It is not an exact science, or I would fail
In the end you will probably want to filter it again through a fine cloth to get more of the solids. Mine ended up being a beautiful clear applejuice colored vinegar. I get a little sediment on the bottom and once in a while I have a little bit of mother floating on top. It is a slimy looking glob. I save those in a jar of apple juice in the cupboard for future use.

The skins on the apples carry the yeastie beasties for making hard cider, wich turns to vinegar. So it does help to put those in your liquid.

what precisely is mother?

 

[ORChick]

I strained the solids out after a day or so, I think. I tried to remember to stir it. It is not an exact science, or I would fail
In the end you will probably want to filter it again through a fine cloth to get more of the solids. Mine ended up being a beautiful clear applejuice colored vinegar. I get a little sediment on the bottom and once in a while I have a little bit of mother floating on top. It is a slimy looking glob. I save those in a jar of apple juice in the cupboard for future use.

The skins on the apples carry the yeastie beasties for making hard cider, wich turns to vinegar. So it does help to put those in your liquid.

what precisely is mother?

FarmerDenise just told you - it is a slimy looking glob!

From http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-mother-of-vinegar.htm:

"Mother of vinegar is actually a cellulose substance made up of various Acetobacter, a very acidic strain of bacteria. The Acetobacter combine with the oxygen in warm air to cause fermentation in apple cider, wine, or other alcoholic liquids to produce vinegar."