Homemade apple cider grew a vinegar mother!

[Taedareth]

I was trying to make hard apple cider from fresh-pressed apple juice. I covered the jar loosely and set it in a cupboard, occasionally taking it out to sample. But instead of turning alcoholic, it just became less and less sweet until eventually it was vinegar and developed a culture that looks like a thin, whitish membrane.

Now what should I do? Will it keep forever or do I need to feed it fresh apple juice occasionally?

Oh and - why didn't it turn into hard apple cider??

[littlecityfarmer]

Do you use a lot of ACV, or do a lot of baking? You probably had the "wrong" yeast strains for hard cider. Wild yeast is funny, unpredictable stuff! How cool that it turned into good vinegar, though! I'm sure you can split the mother and inoculate other juice with it to extend the vinegar...

[mamadelbosque]

You know, the same exact thing happend to us... except we have like 4 gallons of vinegar now!! I think I'm going to skim the floaties off the top then bottle it in 1 gallon jugs! We're going to have to try a new method next year!!

[MoonStarFalling]

I don't know. I juice my apples and then put it in a jar in the fridge for a couple weeks. It starts turning in about 7 days.

[Taedareth]

Originally Posted by MoonStarFalling

I don't know. I juice my apples and then put it in a jar in the fridge for a couple weeks. It starts turning in about 7 days.

You've made hard cider that way? Hmm. I have several jars of apple juice that have been in the fridge for weeks (I juiced a big box of apples all at once). But they're still juice without a hint of alcohol. Apparently I just don't have the magic touch for making alcohol

[MoonStarFalling]

I think it has to do with whatever was on the peels when I juiced them. I know I'm not strict about washing. Or perhaps I get yeast in there from my kefirs or ktea. I'm not sure if the cider I froze will do the same thing. I'll have to wait and see.

[Hibou]

Sarah, do you have a copy of Carla Emery's Encyclopedia of Country Living? Given your recent post on Mrs. Beeton's mulled port beverage, and now this cider vinegar, I think you'd really find the book useful. Full of old-fashioned ideas (including things like vinegar and cider making).

[Taedareth]

Originally Posted by Hibou

Sarah, do you have a copy of Carla Emery's Encyclopedia of Country Living? Given your recent post on Mrs. Beeton's mulled port beverage, and now this cider vinegar, I think you'd really find the book useful. Full of old-fashioned ideas (including things like vinegar and cider making).

Great suggestion, thank you! It's been added to my Amazon wish list. I got the title off your blog the other day...

[Hibou]

Originally Posted by Taedareth

Great suggestion, thank you! It's been added to my Amazon wish list. I got the title off your blog the other day...

Lovely then. Thanks for visiting!