Making Red Wine Vinegar at home

Leftover wine?  Wine corked when you opened it?  Put that wine to good use and make your own Red Wine Vinegar!  Follow these easy steps and you'll have delicious homemade vinegar in no time!

What you'll need:

1. Oak barrel (if you want to be fancy) or any wide mouthed glass vessel or plastic bucket

*Vinegar fermentation is an aerobic process, meaning it requires the presence of oxygen.  The more oxygen it is exposed to, the faster the process.

2. Red wine vinegar mother (you can get this from any bottle of organic vinegar or 

at your local wine supply store)

3. Red wine

4. Cheesecloth 

5. Large rubber band

*The ratio you want is three parts red wine to every one part vinegar mother and one part water

Pour three parts red wine into barrel

Pour one part water filtered (distilled is best) water into the barrel

Add the vinegar mother, cover with the cheesecloth to keep out flies and particles and secure it with the rubber band around the mouth of the vessel

Store in a warm dark place for roughly 4 weeks in winter, 2 in summer.  Don't worry about leaving it for too long, it'll be fine as it is a stable product.  Taste it and monitor its progress.  If you observe a thick film on the surface, this is the "mother".  It is edible and nutritious.  If it has sunken, the vinegar "mother" is dead.  You can then either strain it or consume it with the vinegar.  

Enjoy!