How to Make Apple Cider Vinegar

I always make my own apple cider vinegar. It costs just pennies to make and keeps well and is one of my Autumn jobs. It’s easy to ferment and I make mine out of apple core and peel. Every Autumn I collect apples from our village orchard. I make Jams, Jellies and freeze apple slices to take me through the coming year. I hate waste, so I use all the peelings and cores to make my apple cider vinegar.

So here is how to apple cider vinegar.

Half fill a large jar with apple peels and cores, discard any bruised or rotten fruit. Make a solution to fill the jar using a ratio of 1 tablespoon of sugar per cup of water. Mix until sugar is dissolved and add to the jar to fill almost to the top. The apple needs to be below the water or your vinegar will spoil. I often put water in a freezer bag and knot it and push it into the neck of the jar as a weight.

Cover with a muslin , tea towel or similar and put in a dark place or 3 to 4 weeks stir daily.

Next strain your vinegar and discard the apple peel etc. and put the vinegar back in a clean jar, put the lid and leave for a further 2 weeks, opening and stirring every 3 or 4 days. You will notice a film beginning to develop on the top, don’t worry this is normal. It’s the mother, a bit like a scoby in Kombucha except you don’t save this one.

Strain the liquid through a fine muslin and then bottle in sterilized bottles with flip top lids that are used for beers and other fermented liquids. Label and it’s ready to use. Make a big batch and it will last all year until the following autumn when you make your next batch!