Homebrewed Vinegar: How to Ferment 60 Delicious Varieties, Including C

Description

Apple cider vinegar has a long history as a folk remedy for a variety of health conditions and, as a result, has achieved something akin to cult status among natural health enthusiasts. But many people don’t realize that there is a whole world of options beyond store-bought ACV or distilled white vinegar. In fact, vinegar can be made from anything with fermentable sugar, whether leftover juicing pulp or brown bananas, wildflowers or beer. With her in-depth guide, Kirsten K. Shockey takes readers on a deep dive into the wide-ranging possibilities alive in this ancient condiment, health tonic, and global kitchen staple. In-depth coverage of the science of vinegar and the basics of equipment, brewing, bottling, and aging gives readers the foundational skills and knowledge for fermenting their own vinegar. Then the real journey begins, as the book delves into the many methods and ingredients for making vinegars, from apple cider to red wine to rice to aged balsamic. Along the way, Shockey shares insights into vinegar-making traditions around the world and her own recipes for making vinegar tonics, infused vinegars, and oxymels. Review: excellent book :: must have - excellent book :: must have Review: Thorough and Inspiring - I’ve been floundering with making good stable vinegar from watching videos of people wildcrafting it without much scientific, or concrete and reliable, methods. I had to throw out over 40 gallons of vinegar (I was using 5 gallon buckets for some batches) simply because I didn’t start with enough sugar and the resulting vinegar was dangerously weak, or it started turning to water because didn’t bottle it in a timely manner, or I left the mother in it, or too much air in the bottle, etc. I felt like I was reinventing the wheel and fumbling through something that shouldn’t be so difficult if only I had basic information and guidelines. This book is thorough and helpful for someone that wants to wildcraft their vinegar without using special equipment. She covers troubleshooting problems and explaining how to avoid common mistakes. It also includes info on how to test vinegar for safety. Now I have over 20 gallons brewing and I am confident I will finally have a lot for gifting. The author includes a lot of good recipes and creative yummy ideas. I was disheartened after the loss of so much hard work and it was stressful to not have definitive ways of knowing when my vinegar was done and safe to consume. This book was a game changer and I am happily back at pursuing one of my favorite things: countertop cultivation. Bon appetit.