SC - Vinegar/verjuice

[Lenny Zimmermann]

>From what I can tell looking through several different sources,
verjuice was pretty much a generic name for sour fruit juice. Usually
unripe grape juice, but I have seen mention of crabapples and
gooseberries used for that purpose as well. I often use a 1/2 and 1/2
mixture of Balsamic Vinegar and Red Wine Vinegar as a substitute. Not
quite the same, but still very tasty and certainly reminiscent of sour
fruit juice.

As for vinegar, I have not seen anything specific, that I can recall,
regarding its production in period. However, modern production as
practiced by home brewers or those who try their hands at it, seems
exceptionally likely that it was done this way in period. Name, take
your alcohol, usually wine, but meads and fruit wines besides the
usual grape wines will work just as well, and add the Mother of
Vinegar bacteria.

Mother of Vinegar is a pretty common bacteria and it is just as
possible that you might get some good results just letting an
un-sulfited wine sit out. (Not that I recommend this, mind you. I
suggest actually getting a cultivated culture of the bacteria to
ensure the proper results.I don't think anything harmful can grow in a
higher alcohol or acidic environment, but I could be wrong.) It looks
a bit nasty with that bacteria culture growing on top, but those
bacteria just love to undo what the yeast had previously done. 

I would assume that for any large scale productions most folks in
period would have probably used a cheap wine and maintained a
continuous culture of the bacteria by moving it into the next barrel
they wanted to start production in. Much like sourdough bread. 

I'd be really interested in knowing about any sources anyone comes up
with for this. Maybe I'll get back into brewing just so I can make
vinegar. I just don't think I have the patience to wait 20 years for a
good Balsamic vinegar to age in an oak cask, though, so I guess I'll
stick to buying that. ;-)

As a side note, I'm generally on the authenticity side of things but
I'm always interested in anyone's recipes, even if you only feel they
are period in style or just happen to find them great for SCA feast.
So there are more than a few of us out here who do not post often, but
are always willing to get what we can from the group. So please feel
free to POST THOSE RECIPES!!! And let me know if anyone gets too nasty
with ya'll about it. I'll be happy to let those folks know that some
of us appreciate the donations and that sharing and caring is what
this group is all about. :-)


Honos Servio,
Lionardo Acquistapace, Barony of Bjornsborg, Ansteorra
(mka Lenny Zimmermann, San Antonio, TX)
zarlor at acm.org