SC - Malt vinegar....not expert info

[Nick Sasso]

Adamantius was correct in that you do not ferment your 'wort' (barley malt tea) in making vinegar.  My experience has been that it makes very quickly wothout yeast....or in spite of it.

If doing intentional malt vinegar production, I would make a wort of about 1 gallon water to 1-1.25 lbs. (U.S.) malt extract.  Boil for 1 hour (more character and caramalization) and cool to room temperature as quickly and CLEANLY as practical. You can buy this at brewing stores in either liquid (like molasses) or dry.  The brand and variety is variable and will produce varied results.  Lllaglander is a dutch malt that is less fermentable and will likely give more malt character and residual sweetness to finished product (relatively).  

To this starter, I would add mother of vinegar and let 'ferment'/incubate for manufacturer's recommended time.  I've not ever used mother of vinegar, but it is most likely to give you a consistant and adequate innoculation of the right bacteria.  Make sure everything is scrupulously clean and sanitized all the way to adding the mother.

I give again the disclaimer that this is not researched or documented, but deduced from what I know about brewing and vinegaring.......smooshed together to this post.

happy hunting!

niccolo difrancesco
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
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