[Sca-cooks] Making vinegar?

[Robert Dunn]

Glad to see I'm not alone in my madness of vinegar making!

There are a lot of sources for vinegar making from the 1700-1800  
period, but prior to that I haven't had much luck with primary sources.

I found a French encyclopedia of mechanical processes from 1789(ish- 
it's downstairs right now) which stated that  those who entered the  
Corporatif du Maitres Vinegriers were sworn to secrecy.  So much for  
getting first-hand accounts of the Orleans method.

There are several online sources in GoogleBooks that detail production  
methods from Orleans to the Pasteur process.  Try searching for  
"treatise vinegar manufacture."

There is however the Qi Min Yao Shu, a multi volume work from China in  
the  3rd(?) century which contains methods for making 22 types of  
vinegar.  I have yet to find a translation, later edition, etc near me.


I'm actually entering my first vinegar (alegar) today at the St.  
Eligius event in Dragonship Haven, EK.

I made a brown ale based on a narrative from Digby, an alegar in an  
oak cask (Orleans Method) from the brown ale, and a horseradish sauce  
using the alegar I made instead of vinegar.

Bob
Thomas of Silverwood


On Nov 13, 2009, at 2:42 PM, Michael Gunter <countgunthar at hotmail.com>  
wrote:

>
> I'm thinking about learning to make vinegar.
>
> Vinegar seems so essential to so many
>
> cultures as a preservative and food but I don't
>
> see many people making it, which is sad because
>
> it is so much a part of pretty much any civilization.
>
>
>
> Any sources on vinegar making? I'm thinking of
>
> trying some when we get moved into the new house
>
> and I have a garage.
>
>
>
> Gunthar
>
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