I love your videos they are very informative! I just wanted to share a quick fact because I noticed a mistake. During fermentation, Lactobacillus bacteria are what convert sugars to lactic acid and alcohol. Lactobacillus does not require oxygen for fermentation, but are very tolerant to oxygen and can thrive in both conditions. Acetobacter bacteria are what convert alcohol and sugar into Acetic acid, which is the main acid in vinegar. Acetobacter require oxygen to metabolize alcohol and sugar into Acetic acid. Just wanted to teach you something, since your videos teach me SO much!
Great video recap! I just started three new vinegar batches and this has answered all my questions. THANK YOU for taking the time to help others by sharing your skills. You're blessing more people than you will ever know, but GOD knows the number. When the Master returns to the vineyard, he will say to you, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"
I don't think I can learn enough about vinegar. I made about four different kinds based on the information you give us. They ALL taste like vinegar. Thank you, Heidi❣
Thank you Heidi! for answering my ph question. I made my first apple cider vinegar, and was concerned about the ph quality. Now I know, it is right in the zone, you mentioned! I faithfully stirred my vinegar, twice a day. Ph is 4.0! Now, I can jar it and put it in storage. It is forming a nice scoby, and my chickens will get that as a treat! Thanks again! I used some local grown cooking apples and 2 T. raw honey. Next batch, I may switch to the 1/4 cup sugar that you mentioned.
After I get better I'm shocking to see the latest on how easy this is. I've got to get immune system straight with your other tinctures. Thank you you make everthing look so easy. Got to get that comfrey and other natural plants around my area to help build immune.
Hmmm......I have made apple vinegar from organic apple peels and organic apple cores that I collect and stick in a freezer bag. Once I have enough, then I make vinegar. I have those tests strip too, and within 6 weeks, my vinegar registers a 2 on the pH strip. It smells and tastes like vinegar. It then later grows a mother while in storage. I don't add any sugar either (but my apple cores are somewhat "meaty"), I stir daily for two weeks, strain, then let sit until it smells and tastes like vinegar. Mine sits on my kitchen counter with a rubber band and coffee filter out of sunlight in a temp of 72-74F. It's amazing how different people can get different results; it must be something in the air. 😄 It's like when working with sourdough. I do it different than what "they" say, but it works and is delicious. I enjoy your videos and the way you share and explain things. You're a blessing! Thanks for all you do.
The above video is rather old and I have since figured out what the problem was with those particular batches and it was not that they had been previously s frozen but that I had switched from storing with metal canning lids and bands to the plastic one piece lids. Keep in mind, my frozen fruit vinegars were indeed vinegar when I put them into storage, they just turned to moldy water in storage after a few months. Please see this video: czcams.com/video/vaaSIb8XY5k/video.html
Wow, sorry to hear that about your frozen scraps. I make almost all my vinegars from frozen scraps and never had that problem! Thanks for your videos - you gave me the courage to try all kinds of experiments, and it’s been great fun!!!!
Knowing what I know now, I think I would have done better if I had added to those particular batches either some fermentation starter or vinegar mother to get them going. Not that it matters, I always have lots of healthy vinegars from everything else :)
Thank you so much for all of this information! I'm new to making my own vinegar but have made kombucha and jun before. This was so helpful to know I was going the right direction.
Thank you for your videos Heidi! 💜 Im learning so much it's incredible. Im just starting with the vinegars, and love the idea of using fruit scraps to get another creation before they go in the compost. My first batch of pineapple vinegar turned out amazing following your video. However, I'm now making 3 citrus vinegars and none of them are fizzing in the first week. 1-Orange 2-Cantaloupe 3- Honeydew Melon The one thing I did differently this time is used bottled spring water. Last time I used distilled water. Every time I use spring water I always doubt if its treated with something. I know it will contain other minerals that may also effect the process from my home made soap making. I know you mentioned that the chemicals sprayed on citrus fruit could also stop the vermentation. Also, the honeydew melon went really thick like syrup within a day but it starting to get the vinegar smell. Also, they all turned white on top (looks like a calcium buildup at the top of the jar. I keep stirring them every day still. Any thoughts on this?
Let me link you to a couple of videos that may be helpful. Why Won't My Vinegar Bubble?: czcams.com/video/jOpBdILqHw0/video.html What is On My Vinegar?: czcams.com/video/qOSBQfopQxA/video.html
I am so glad I watched this, was just about ready to dump my strawberry vinegar, then saw the white floating things are wax and not to be concerned. Thanks for the video.
Glad you caught yourself before tossing it! Unfortunately, I threw out a nice organic banana peel vinegar because I thought the Kham yeast was a problem! 😢
Wow, God is good, so good, I am about halfway through making my first apple vinegar, and had questions, thank you so much! You have sweetly answered my questions, thank you. I also just cut another skirt out, so glad to have been given a few older sheets : ) It is also helping me use some leftover materials from other clothes. Thank you, there may be order some day in the sewing pile! Heidi, I pray God blesses you.
How did I miss this video!! When I thru my scobi out it had cam? yeast on it. I thought it was bad. The pic was great!!! Thanks again Heidi for your knowledge🥰🥰🥰
Your videos are so tremendously helpful to me! Thank you so much for your great descriptions. I’m learning so much…even at age 71, I’m still learning every day.
Good Day to you Heidi, I made several varieties of vinegar last month and am pouring up this week, the apple did great and has a powerful taste, today I am pouring up the flower and fruit ones, and next week I will pour up the citrus. Thank you so much for sharing all the wonderful information you do. I have made acv before yet, it as been so long ago and I have never tried the others, but am so pleased with my outcome. My chickens loved the left overs Have a great week end and continued blessings in all you set your hands to do. And congratulations to you all on your new grandblessing. In Joy
This is what happens when I fall behind in your videos! I just threw out a lime and thyme vinegar because of mold and now I find out I didn't have to lol ahhh well. At least I know for next time 😁 thanks Heidi
Apple cider vinegar that maybe not I have an a appealing taste can be always use for taking rust off of Rusty things that you want to make new again, ACV works really works you'd be amazed while soaking a rusty object in apple cider vinegar until its showing signs of 3 or more days soaking and rinsing it off it works incredibly well.
Oops! I have vinegar 'processing' now that is from frozen lemon peels and I'm hoping that it'll be and stay good. Since I generally use 1/2 a lemon a day, I thought that throwing the peels in the freezer would be the best way to store them until I had enough for a batch. I hate to waste them, especially since they're organic. I guess we'll find out! I'll let you know if it gets weird. Cross your fingers!
If you wanted wine, that is good, but if not, you did not allow it to ferment fully with only a cloth or filter over it so it gets the needed oxygen to turn to vinegar
I did get a kombucha scoby from my second trial (this video was recorded over three weeks ago). It worked well but then I tossed it because I do not like kombucha, I only tried it to see if it would work
I learn many things from your videos.......very informative.....u had done quite a research....thanks for sharing it with us.....respectfully I have to say....there is much more to vinegars than Ph ...and acids.....It is more sacred to us than wine or champane to some ......no home can fall to bad times which has vinegars....it is a good medicinal drink.......thats in Islamic teahings......it is to be made with pure fruits without any water...except when necessary with those fruits which r dry....like dates......thank you......please make a balsamic like vinegar.........I ,ll forward to it.............thanks again......
This older video you are commenting on was just answering some basic questions. I have a great many videos just on vinegar alone, including the very many herbs and fruits one can make them from and even one just on the many uses for it. However, a true balsamic vinegar takes at least 12 years to make and requires the juice from two specific verities of grapes that can only be found in a certain part of Italy. So while some may make a suitable counterfeit, unless they are getting those grapes and aging it for 12 years or more, it is not a true balsamic vinegar.
I really like your podcasts and your teaching there. Please give me an answer as I am wondering if I should by another scoby and start all over again. Thank you again.
Just saw your last question and answered it but please keep in mind that I am very busy with many other jobs and projects (such as the custom order skirt I am working on right now) so I am not always available to monitor the chat. I do my best to read comments and answer questions as time allows but if I do not get to it immediately, just be patient with me, I will as soon as I am able :)
I luv ya for all you teach & do I thank Mary for mentioning you on her site my ? Is I tried looking though the comments but I'm excited to try the rasain vinegar do we have to stir it once a day like the others I did an apple & pineapple came out awesome thanks God is definitely good Stay safe May God our Angel's and Rainbows surround all of us 🙏👼😇🌈🥰😍😘💕
Sitrring once a day is always a good habit, especially any time the fruit or herbs are sitting above the surface level, especially during the busiest pahse when it is very active. This can last 3 days to a week.
I have several vinegars going. They are at 4 weeks right now and are testing at 4.0. The thing is, a couple of them (tangerine peel and apple core) are still having a thin layer of Kham yeast form daily. My understanding was that when they reached acidity, that would stop.
The yeast will not stop developing until after you strain it but it may still do that even after that. One thing I need to point out is that it is best if the vinegar tests at 3.5 or lower. Make sure you are using universal pH strips, not the ones that only read as low as 4.0
Why would you put an airlock on it? If you are still trying to make vinegar, it needs oxygen exposure. The airlock will only allow it to turn to wine but not to vinegar.
Question: I am making a mango vinegar and someone warned me the skins have the same chemicals as poison ivy. How do you use your mango vinegar? Thank you so much for sharing important information. ❤
I have eaten mango skins, they are bitter but healthy. Never had an issue though I have had another person say the same thing about them. However, the reason most people have a reaction to poison ivy is because they are allergic to it. Not everyone is. I would guess the same would apply to mango skins. I use my mango vinegar for food and cleaning but if people are concerned, save it for cleaning only
@@RainCountryHomestead Heidi, would you talk about in a video with carrots sweet carrots sticks preps with dill another batch with ginger. I'd like to make them and I like to see you do a video on CARROTS can't wait the children will love them first and foremost it's a healthy snack. thank you see you in the next video Selah shalom from my home to your home.
@@RainCountryHomestead I think it was still in the waiting period.... but before seeing your instructions, and a couple of others, we had gone by a different person who had it sitting for months as opposed to weeks! So, being clueless as I am, I guess I can't really say if it was finished or not lol! We wondered if our sugar to water ratio was off, if it had too much sugar. That first time, we had stirred it daily, so this time I was hands off and left it alone. Apples above the surface had some mold, but I discarded all of them and strained the liquid, and now is the part where it sits longer. After watching your Q & A, I'm thinking I should've stirred it at least a little... "If at first you don't succeed...!" In the meantime, I'll watch more and continue learning!
@@heartsandmindsathome Vinegar is typically done at around 30 days, this can vary though and sometimes take up to 6 weeks. Sugar content, though it does not need to be exact, does matter. too much will kill it, too little will make a week product. However, the thing I learned a few years ago that surprised me is that if left exposed to the air or stored without an air tight lid, the vinegar will go back to water as it virtually cleans itself up after eating through the sugars so then you are just left with nasty, moldy water so leaving the vinegar for several months with only a cloth over it could do the same unless one was feeding it sugar through most of the process
@@RainCountryHomestead Wow! That is SO interesting!! Thank you so much. :) All I could think was, 'Well, they're up north where it's cold and we're in Texas, so maybe theirs does take longer.' (I don't know)... I'm really glad to be reassured that a month to 6 weeks is good! I look forward to seeing how this batch goes. Thanks again!
@@RainCountryHomestead Hi again! I'm at the point now where it should be done... comparing with my Bragg ACV in the pantry, my homemade version is cloudier and not as strongly fermented smelling. I am hesitant to try it due the the fact there was a spec of mold on top after removing the apples (that went away after the first day though)! I wish I could send a picture and have you come smell it LOL! 🙈 If there WERE still mold, would it be on the surface? Can I be 100% certain the whitish stuff at the bottom of the jar is the mother? I'm obviously not yet confident in my vinegar making abilities (or lack thereof). 🙃
Oh, I use a mason jar with apple cider vinegar covered with plastic, then put on the band, poke the plastic a bunch of times with a toothpick, it will trap the Nats and they die they can’t get back out.
I live your vinegar videos! I think I have a ten year supply now.lol I have made vinegar from everything from the garden this year. Now that garden is about done.... I juice every morning, typically I juice spinach, carrot, pomegranate, apple, ginger. I feed the pulp to the chickens; could I make vinegar from the pulp? I think I'll try a batch.
My vinegar was a huge fail. Forgot it for a whole week(I have memory problems. REALLY!!!!). n top totally covered in mold. Tried to scoop it off but that just spread it all in vinegar. Looked like the stuff in bottom of your vinegar I’ll try again.
I just love binging on all ur videos while I’m in the garden or just cooking! I’ve been saving my banana peels in the freezer so I have enough to make into vinegar. So my question is Can u make a continuous brew like vinegar by just adding peels over time? Will that still turn into vinegar & is it a different process?
Depends on what you mean by continuous. If you mean starting one and adding to it as you go until you get plenty of peels in the jar, then yes, that is what I do with banana peels. As long as it does not take more than a week to get it full of peels, it should be fine. The problem with freezing is it turns them black and that may in turn give the vinegar a very odd color.
I went all gung ho when I first learned from you how to make vinegar. I have found that kahm yeast seems to give the vinegar an off odor and I haven’t been able to find a way to strain it out well. The vinegar still has the kahm yeast floating even after scooping what I can off and straining it with cheesecloth. I made a floral vinegar with dried flowers that I wanted to use on my hair but it looks yucky with the yeast in it. 😛 Any hints on that?
Young lady the more I watch you about this vinegar the more I am saying you need to write a book about vinegar how to make it how to use it recipes to use it in like your raisin vinegar that you use for your marinade that would be awesome
Please make sure to listen to the video I linked in the comment above but here is another on the many ways to use vinegar: czcams.com/video/D0Id73YiV1s/video.html
Well I can’t watch the video but I listen to it and I might miss a few things because I drive a truck for a living my husband and I do and so I can’t view you on screen but it automatically plays and when I am off duty then I can watch you but I sometimes miss things and I did see where you put the dehydrated apples and the raisins and I was like oh my gosh there she does it anyway thank you for all that you do , And we love the chats and advise both of you give believe me I share them to our children all 9 of them
I have a dumb question. You said just about anything can be used to make vinegar, so is it possible to use dried herbs to make the vinegar and then use that vinegar to make an extract? As usual, love your videos and have made several of your tinctures and they are great. You have truly been a blessing.
Heidi, would the decorative glass pebble-y type things they sell for beautifying flower arrangements and around the bases of candles float? I can't work out if it's the mass or the material that makes the 'Ball Pucks' float in the mason jars. The stones would probably sink right? I mean they do in rivers. You have really great dollar stores over there don't you? I bet you can get the beads at one of them, it'd be worth an experiment for the rock-bottom, Ha ha pun not intentional, or should that be ho-ho-ho 🎅🎅🏻🎅🏻
Those would sink so unless they were put it a ziplock bag, it would not be worth the hassle. Stirring is easy and as I said in the video, even if mold develops on the surface, it is no big deal but I have not had mold at all since stirring at least every couple days or so.
Thanks for your videos, Heidi, you are a great teacher! I started two vinegars this week and have a couple of questions. One, when you stir all of your vinegars do you rinse the stir stick in between each one, or do you just go from one to the next with no rinse/clean in between? Two, this is actually two questions 2a) I am making a vinegar with the peels from 4 lemons and I put 4 oz of piloncillo/panela in it (natural, unrefined cane sugar from Latin America). The peels are floating on top, but I am stirring nearly every day. They are exposed to the air and of course, this morning after having missed a day for the first time, I had a bit of mold on some exposed fruit. I just stirred it in and resolved to do better....should I be weighing that fruit down, perhaps at the beginning, especially? Is it better if it is not exposed? I don't know how I would weigh it down if I wanted to be stirring daily. 2b) Is there any culinary use for lemon/citrus vinegar rather than cleaning? I thought mine might taste better if I used the piloncillo, because that is sort of like a brown sugar, although it has no molasses in it. Plus, I have all this piloncillo here and don't use it much, as I am diabetic. I put 4.4 oz...equal to about 1/4th cup, although I did it by weight, not measure....hopefully that's the same and not too much. Sorry so long, thank you again!
I just stir them all without rinsing in between. Since I have to keep most of them in the other room, that would be a lot of running back and forth. As far as using the citrus vinegar for other things, depends on the peels you use, grapefruit and lime peels will make it very bitter and orange can do this sometimes too. That is one reason I reserve it for cleaning I find weighing the fruit down to be pointless and does not allow as much oxygen exposure. Eventually the peels and/or herbs will sink below the surface and you will not need to continue stirring through the whole process
Hey Heidi! So I started a apple vinegar a couple weeks ago and it seems like it's doing great very bubbly, and I stir it every day. I did what you did and put a cotton clothe on top with rubber band but now it smells like wine, so my question is will it smell like wine in the process? I know it's not done yet but curious if that's part of the process.
Yes, that is a normal part of the process especially right around the two week mark as much of the sugar have been converted into alcohol. That is the first step. Second step is for the oxygen exposure to turn the alcohol into vinegar
If I'm going to be away for a week will an apple vinegar go bad? I'm concerned that if it doesn't get stirred for that length of time the apples will surface and mold will develop. I'd love to hear your advise on this. Thank you for your time and for all your wonderful videos .
@@RainCountryHomestead Dear Heidi, thank you for this information. I've searched the internet and couldn't find anything about this. I'd prefer not to have to take my developing apple cider vinegar on a 6 hour road trip. There are no sites along the drive for it entertainment. heee hee he
@@RainCountryHomestead I never thought about the bubble factor. OK, my little bubbler will be HOME ALONE doing what ferments do, developing a sour personality.
Does it make a difference in your earnings from watching the videos if I hit the thumbs up? I do it sometimes but, do not remember all the time. If it makes a difference I can try harder to remember to do so.
While we do not earn money off of likes, shares or comments directly, we do in the sense that it looks good in the algorithms and youtube is more likely to get our videos out to others. Even dislikes help a channel because it is still interaction
Someday I should shoot an update but really nothing has changed in the many ways I use them from this old video here: czcams.com/video/D0Id73YiV1s/video.html
Probably not, I have so much vinegar now and my vinegars are based on what I have a lot of already. For example in the summer I make a lot of the floral vinegars with rose, marshmallow, nasturtiums, lavender, calendula, et cetera, and also peach vinegars made from the peels and pits when I am canning a bunch up. In the fall I use apple scraps from making apple butters, dried apples, and cider from our own apples.
@@RainCountryHomestead OK, that all sounds great, but I understand. I've just put 10L of my husband's not-so-great home-made beer on the go with some of my own cider vinegar 'mother', so we'll see what happens. Thanks for your videos, I'll keep watching! All the best from Europe!
I would assume that simply covering it with a cloth and letting it be for at least two weeks to a month should do the trick but adding that mother would help to
When you say "bubbly enough" how bubbly is that? I'm making my first orange peel vinegar. It's a little bubbly, there's some bubbles lining around the top along the glass? I would send you a picture if I knew how. Thanks sweetie! I really appreciate all you do! ❤
It will get very fizzy. My email address is always in the description box below every video but I will give it to you here: raincountryhomestead@gmail.com
Hi Heidi, Love all the information you share. Could you explain a little more about making vinegar from juice please. I have a 1/2 gallon of “cooked” apple juice in the fridge but no SCOBY or sediment. Can I use organic apple cider vinegar & organic cane sugar instead? If so, how much? Thank You Joyce
Not exactly sure what you are asking about the apple cider vinegar. Do you mean as a starter? If so, yes, making sure you get some of that sediment that should be at the bottom of the vinegar, add in about a quarter cup per quart jar. You can also use a fermentation starter (I have several videos on how to make one) which will be even more lively. Same ratio. You may not need to add sugar if the juice itself is pretty sweet but if you do, start with a quarter cup, no more. You can also wait until the juice gets very fizzy, then add in the sugar. That should be about 2-5 days after starting it
What if you didn't use sugar, didnt stir regularly, and left them to ferment in an open kitchen with regular sunlight? What are the risks of making vinegar the wrong way?
If you did not use any kind of sugar at all, not even honey, you will not get vinegar unless the fruit or juice you used was already high in its own sugars. Not stirring means you will simply get mold on top but that is not really a big deal as you can lift it off when it is done and if it is vinegar, then it will kill any mold that may end up in it. Sunlight will degrade the vitamins but this does not mean you will not have vinegar and I always ferment mine on the counter in my kitchen
Making vinegar scares the crap out of me... But watching your videos, I feel better about it. I want to find any videos you have that making vinegar goes wrong. Is there any?
I have a great many videos on vinegar including covering things that can go wrong. I believe I did some of that in the above video as well. But, I will link you to my most recent vinegar making vinegar and if you have any questions, you can ask and if I have a video that answers that, I will link you to it: czcams.com/video/depySASTPrw/video.html
Good morning Heidi, I don't have a very warm house. Do I need to wait until it is warmer in my home to make vinegar, or will it turn into vinegar when it is cold. I live in North Texas.
Thank you for alk your videos, you are such a blessing! I wanted to ask if this natural mold ( by the way, is a sign that is all natural !!!) is the same as the one from penicillin was made from? 😊 All the to best everyone and thank you again! ❤
Now that is a good question that I do not know the answer to but sounds like a good one to look into. I see the vinegar mold as totally harmless myself but it is possible it could be one of those that any of the "cillians" could be derived from
Those are to be expected. Every channel has their haters that make it a point to put a dislike on every video, no matter what the content is. It is not about the video but about them being jerks. They are sad and angry people that have no life and should be pitied. I try to remember to pray for them but most of the time I just don't even think of them. I stopped focusing on that because the world is full of bitter people that have nothing better to do than try to bring others down and we all have those people that follow us. As long as my over all channel rating of likes to dislikes is 98%, I know I am doing good and possibly better than average.
@@RainCountryHomestead oh, wow. I thought the "likes" and "dislikes" were simply for CZcams to know what videos people are most interested in. Can a lot of dislikes negatively affect your channel? I will make sure to like each one!
This is not completely on the subject about vinegar but kombucha I am very new to doing this and so... If I use darker tea does that make the color of the scoby darker as well? My fermented tea seems to be ok except the scoby really dark and thinner as well. Is this ok?
so hey Lady, can you make vinegar from any flower? just the petals? or do you have to add fruit too, or just suger? I might give this a try, I want to do the shampoo you make... but I'm wondering if some flower petals aren't good for your hair? anywho... thanks again for all the info... have a Blessed Christmas!! :)
I would say any flower will work for making vinegar, I would avoid anything toxic, same goes for the shampoo. Here is the last floral vinegar making video I put out but I do have others. I usually do not add fruit to them: czcams.com/video/srqq69hBOQ8/video.html
@@RainCountryHomestead using all of the grains would be a bit wasteful indeed. But with this summer's weather i had an explosive growth of the water kefir. Being able to use some in other ferments would be nice.
Don’t you have a lot of evaporation happening with just a cloth? I have a coffee filter over mine and it’s lost about 1 cup of the liquid in my gallon jars after 6 weeks of sitting (I stirred everyday for 2 weeks, then 3 times a week for the last 4 weeks of the 6weeks so far). I also don’t see a mother growing and the liquid seems “syrupy” yet. Also, my apples still float. I also added 1C of sugar to my water and apples when I first made it to my gallon jar. I did add 1/4 cup of organic apple cider vinegar to it at week 4 because it was syrupy. It smells like wine right now at 6 weeks. Should I keep going? What am I doing wrong? No sign of mold at all at the moment. TY
If you are making a half gallon like I do, one cup of sugar was quite a bit to add in the first place. When I am making a fruit based vinegar, I typically only add a quarter cup of sugar unless it is all scraps and the fruit is not very sweet, then I will go up to a half cup. The reason yours is syrupy and taking so long is the amount of sugar you added. Then adding more just prolonged it further making it more syrupy. Too much sugar can even stop or prevent a complete fermentation
@@RainCountryHomestead it was 1 gallon that I was making, not 1/2 gallon. When I started I filled my gallon jar 1/2 full of cut up apples, added 1 cup of sugar and filled the gallon jar with our well water. I didn’t add anymore sugar after the initial 1 cup. I did put a glass weight on top to stop it from the liquid from evaporating at the 4 week mark, so it had the weight on for 2 weeks. Maybe with the weight it didn’t get enough “air” to it. I have it sitting in the dark in my pantry. Should I just let it set on my cupboard? Should I just start over or keep going. I put just a cloth on it now and took the weight off. TY
@@ronnaalthoff9175 The well water could possibly be the problem if it has a high mineral content and was not filtered first. If there is a chance at all for it to turn to vinegar, yes, you would need to take off the glass weight and put a cloth or coffee filter over the opening
The worst that will happen is the liquid will evaporate out and you will end up with a little less than you would have had. I have done the same myself, just came across two jars of vinegar I had forgotten because they got set in a different place than where I usually have them because the other one was full of more vinegars I had fermenting. I just saw them the other day and strained them out. They were fine and had scobys growing on the top of the fruit.
@@bethaspell1827 same here. It has been sitting pretty on my counter and I see it everyday lol my forgetfulness was in forgetting how long it was supposed to be there for
Heidi I have a question. To give vinegar a longer shelf life have you ever pasteurized your vinegar? Some people heat it to make it last longer. What are your thoughts on that?
My ACV (to be) is 3 weeks old. I cover with just a coffee filter and rubber band. I stir every day but it seems to have stopped bubbling. Do I need to add a bit more Surat or since it is 3 weeks old now do I strain it? It smells like alcohol right now.
At this stage I would not add more sugar. It has gone through the first stage of going from sugar to alcohol, as it should, Now it needs to sit for at least another week, maybe two, to finish out the second stage of going from alcohol to vinegar
I just checked my first batch of apple cider vinegar after 1 month from fresh apple scrapes and it didn't get very acidic. I used your suggestion of stirring it everyday for the first 2 weeks and then let it just set for the remainder of the time. I haven't strained it out, but the smell isn't very vinegary. Is there anything I can do to try to help it along at this point or should I just try a new batch? Thank You!
My dog loves scobies, good thing as I don't have any chickens. Thank you so much for your videos! BTW how much sugar do I need for Apple skin and core vinegar? I started with 1/4 cup, how do I know I need more?
So, I forgot to weigh down my fruit and it has white mold on top. So, I should get the fruit and all out and let it finish up like that or just get the mold out....or can I push all of it back in mold and all and keep going?
Hi Heidi! Love your show. I've been making a lot of vinegar and one jar of orange and lemon was really thick and slimy. Any idea what went wrong? 1 quart jar and a 1/4 cup sugar was used. Thank you! Lori
It's just so funny how much we LOVE Heidi teaching us all about vinegar. 😂 Great video!
Oh Heidi. You are such a blessing, using your gift of knowledge as a ministry! Thank you for the time you devote to teaching!
I can watch your videos over and over! So much helpful information!! ❤
What a wealth of knowledge you're sharing, in the video and in your comment replies. Thank you. God is indeed good!
I love your videos they are very informative! I just wanted to share a quick fact because I noticed a mistake. During fermentation, Lactobacillus bacteria are what convert sugars to lactic acid and alcohol. Lactobacillus does not require oxygen for fermentation, but are very tolerant to oxygen and can thrive in both conditions. Acetobacter bacteria are what convert alcohol and sugar into Acetic acid, which is the main acid in vinegar. Acetobacter require oxygen to metabolize alcohol and sugar into Acetic acid. Just wanted to teach you something, since your videos teach me SO much!
Thank you for sharing with us now I learned a little more about making vinegar, and Heidi has such awesome ideas & recipes ❣️❣️
Heidi thanks for being down to earth, and sharing your recipes 💕🙏
Great video recap! I just started three new vinegar batches and this has answered all my questions.
THANK YOU for taking the time to help others by sharing your skills. You're blessing more people than you will ever know, but GOD knows the number. When the Master returns to the vineyard, he will say to you, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"
Thanks! I could probably listen to you talk about vinegar all day. It helps ease my worries, since I'm new to this. Haha.
Heidi, Thank you another great video on vinegar. I love that you explain so well and go into depth.
Thanks Wendy!
I don't think I can learn enough about vinegar. I made about four different kinds based on the information you give us. They ALL taste like vinegar. Thank you, Heidi❣
Thank you Heidi! for answering my ph question. I made my first apple cider vinegar, and was concerned about the ph quality. Now I know, it is right in the zone, you mentioned! I faithfully stirred my vinegar, twice a day. Ph is 4.0! Now, I can jar it and put it in storage. It is forming a nice scoby, and my chickens will get that as a treat! Thanks again! I used some local grown cooking apples and 2 T. raw honey. Next batch, I may switch to the 1/4 cup sugar that you mentioned.
After I get better I'm shocking to see the latest on how easy this is. I've got to get immune system straight with your other tinctures. Thank you you make everthing look so easy. Got to get that comfrey and other natural plants around my area to help build immune.
Hmmm......I have made apple vinegar from organic apple peels and organic apple cores that I collect and stick in a freezer bag. Once I have enough, then I make vinegar. I have those tests strip too, and within 6 weeks, my vinegar registers a 2 on the pH strip. It smells and tastes like vinegar. It then later grows a mother while in storage. I don't add any sugar either (but my apple cores are somewhat "meaty"), I stir daily for two weeks, strain, then let sit until it smells and tastes like vinegar. Mine sits on my kitchen counter with a rubber band and coffee filter out of sunlight in a temp of 72-74F. It's amazing how different people can get different results; it must be something in the air. 😄
It's like when working with sourdough. I do it different than what "they" say, but it works and is delicious.
I enjoy your videos and the way you share and explain things. You're a blessing! Thanks for all you do.
The above video is rather old and I have since figured out what the problem was with those particular batches and it was not that they had been previously s frozen but that I had switched from storing with metal canning lids and bands to the plastic one piece lids. Keep in mind, my frozen fruit vinegars were indeed vinegar when I put them into storage, they just turned to moldy water in storage after a few months. Please see this video: czcams.com/video/vaaSIb8XY5k/video.html
Thank you Heidi, you explained everything very clearly
Wow, sorry to hear that about your frozen scraps. I make almost all my vinegars from frozen scraps and never had that problem! Thanks for your videos - you gave me the courage to try all kinds of experiments, and it’s been great fun!!!!
Knowing what I know now, I think I would have done better if I had added to those particular batches either some fermentation starter or vinegar mother to get them going. Not that it matters, I always have lots of healthy vinegars from everything else :)
Oh my gosh this has been so clarifying and helpful!!!! Thank you Heidi!!!❤❤❤
Wonderful, I am making Vinegar in Kashmir with my orchard 🍎 apples , did it just a chance, its come up amazing.your videos are very helpful, thanks
Thank you so much for all of this information! I'm new to making my own vinegar but have made kombucha and jun before. This was so helpful to know I was going the right direction.
This video is my most thorough on one actually making vinegar: czcams.com/video/XQ2O-pt1EVs/video.html
Thank you for your videos Heidi! 💜
Im learning so much it's incredible.
Im just starting with the vinegars, and love the idea of using fruit scraps to get another creation before they go in the compost.
My first batch of pineapple vinegar turned out amazing following your video.
However, I'm now making 3 citrus vinegars and none of them are fizzing in the first week.
1-Orange
2-Cantaloupe
3- Honeydew Melon
The one thing I did differently this time is used bottled spring water. Last time I used distilled water.
Every time I use spring water I always doubt if its treated with something. I know it will contain other minerals that may also effect the process from my home made soap making.
I know you mentioned that the chemicals sprayed on citrus fruit could also stop the vermentation.
Also, the honeydew melon went really thick like syrup within a day but it starting to get the vinegar smell.
Also, they all turned white on top (looks like a calcium buildup at the top of the jar. I keep stirring them every day still.
Any thoughts on this?
Let me link you to a couple of videos that may be helpful.
Why Won't My Vinegar Bubble?: czcams.com/video/jOpBdILqHw0/video.html
What is On My Vinegar?: czcams.com/video/qOSBQfopQxA/video.html
Heidi, binging on your playlists! Always love your intro! -Kristy in Missouri 😀
Thank you Kristy!
I am so glad I watched this, was just about ready to dump my strawberry vinegar, then saw the white floating things are wax and not to be concerned. Thanks for the video.
Glad you caught yourself before tossing it! Unfortunately, I threw out a nice organic banana peel vinegar because I thought the Kham yeast was a problem! 😢
Wow, God is good, so good, I am about halfway through making my first apple vinegar, and had questions, thank you so much! You have sweetly answered my questions, thank you. I also just cut another skirt out, so glad to have been given a few older sheets : ) It is also helping me use some leftover materials from other clothes. Thank you, there may be order some day in the sewing pile! Heidi, I pray God blesses you.
Order in the sewing pile?! I keep trying to make order of my fabrics but they just keep getting more out of hand! haha
How did I miss this video!! When I thru my scobi out it had cam? yeast on it. I thought it was bad. The pic was great!!! Thanks again Heidi for your knowledge🥰🥰🥰
Love, love, love your vinegar recipes. I made BlackBerry vinegar from your recipe and used it to make an awesome salad dressing.
Your videos are so tremendously helpful to me! Thank you so much for your great descriptions. I’m learning so much…even at age 71, I’m still learning every day.
Good Day to you Heidi, I made several varieties of vinegar last month and am pouring up this week, the apple did great and has a powerful taste, today I am pouring up the flower and fruit ones, and next week I will pour up the citrus. Thank you so much for sharing all the wonderful information you do. I have made acv before yet, it as been so long ago and I have never tried the others, but am so pleased with my outcome. My chickens loved the left overs
Have a great week end and continued blessings in all you set your hands to do. And congratulations to you all on your new grandblessing. In Joy
You are always such a wealth of info, thank you so much for sharing your wisdom, blessings sweet friend
Thank you!
Excellent information. Thanks for sharing. Blessings!
Hi Heidi, God is good all the time❤❤❤
I’m loving all the videos on making vinegars!! Thanks for the valuable information. 💖
Best way to get rid of vinegar eels is stick an air-lock on for just a week and suffocate them.. :)
Another way is to vacuum seal the jar.
@@cxoot you can only do that for vinegar that is old and stopped gasing. Otherwise it will explode.. :)
This is what happens when I fall behind in your videos! I just threw out a lime and thyme vinegar because of mold and now I find out I didn't have to lol ahhh well. At least I know for next time 😁 thanks Heidi
First time here, love the video. Thank you for all the information.
Apple cider vinegar that maybe not I have an a appealing taste can be always use for taking rust off of Rusty things that you want to make new again, ACV works really works you'd be amazed while soaking a rusty object in apple cider vinegar until its showing signs of 3 or more days soaking and rinsing it off it works incredibly well.
Thank you for the great videos . I have been learning lots and started 3 different vinegars 10 days ago.
Thank you so much for clearing up all my questions! Now I know I was doing it all right and my vinegar is fine. Thank you. 😁
Ty ty ty great information
I finally got a vinegar scoby & since made 3 batches of kombucha.. :)
Thanks Heidi, this was nicely explained. God bless!
That answered my problem, I think I add too much sugar. Your the best!
Oops! I have vinegar 'processing' now that is from frozen lemon peels and I'm hoping that it'll be and stay good. Since I generally use 1/2 a lemon a day, I thought that throwing the peels in the freezer would be the best way to store them until I had enough for a batch. I hate to waste them, especially since they're organic. I guess we'll find out! I'll let you know if it gets weird. Cross your fingers!
If it is bubbling, then it will be fine :)
@@RainCountryHomestead It's bubbling BIG time! So much so that I've taken to stirring it at least 3 times a day instead of just once.
Thank you. God Bless~
Thank you for all this information. I'm starting to make my own Apple Cider vinegar so this really helps me know what's going to happen.
Ended up making wine. 🥺
Putting it in the dark cabinet and waiting.
If you wanted wine, that is good, but if not, you did not allow it to ferment fully with only a cloth or filter over it so it gets the needed oxygen to turn to vinegar
Rocks work well for weights and inexpensive too.
It depends on the rocks and the type of vinegar really. Stirring is simply the best method in my humble opinion
Awesome info, ty
Thankyou thank you .
Very helpful!
I made a scoby for Kombucha. It worked very well. I Think found the way to make it on the channel "Better Done Yourself."
I did get a kombucha scoby from my second trial (this video was recorded over three weeks ago). It worked well but then I tossed it because I do not like kombucha, I only tried it to see if it would work
Singapore here
I learn many things from your videos.......very informative.....u had done quite a research....thanks for sharing it with us.....respectfully I have to say....there is much more to vinegars than Ph ...and acids.....It is more sacred to us than wine or champane to some ......no home can fall to bad times which has vinegars....it is a good medicinal drink.......thats in Islamic teahings......it is to be made with pure fruits without any water...except when necessary with those fruits which r dry....like dates......thank you......please make a balsamic like vinegar.........I ,ll forward to it.............thanks again......
This older video you are commenting on was just answering some basic questions. I have a great many videos just on vinegar alone, including the very many herbs and fruits one can make them from and even one just on the many uses for it. However, a true balsamic vinegar takes at least 12 years to make and requires the juice from two specific verities of grapes that can only be found in a certain part of Italy. So while some may make a suitable counterfeit, unless they are getting those grapes and aging it for 12 years or more, it is not a true balsamic vinegar.
I really like your podcasts and your teaching there. Please give me an answer as I am wondering if I should by another scoby and start all over again. Thank you again.
Just saw your last question and answered it but please keep in mind that I am very busy with many other jobs and projects (such as the custom order skirt I am working on right now) so I am not always available to monitor the chat. I do my best to read comments and answer questions as time allows but if I do not get to it immediately, just be patient with me, I will as soon as I am able :)
I luv ya for all you teach & do I thank Mary for mentioning you on her site my ? Is I tried looking though the comments but I'm excited to try the rasain vinegar do we have to stir it once a day like the others I did an apple & pineapple came out awesome
thanks God is definitely good
Stay safe
May God our Angel's and Rainbows surround all of us 🙏👼😇🌈🥰😍😘💕
Sitrring once a day is always a good habit, especially any time the fruit or herbs are sitting above the surface level, especially during the busiest pahse when it is very active. This can last 3 days to a week.
I have several vinegars going. They are at 4 weeks right now and are testing at 4.0. The thing is, a couple of them (tangerine peel and apple core) are still having a thin layer of Kham yeast form daily. My understanding was that when they reached acidity, that would stop.
The yeast will not stop developing until after you strain it but it may still do that even after that. One thing I need to point out is that it is best if the vinegar tests at 3.5 or lower. Make sure you are using universal pH strips, not the ones that only read as low as 4.0
@@RainCountryHomestead Yes, mine are Universal and do go lower. Is there any way to get it more acidic? Will more time do it?
I use cheese cloth
The mould made my apple cider small ‘dusty’ and it has not disappeared. I have put it into a Asian fermentation bottle with the water airlock.
Why would you put an airlock on it? If you are still trying to make vinegar, it needs oxygen exposure. The airlock will only allow it to turn to wine but not to vinegar.
I recommend you watch this video: czcams.com/video/sVtw_E9Nm1Q/video.html
Question: I am making a mango vinegar and someone warned me the skins have the same chemicals as poison ivy. How do you use your mango vinegar? Thank you so much for sharing important information. ❤
I have eaten mango skins, they are bitter but healthy. Never had an issue though I have had another person say the same thing about them. However, the reason most people have a reaction to poison ivy is because they are allergic to it. Not everyone is. I would guess the same would apply to mango skins. I use my mango vinegar for food and cleaning but if people are concerned, save it for cleaning only
@@RainCountryHomestead I have heard mango skins can be contaminated with salmonella bacterial substances. Washing everything is important.
@@RainCountryHomestead Heidi, would you talk about in a video with carrots sweet carrots sticks preps with dill another batch with ginger. I'd like to make them and I like to see you do a video on CARROTS can't wait the children will love them first and foremost it's a healthy snack. thank you see you in the next video Selah shalom from my home to your home.
Our first attempt got mold on top AFTER the apples were strained out, but they were fresh and not frozen. Not sure why, but we are trying again!
Was this after it was finished?
@@RainCountryHomestead I think it was still in the waiting period.... but before seeing your instructions, and a couple of others, we had gone by a different person who had it sitting for months as opposed to weeks! So, being clueless as I am, I guess I can't really say if it was finished or not lol! We wondered if our sugar to water ratio was off, if it had too much sugar. That first time, we had stirred it daily, so this time I was hands off and left it alone. Apples above the surface had some mold, but I discarded all of them and strained the liquid, and now is the part where it sits longer. After watching your Q & A, I'm thinking I should've stirred it at least a little... "If at first you don't succeed...!" In the meantime, I'll watch more and continue learning!
@@heartsandmindsathome Vinegar is typically done at around 30 days, this can vary though and sometimes take up to 6 weeks. Sugar content, though it does not need to be exact, does matter. too much will kill it, too little will make a week product. However, the thing I learned a few years ago that surprised me is that if left exposed to the air or stored without an air tight lid, the vinegar will go back to water as it virtually cleans itself up after eating through the sugars so then you are just left with nasty, moldy water so leaving the vinegar for several months with only a cloth over it could do the same unless one was feeding it sugar through most of the process
@@RainCountryHomestead Wow! That is SO interesting!! Thank you so much. :) All I could think was, 'Well, they're up north where it's cold and we're in Texas, so maybe theirs does take longer.' (I don't know)... I'm really glad to be reassured that a month to 6 weeks is good! I look forward to seeing how this batch goes. Thanks again!
@@RainCountryHomestead Hi again! I'm at the point now where it should be done... comparing with my Bragg ACV in the pantry, my homemade version is cloudier and not as strongly fermented smelling. I am hesitant to try it due the the fact there was a spec of mold on top after removing the apples (that went away after the first day though)! I wish I could send a picture and have you come smell it LOL! 🙈 If there WERE still mold, would it be on the surface? Can I be 100% certain the whitish stuff at the bottom of the jar is the mother? I'm obviously not yet confident in my vinegar making abilities (or lack thereof). 🙃
I also heard that vinegar best forms in a 6-9% alcoholic solution. Higher than 12 and lower than 6 won't be viable for acetic acid bacteria....
Oh, I use a mason jar with apple cider vinegar covered with plastic, then put on the band, poke the plastic a bunch of times with a toothpick, it will trap the Nats and they die they can’t get back out.
I do something similar: czcams.com/video/w2S66VM3wWM/video.html
I live your vinegar videos! I think I have a ten year supply now.lol I have made vinegar from everything from the garden this year.
Now that garden is about done.... I juice every morning, typically I juice spinach, carrot, pomegranate, apple, ginger. I feed the pulp to the chickens; could I make vinegar from the pulp? I think I'll try a batch.
O yes, I am sure you can, just like I did with the apples I pressed for cider
The now.lol was not intended to be a link. I didn't know it was a thing.
@@susanmarsh5648 It happens all the time, if there is no space after a period and before the next word, it automatically shows as a link, haha
Mine was in the closet since Feb. it smells like vinegar with a thin flake white substance on top.
I wish I had chickens. I live in the city and I don’t want to feed the pidgeons
My vinegar was a huge fail. Forgot it for a whole week(I have memory problems. REALLY!!!!). n top totally covered in mold. Tried to scoop it off but that just spread it all in vinegar. Looked like the stuff in bottom of your vinegar I’ll try again.
I just love binging on all ur videos while I’m in the garden or just cooking! I’ve been saving my banana peels in the freezer so I have enough to make into vinegar. So my question is Can u make a continuous brew like vinegar by just adding peels over time? Will that still turn into vinegar & is it a different process?
Depends on what you mean by continuous. If you mean starting one and adding to it as you go until you get plenty of peels in the jar, then yes, that is what I do with banana peels. As long as it does not take more than a week to get it full of peels, it should be fine. The problem with freezing is it turns them black and that may in turn give the vinegar a very odd color.
I went all gung ho when I first learned from you how to make vinegar.
I have found that kahm yeast seems to give the vinegar an off odor and I haven’t been able to find a way to strain it out well.
The vinegar still has the kahm yeast floating even after scooping what I can off and straining it with cheesecloth. I made a floral vinegar with dried flowers that I wanted to use on my hair but it looks yucky with the yeast in it. 😛 Any hints on that?
When that happens to mine, I just use it as a cleaning vinegar
Young lady the more I watch you about this vinegar the more I am saying you need to write a book about vinegar how to make it how to use it recipes to use it in like your raisin vinegar that you use for your marinade that would be awesome
czcams.com/video/e2nZp222R3o/video.html
Please make sure to listen to the video I linked in the comment above but here is another on the many ways to use vinegar: czcams.com/video/D0Id73YiV1s/video.html
Well I can’t watch the video but I listen to it and I might miss a few things because I drive a truck for a living my husband and I do and so I can’t view you on screen but it automatically plays and when I am off duty then I can watch you but I sometimes miss things and I did see where you put the dehydrated apples and the raisins and I was like oh my gosh there she does it anyway thank you for all that you do , And we love the chats and advise both of you give believe me I share them to our children all 9 of them
Thanks to you I've been making different vinegars .I wanted to know if your eyeliner is the same as your mascara? It looks great on you.
I still have some organic stick eyeliner I stocked up on years ago I am working through but I have used my mascara as an eyeliner several times
Okay thanks
I have a dumb question. You said just about anything can be used to make vinegar, so is it possible to use dried herbs to make the vinegar and then use that vinegar to make an extract? As usual, love your videos and have made several of your tinctures and they are great. You have truly been a blessing.
Yep, you can do that! :D
@@RainCountryHomestead Thank you so much for yor quick reply. I'm starting it now. :-}
I started a rose petal vinegar but didn't have very many petals. Can I add more petals? It's a week old. Thanks sweetie, your the best!
Yep, you sure can, that is what I often do is just add more as I go :)
@@RainCountryHomestead Thanks! That's great! 💖
Heidi, would the decorative glass pebble-y type things they sell for beautifying flower arrangements and around the bases of candles float? I can't work out if it's the mass or the material that makes the 'Ball Pucks' float in the mason jars. The stones would probably sink right? I mean they do in rivers. You have really great dollar stores over there don't you? I bet you can get the beads at one of them, it'd be worth an experiment for the rock-bottom, Ha ha pun not intentional, or should that be ho-ho-ho 🎅🎅🏻🎅🏻
Those would sink so unless they were put it a ziplock bag, it would not be worth the hassle. Stirring is easy and as I said in the video, even if mold develops on the surface, it is no big deal but I have not had mold at all since stirring at least every couple days or so.
Thanks for your videos, Heidi, you are a great teacher! I started two vinegars this week and have a couple of questions.
One, when you stir all of your vinegars do you rinse the stir stick in between each one, or do you just go from one to the next with no rinse/clean in between?
Two, this is actually two questions
2a) I am making a vinegar with the peels from 4 lemons and I put 4 oz of piloncillo/panela in it (natural, unrefined cane sugar from Latin America). The peels are floating on top, but I am stirring nearly every day. They are exposed to the air and of course, this morning after having missed a day for the first time, I had a bit of mold on some exposed fruit. I just stirred it in and resolved to do better....should I be weighing that fruit down, perhaps at the beginning, especially? Is it better if it is not exposed? I don't know how I would weigh it down if I wanted to be stirring daily.
2b) Is there any culinary use for lemon/citrus vinegar rather than cleaning? I thought mine might taste better if I used the piloncillo, because that is sort of like a brown sugar, although it has no molasses in it. Plus, I have all this piloncillo here and don't use it much, as I am diabetic. I put 4.4 oz...equal to about 1/4th cup, although I did it by weight, not measure....hopefully that's the same and not too much.
Sorry so long, thank you again!
I just stir them all without rinsing in between. Since I have to keep most of them in the other room, that would be a lot of running back and forth.
As far as using the citrus vinegar for other things, depends on the peels you use, grapefruit and lime peels will make it very bitter and orange can do this sometimes too. That is one reason I reserve it for cleaning
I find weighing the fruit down to be pointless and does not allow as much oxygen exposure. Eventually the peels and/or herbs will sink below the surface and you will not need to continue stirring through the whole process
@@RainCountryHomestead Thank you for your thorough reply!
Hey Heidi! So I started a apple vinegar a couple weeks ago and it seems like it's doing great very bubbly, and I stir it every day. I did what you did and put a cotton clothe on top with rubber band but now it smells like wine, so my question is will it smell like wine in the process? I know it's not done yet but curious if that's part of the process.
Yes, that is a normal part of the process especially right around the two week mark as much of the sugar have been converted into alcohol. That is the first step. Second step is for the oxygen exposure to turn the alcohol into vinegar
@@RainCountryHomestead Thank you 😊
If I'm going to be away for a week will an apple vinegar go bad? I'm concerned that if it doesn't get stirred for that length of time the apples will surface and mold will develop. I'd love to hear your advise on this. Thank you for your time and for all your wonderful videos
.
It depends on how far along it is while you are gone, if it is already a week or so in, it should be fine
@@RainCountryHomestead Dear Heidi, thank you for this information. I've searched the internet and couldn't find anything about this. I'd prefer not to have to take my developing apple cider vinegar on a 6 hour road trip. There are no sites along the drive for it entertainment. heee hee he
@@jojow8416 hahaha! Besides, the road trip may cause it to bubble over with excitment, and that would be messy!
@@RainCountryHomestead I never thought about the bubble factor. OK, my little bubbler will be HOME ALONE doing what ferments do, developing a sour personality.
@@jojow8416 Haha! :D
Does it make a difference in your earnings from watching the videos if I hit the thumbs up? I do it sometimes but, do not remember all the time. If it makes a difference I can try harder to remember to do so.
While we do not earn money off of likes, shares or comments directly, we do in the sense that it looks good in the algorithms and youtube is more likely to get our videos out to others. Even dislikes help a channel because it is still interaction
God is good all the time! I Love your videos! Today I am wondering what you use all these vinegars for? I'm thinking it must be something good?
Someday I should shoot an update but really nothing has changed in the many ways I use them from this old video here: czcams.com/video/D0Id73YiV1s/video.html
Hi! I'm loving your vinegar videos - I'm in France, making apple cider, red wine and beer vineragrs! Have you done a video on beer vinegar? Thanks!
Nope, I have not done that one
@@RainCountryHomestead Oh! Are you going to do one.....???
Probably not, I have so much vinegar now and my vinegars are based on what I have a lot of already. For example in the summer I make a lot of the floral vinegars with rose, marshmallow, nasturtiums, lavender, calendula, et cetera, and also peach vinegars made from the peels and pits when I am canning a bunch up. In the fall I use apple scraps from making apple butters, dried apples, and cider from our own apples.
@@RainCountryHomestead OK, that all sounds great, but I understand. I've just put 10L of my husband's not-so-great home-made beer on the go with some of my own cider vinegar 'mother', so we'll see what happens. Thanks for your videos, I'll keep watching! All the best from Europe!
I would assume that simply covering it with a cloth and letting it be for at least two weeks to a month should do the trick but adding that mother would help to
When you say "bubbly enough" how bubbly is that? I'm making my first orange peel vinegar. It's a little bubbly, there's some bubbles lining around the top along the glass? I would send you a picture if I knew how.
Thanks sweetie! I really appreciate all you do! ❤
It will get very fizzy. My email address is always in the description box below every video but I will give it to you here: raincountryhomestead@gmail.com
Hi Heidi,
Love all the information you share. Could you explain a little more about making vinegar from juice please. I have a 1/2 gallon of “cooked” apple juice in the fridge but no SCOBY or sediment. Can I use organic apple cider vinegar & organic cane sugar instead? If so, how much? Thank You Joyce
Not exactly sure what you are asking about the apple cider vinegar. Do you mean as a starter? If so, yes, making sure you get some of that sediment that should be at the bottom of the vinegar, add in about a quarter cup per quart jar. You can also use a fermentation starter (I have several videos on how to make one) which will be even more lively. Same ratio. You may not need to add sugar if the juice itself is pretty sweet but if you do, start with a quarter cup, no more. You can also wait until the juice gets very fizzy, then add in the sugar. That should be about 2-5 days after starting it
What if you didn't use sugar, didnt stir regularly, and left them to ferment in an open kitchen with regular sunlight? What are the risks of making vinegar the wrong way?
If you did not use any kind of sugar at all, not even honey, you will not get vinegar unless the fruit or juice you used was already high in its own sugars. Not stirring means you will simply get mold on top but that is not really a big deal as you can lift it off when it is done and if it is vinegar, then it will kill any mold that may end up in it. Sunlight will degrade the vitamins but this does not mean you will not have vinegar and I always ferment mine on the counter in my kitchen
Making vinegar scares the crap out of me... But watching your videos, I feel better about it. I want to find any videos you have that making vinegar goes wrong. Is there any?
I have a great many videos on vinegar including covering things that can go wrong. I believe I did some of that in the above video as well. But, I will link you to my most recent vinegar making vinegar and if you have any questions, you can ask and if I have a video that answers that, I will link you to it: czcams.com/video/depySASTPrw/video.html
Good morning Heidi,
I don't have a very warm house. Do I need to wait until it is warmer in my home to make vinegar, or will it turn into vinegar when it is cold. I live in North Texas.
No, you do not have to wait, our house is usually pretty cold most of the year and I am always making vinegar
Thank you for alk your videos, you are such a blessing! I wanted to ask if this natural mold ( by the way, is a sign that is all natural !!!) is the same as the one from penicillin was made from? 😊 All the to best everyone and thank you again! ❤
Now that is a good question that I do not know the answer to but sounds like a good one to look into. I see the vinegar mold as totally harmless myself but it is possible it could be one of those that any of the "cillians" could be derived from
Thank you ! ❤
I do not understand the 1 dislike ??? What is not to like?
Those are to be expected. Every channel has their haters that make it a point to put a dislike on every video, no matter what the content is. It is not about the video but about them being jerks. They are sad and angry people that have no life and should be pitied. I try to remember to pray for them but most of the time I just don't even think of them. I stopped focusing on that because the world is full of bitter people that have nothing better to do than try to bring others down and we all have those people that follow us. As long as my over all channel rating of likes to dislikes is 98%, I know I am doing good and possibly better than average.
@@RainCountryHomestead oh, wow. I thought the "likes" and "dislikes" were simply for CZcams to know what videos people are most interested in. Can a lot of dislikes negatively affect your channel? I will make sure to like each one!
This is not completely on the subject about vinegar but kombucha I am very new to doing this and so... If I use darker tea does that make the color of the scoby darker as well? My fermented tea seems to be ok except the scoby really dark and thinner as well. Is this ok?
Yes, that is to be expected in color, it will also thicken up in time with each use
We have a abundance of cherokee tan pumpkins this year. Would they make a good vinegar if I chopped one up and added sugar?
I am sure it would as any edible thing can be used to make vinegar so give it a try!
Should you remove the scoby after vinegar is finished if it continues to form? Can you feed it to your 🐕 dog? Help
You can leave it. If your dog eats them, yes, you can feel it to the dog. Here is the video I did on SCOBYs: czcams.com/video/JGbolygJoKY/video.html
so hey Lady, can you make vinegar from any flower? just the petals? or do you have to add fruit too, or just suger? I might give this a try, I want to do the shampoo you make... but I'm wondering if some flower petals aren't good for your hair? anywho... thanks again for all the info... have a Blessed Christmas!! :)
I would say any flower will work for making vinegar, I would avoid anything toxic, same goes for the shampoo. Here is the last floral vinegar making video I put out but I do have others. I usually do not add fruit to them:
czcams.com/video/srqq69hBOQ8/video.html
Thank you! Can I use mountain mint for anything? Have a bunch of it for honey bees.
Any edible herb, fruit, or vegetable
Weird idea: would adding water kefir grains help kick start the vinegar fermentation or would that completely mess things up 🤔
Though it is not necessary, I do not think it would hurt to try, I just would not use all of your grains for that
@@RainCountryHomestead using all of the grains would be a bit wasteful indeed. But with this summer's weather i had an explosive growth of the water kefir. Being able to use some in other ferments would be nice.
Don’t you have a lot of evaporation happening with just a cloth? I have a coffee filter over mine and it’s lost about 1 cup of the liquid in my gallon jars after 6 weeks of sitting (I stirred everyday for 2 weeks, then 3 times a week for the last 4 weeks of the 6weeks so far). I also don’t see a mother growing and the liquid seems “syrupy” yet. Also, my apples still float. I also added 1C of sugar to my water and apples when I first made it to my gallon jar. I did add 1/4 cup of organic apple cider vinegar to it at week 4 because it was syrupy. It smells like wine right now at 6 weeks. Should I keep going? What am I doing wrong? No sign of mold at all at the moment. TY
If you are making a half gallon like I do, one cup of sugar was quite a bit to add in the first place. When I am making a fruit based vinegar, I typically only add a quarter cup of sugar unless it is all scraps and the fruit is not very sweet, then I will go up to a half cup. The reason yours is syrupy and taking so long is the amount of sugar you added. Then adding more just prolonged it further making it more syrupy. Too much sugar can even stop or prevent a complete fermentation
@@RainCountryHomestead it was 1 gallon that I was making, not 1/2 gallon. When I started I filled my gallon jar 1/2 full of cut up apples, added 1 cup of sugar and filled the gallon jar with our well water. I didn’t add anymore sugar after the initial 1 cup. I did put a glass weight on top to stop it from the liquid from evaporating at the 4 week mark, so it had the weight on for 2 weeks. Maybe with the weight it didn’t get enough “air” to it. I have it sitting in the dark in my pantry. Should I just let it set on my cupboard? Should I just start over or keep going. I put just a cloth on it now and took the weight off. TY
@@ronnaalthoff9175 The well water could possibly be the problem if it has a high mineral content and was not filtered first. If there is a chance at all for it to turn to vinegar, yes, you would need to take off the glass weight and put a cloth or coffee filter over the opening
What happens if you leave the vinegar more like 2 months. Forgetfulness
The worst that will happen is the liquid will evaporate out and you will end up with a little less than you would have had. I have done the same myself, just came across two jars of vinegar I had forgotten because they got set in a different place than where I usually have them because the other one was full of more vinegars I had fermenting. I just saw them the other day and strained them out. They were fine and had scobys growing on the top of the fruit.
@@RainCountryHomestead awesome thank you
@@bethaspell1827 same here. It has been sitting pretty on my counter and I see it everyday lol my forgetfulness was in forgetting how long it was supposed to be there for
@@monicag.1527 I strained mine. Funally. It was elderberry. We are using it in warm water and Stevia. It has been great for colds
@@bethaspell1827 very nice! Great way to get the benefits of elderberry in a more shelf stable form
Heidi I have a question. To give vinegar a longer shelf life have you ever pasteurized your vinegar? Some people heat it to make it last longer. What are your thoughts on that?
No and the reason why is so I can keep it raw.
My ACV (to be) is 3 weeks old. I cover with just a coffee filter and rubber band. I stir every day but it seems to have stopped bubbling. Do I need to add a bit more Surat or since it is 3 weeks old now do I strain it? It smells like alcohol right now.
At this stage I would not add more sugar. It has gone through the first stage of going from sugar to alcohol, as it should, Now it needs to sit for at least another week, maybe two, to finish out the second stage of going from alcohol to vinegar
I just checked my first batch of apple cider vinegar after 1 month from fresh apple scrapes and it didn't get very acidic. I used your suggestion of stirring it everyday for the first 2 weeks and then let it just set for the remainder of the time. I haven't strained it out, but the smell isn't very vinegary. Is there anything I can do to try to help it along at this point or should I just try a new batch? Thank You!
Let it sit for a couple more weeks first and see if it changes. It may not have had enough sugar.
Does it need to be refrigerated after you have completed the process into vinegar?
Nope! I just store in a dark cabinet until I need it :D
My dog loves scobies, good thing as I don't have any chickens. Thank you so much for your videos! BTW how much sugar do I need for Apple skin and core vinegar? I started with 1/4 cup, how do I know I need more?
Ah, you just answered my question, if it's not bubbly enough, add more sugar. Also, I'm using a quart jar. So I should be fine with 1/4 cup sugar.
Yes, that sounds like plenty for that size
So, I forgot to weigh down my fruit and it has white mold on top. So, I should get the fruit and all out and let it finish up like that or just get the mold out....or can I push all of it back in mold and all and keep going?
You can lift out the top layer now and stir or you can let it be until it is done then lift it out and strain
Do you scrape off the film that develops before stirring it?
How much raisins would you put into a 1/2?Gallon jar if you're just going to do a raisin vinegar?
I usually cover the bottom of the jar by about an inch deep so whatever that equals
@@RainCountryHomestead thank you so much
Hi Heidi! Love your show. I've been making a lot of vinegar and one jar of orange and lemon was really thick and slimy. Any idea what went wrong? 1 quart jar and a 1/4 cup sugar was used. Thank you! Lori
I have had that happen before and tossed it. Whenever a ferment turns slimy, it means it never actually fermented so it spoiled.