Waste not: Turn leftover alcohol into vinegar
It’s surprisingly easy to turn leftover wine, cider or beer into homemade vinegar
“Vinegar can be made from any fermented alcohol or solution of fermentable sugars,” says fermentation expert and author Sandor Katz, whose recipe in his book The Art of Fermentation I have adapted here. “The word vinegar comes from [the French] ‘vin-aigre’, which means ‘sour wine’. That’s why people don’t like to drink the dregs of wine, because after 24 hours they start to turn vinegary.”
Katz explains how simple it is to make vinegar: “Take leftover wine, and put it in a jar that gives it a high ratio of surface area to volume” – in other words, in something that’s not full all the way to the top. “And make sure it has good access to oxygen: put a cloth over it and the process will just happen. It will happen faster if you add some sort of vinegar starter, but you don’t really need to do that, because the acidobacteria are everywhere.”
Katz recently brought out a new book called Sandor Katz’s Fermentation Journeys that is full of wonderful stories and recipes from around the world, as well as all sorts of traditional fermentation techniques. Fermentation is a vital tool that can help prevent food waste through preservation. 300ml leftover alcohol (beer, cider and/or wine diluted with same amount of water) 100ml raw vinegar
1 x 500ml wide-mouthed jar Cheesecloth and a rubber band Narrow-neck bottles
In a large, wide-mouthed jar, mix three parts beer, cider or diluted wine with one part vinegar with its mother. Cover the top of the jar with a piece of cheesecloth, seal in place with a rubber band, then store in a warm place – in an airing cupboard or near a radiator, say – and out of direct sunlight for a few weeks, until the gluey smell dissipates and the contents taste properly acidic. A film, or “mother”, will form on the surface, so once you’ve made your first batch, save this mother and enough vinegar as the base for your next batch. As soon as the vinegar is ready, decant into a sterilised bottle (or bottles), seal tightly and store in a cool place. Enjoy immediately, or store for six months (or longer) for a superior taste.