So I don’t know what was in my head, but for some reason I got all interested in making apple cider vinegar. Probably because I was almost out anyway. I wanted to switch brands. I have been buying the regular kind at the store and never really thought much about it. I started reading the other day about fermenting veggies and eating whole, raw, grassfed things. I am heading that way too. I want to eat as our ancestors ate without all the processed stuff. In order to do some of the fermenting as they describe, they use apple cider vinegar (ACV).
I scoured the web and watched many videos. I went to walmart and although they do not have organic..I was able to find ACV with the “mother” in it. So I decided to try two methods to see what I get.
Method 1:
I used my juicer and juiced a bag of organic gala apples from the US. I got about a quart of juice. I then added two pints of water. Next I added 1/4 cup of ACV with the “mother”. I stirred and tasted just a bit. It tasted sweet so I decided not to add any sugar. I covered with a cotton handkerchief and placed it in the corner of my counter with a dark hand towel wrapped around it. (I don’t have cupboards, sad but true.) This was done in a glass jar I purchased at walmart.
Method 2:
I took the cores of the apples and the pulp from the juicer, put it in a container, and let it start to get all brown. Then I poured 2 1/2 quarts of water in.(It was enough to cover the stuff and then an extra pint.) I weighted down the large pieces with a styrofoam little plate and a glass jar. Then I covered my container with a handkerchief and put it in the corner with the first one. I have a towel around that as well. This was done in an old plastic gallon container.( I know leaching of chemicals..BPA..etc)
I am hoping to tell you in about a month how these are doing and what is going on. I hope one of these turns out really well or both for that matter. Here is a picture of both of them sitting on the counter. The one of the left is the plastic method 2. The right is method 1 in the glass container. The left looks a little gray but it’s not lol it’s just the way the camera took the picture. The right was rather foamy.
The directions on some websites say stir everyday and other say let sit..so my plan is to stir the method 2 every day at least once for 10 days and then strain everything and put it on the counter and not stir for months. The right I’m going to stir once every few days to mimic forgetfulness.(might actually turn out to be real forgetting lol)
Only time will tell if I wasted $5 worth of organic apples lol.
Happy Homesteading!! 😀
I am the wife of a wonderful husband and mom to two pre-teen boys. I am a stay at home mom and I homeschool my children. I long for a simpler life and a more self sufficient life. I hope you will join me on my journey.
Simply Grown Farms 
I will be watching for the result. I, too, have interested in how to make it!
Well I’m not sure exactly how many days it’s been. I usually schedule my post and stupid me forgot to write down the exact day I started.
Method 1- I strained and placed back into a jar to develop.
Method 2- All the foam is gone, it smells more vinegary, and seems to be developing the mother fairly well. I did add the ACV mother to this though and is turning much faster than the other.
They both are looking good although Method 2 is much darker than Method 1.