What Is Apple Cider Vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar is an acidic liquid made from the fermentation of apples. It has a golden or amber color, and may or may not be filtered or pasteurized. The word vinegar comes from the old French "vin aigre," meaning "sour wine," but, actually, any alcohol can be used. Vinegar gets its sour taste from acetic acid, which is formed during fermentation. Apple cider vinegar is used in folk remedies and cooking. As a folk remedy it is often diluted with water and sweetened with honey. It is thought to be beneficial for several ailments, including obesity, candida, arthritis and gout.
How Vinegar Is Made
All vinegar is made from the oxidation of ethanol, which produces acetic acid. The process of making alcohol and vinegar are very similar, and the only difference is in how the raw materials are allowed to ferment. With apple cider vinegar, apples first are crushed, releasing the liquid, and yeast is added to initiate fermentation. Additional sugar and heat may be added to increase fermentation. During the fermentation process, the yeast drops out of the solution, forming a sludge on the bottom of the container. When making alcohol, the liquid is "racked" or siphoned off into another container, preventing a process called autolysis. Eventually, as the yeast drops out of the solution, and fermentation stops. When making vinegar, the fermentation process is allowed to continue. Gradually, the yeast runs out of fuel, and acetobacter (acid-forming) bacteria breaks the alcohol down into acetic acid. During the fermentation process, byproducts of the acetobacter and yeast form a sludgy substance know as mother of vinegar. This substance often is present in unpasteurized or unfiltered apple cider vinegar, and gives it a cloudy appearance. This substance is harmless and can be filtered out, or ignored. Mother of vinegar also can be used as a starter for future batches of vinegar.
Commercial Vinegar Processing
Commercial vinegar making uses two methods of fermentation: slow and fast.
Slow fermentation takes several weeks, or months, and starts with raw materials that are allowed to follow the full fermentation process, from raw product to alcohol to vinegar. This process also produces mother of vinegar. Fast fermentation bypasses using mother of vinegar as a starter. The starter may be added to an existing alcohol base instead of waiting for the bacteria to form on its own. Air also is added the mixture, either with a pump or through agitation, to promote faster oxidation. Fast fermentation usually takes 20 hours to 3 days.
Tags: fermentation process, acetic acid, mother vinegar, alcohol vinegar, apple cider
