Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
normally sulfited or it can be non-sulfited. The wine can be
white or red, sweet or dry, and made from any conceivable
edible fruit. The beer you use can be made from barley,
wheat, or any other grain. And even though you will likely
choose wines or beers for this process that were not optimal
for drinking, it is very important that the starting material you
choose be biologically sound.
Any sound wine or beer that you use, even if it isn't very
good for drinking, will still yield a product far superior to the
“wine vinegar” or “malt vinegar” you will find at the
supermarket. The “wine” they use as a starting product was
never intended for drinking in the first place, whereas yours
was planned with drinking quality in mind and is hence a
better material from which to make vinegar.
What is Vinegar?
Vinegar is a dilute form of acetic acid, ranging in strength
from 4% to 8%. It is made by the oxidation of ethyl alcohol
into acetic acid through a fermentation process undertaken by
acetic acid bacteria (AAB). Just as the yeast in wine derives
its energy from sugar and produces ethyl alcohol as a waste
product, AAB derive their energy from alcohol and produce
acetic acid as a waste product. And just as the ethyl alcohol in
wine acts as a preservative against organisms that cannot
tolerate alcohol, acetic acid acts as a preservative against
organisms that cannot tolerate the low pH created by acetic
acid. This is how pickling foods in vinegar keeps them from
spoiling.
Acetic Acid Bacteria
