Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
The materials for oak-aging vinegar are simple and
inexpensive.
Some people prefer the taste of vinegar that has been aged in
oak, or the astringency contributed by the tannins leached
from the oak. Oak barrels are expensive and time-intensive to
maintain. An alternative is adding oak chips or oak cubes to
the vinegar. Add a quarter cup per gallon, enclosed in a tied
spice bag for easy removal later. The chips or cubes are added
during the aging process and left in the vinegar for four to six
weeks. For these purposes, you don't want to use oak from
your building supply store. Instead, order it from a
winemaking supplier. Winemaking suppliers can offer a range
of oaks with different taste characteristics that you know
aren't contaminated with anything nasty.
Canning jars are a good choice for aging and storing vinegars.
They seal tightly, which will cause the vinegar mother to go
dormant during aging, and they can be used repeatedly which
makes them a good bargain.
One other thing you may find helpful is a funnel that you
have attached to a piece of plastic hose such as the hose used
for racking wine. As vinegar is being made, you need to add
more beer or wine. The easy way to do this without risk of
