Beer Vinegar - Recipe Experiment

Photo credit: MDA2008

 Beer Vinegar Recipe

• 1/2 gallon good, wheaty or malty beer
• vinegar mother (optional)

1. Put your beer in your container.  Give it a good whisk to aerate it and release some of the gas. Let it sit out and open for six hours or so.
2. Add the mother if you’re using one. Or do as Jonathon does and let the natural bacteria and flora of your kitchen or basement settle in for a good time.
3. Cover the opening with a handkerchief, cheesecloth, anything that will let air in and keep bugs and debris out.  Date the jar. Give it a taste in three months and see how you did.

Choose a good beer and make sure that the alcohol can breathe.  You need a big jar with a big open lid to let the air flow, covered it with light cloth to let air in and keep fruit flies out.  Best to keep it in the dark and cool is good, though Jonathan keeps his everyday vinegars at home right near the heat of the stove.  Bacteria thrive at 100˚ to 110˚F. Jonathon says you could probably make vinegar using Bud Lite, but that it wouldn’t be worth the effort. Use a good beer with lots of complexity, especially wheaty and malty beers. Bacteria, simple themselves, thrive on complexity.

Recipe via Ruhlman

More details about making vinegar at home.
I'm not sure if the 'look' of vinegar mother is scarier or the idea of natural bacteria in your basement settle in...I think I will go with the mother. Check back in a few weeks!

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