A few vinegars. L to R: wild plum, wild grape/serviceberry/blueberry/maple.
If you harvest your own fruit–any kind of fruit–you know how many leftover skins, seeds, pits, cooked stuff, raw stuff, and all kinds of other things are leftover from processing. So much scrap, from so much good fruit. If you’re anything like me, you may have wondered if there’s anything you can do with it. There is: fruit scrap vinegar.
I first started messing around with fruit scraps in nice restaurants I worked in where we would have all kinds of amazing fruit come in. After the processing, sometimes there would be things leftover, pits, skins, seeds–things I knew had really delicious solutes still hanging out in them, but I didn’t know what to do with.
The first thing I started doing was infusing vinegar with spent grape pits and seeds–and it was shocking. The flavor was concentrated, pure, delicious. If you want to know more about that, see my post on fruit-infused vinegar here–it’s a great way to use fruit, especially berries.
This though, this is the older, more mature cousin to the infusion recipe. This is a straight-up, naturally fermented vinegar made from skins, seeds, pits, pulp, and just about anything else you can throw at it. I’ve made it with frozen fruit, dried, rehydrated fruit, fruit juice, skins–all kinds of stuff.
The Secret: Adding Live Vinegar and Grain Alcohol
The basic recipe is a hybrid of two of my favorites: one from the Art of Fermentation by Sandor Katz, and the other by Rene Redzepi in the Noma Guide to Fermentation. The Sandor Katz recipe is the most basic, and it’s a great introduction–you just take fruit and sugar water, and let it ferment–it takes a long time, but it works.
Rene’s recipe hastens the fermentation process by adding live vinegar, along with some grain alcohol to increase ABV, ensuring an acidic result, as if there isn’t enough sugar in the beginning product, you won’t have the amount of alcohol you need to get a good tart, tangy vinegar.
That being said, I made the recipe for years before I started adding a bit of vodka to it, so know that it’s optional, and if you don’t have any, it’ll still work just fine.
What kind of fruit makes the best vinegar?
Berries. Well, berries, grapes and plums, at least from my experience. Typically I look for the deepest, darkest fruit I can find, but you can make it with other things, too–the sky is really the limit: pineapples, mango skins with bits of flesh attached–whatever.
I will say that there’s something about a dark fruit vinegar I love though, so generally I use grapes, plums, or other dark colored berries. At the end of the day, you’re the scientist, so use whatever fruit you want and make a fun blend. Here’s some of my favorites.
Highbush cranberries
These make a brilliant red vinegar. For these I always use the scraps leftover from making a cold juice extraction.
Wild Grapes
Like red wine vinegar, a beautiful nearly purple color, this will taste similarly strong and aggressive, but it’s made by your own two hands! Use the scraps leftover from making juice.
Wild Blueberries
Wild blueberries make a deep blue vinegar, and will have a flavor comparable to wild grape, with a very subtle blueberry note.
Fresh cooked, or frozen fruit will all work fine
Can you use cooked or frozen fruit to make homemade vinegar? Absolutely! Since the vinegar is “backslopped” with living vinegar, there is no need to worry about the success of fermentation if your fruit has been cooked or frozen, which can kill some of the living bacteria on it.
Dealing with fruit flies
Since I’ve posted this, I’ve gotten a lot of questions regarding the flies.
Know that typically I start my vinegars in the cold months when flies are dormant, using fruit scrap, or frozen fruits because the flies are less of an issue, but if you’re starting this with fresh fruit during the growing season, you may have to trouble shoot some things. Depending on your location, temperature, and conditions, fruit flies can be a small or large headache. Here’s some tips.
- Freeze your fruit and start the vinegar in the winter.
- Secure the cheesecloth or lid as securely and tightly as possible. Use more layers of cloth than you think you need. A single layer of cheesecloth is too porous to prevent flies from getting into the vinegar in process, so you can really go nuts on it, provided it can still be tightly fitted around the neck of the vessel.
- If, after two weeks or so you notice fruit flies, strain the solids out trough the finest mesh or cheesecloth you have, then wash the container, pour the liquid back in, cover and continue the fermentation process.
- Start and keep your vinegar outside to avoid having the flies in areas you frequent.
- We are conditioned to think that insects are problematic and potentially dangerous as they can harbor bacteria, but, in the case of vinegar, a fly or two in the liquid can actually help ensure a strong fermentation process as they are covered in natural yeasts. As the pH of the liquid continually decreases, the flies will die when immersed in the liquid.
- While aesthetically unappealing, fruit flies will in no way harm the vinegar or make it unsafe to consume.
Vinegar powder
Vinegar powder is a chef secret and a really interesting way to apply acid to dishes where you may not want additional liquid. To make a small amount to try, put your vinegar mother on a non-stick sheet such as a silpat/silicone mat, and dehydrate at 150 F until crisp, then store in a jar and powder when you’re ready to use it. Scoby mothers can be used similarly.
Update
Since some of you have been whining about the recipe seemingly complicated, I added a simple, classic fruit scrap vinegar to live alongside the accelerated one. Pick a method you like, and enjoy your new pet!
Fruit Scrap Vinegar
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 lb fruit scrap from juicing, etc skins, seeds, etc
- 2 Tablespoons living vinegar such as apple cider, or vinegar from a previous batch
- 2 qts water
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients and put into a container, such as a plastic food tub, gallon water jug, bucket, etc.
- Cover the lid with cheesecloth, secure with twine or a rubber band, and leave out at room temperature.
- After 1 month, strain out the solids, then pour the mixture into a half-gallon mason jar. Cover with cheesecloth and continue fermenting for another month or so, until the vinegar is good and strong. When it tastes sour like regular vinegar to you, screw a lid on the jar and store. If you forget to strain the solids out after one month, don't worry! It will turn out just fine and will have no effect on the success of the vinegar provided the vinegar is still allowed to respire and has access to air.
- During the process, if you get fruit flies, which are annoying, but will in no way harm the finished product, refer to my trouble shooting tips in this post.
Accelerated Fruit Scrap Vinegar with Alcohol
Ingredients
- 750 grams 3 ¼ cups water
- 172 grams 3/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon previous fruit vinegar, or apple cider vinegar with live cultures
- 184 grams 3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons 80 proof vodka
- 1 lb 2 packed cups fruit scrap from cooking, juicing, etc
- 50 grams 1/4 cup sugar
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a 2 quart sized container, cover with cheesecloth, and allow to ferment for 2 weeks at room temperature, stirring as often as you can remember (I use a wooden spoon).
- After two weeks, strain the vinegar and allow to continue fermenting, still covered with cloth, until you like the flavor, a month or two.
- When you're pleased with the flavor, and you can't taste any sweetness in the vinegar anymore, put it into jars and seal, then store in a cool dark place.
Hi! Just came across your website as I would like to make some fruit scrap vinegar. Is it ok to use fruit scraps that are previously frozen? And do I need to defrost it to room temperature when I’m making it? Thank you for your help!
Antonia
Yeah that’s fine, since you’re adding living vinegar here as an innoculant you can use anything: cooked fruit, frozen fruit, whatever.
Once finished can I bottle the vinegar without having to burp it periodically to prevent explosions ?
No you don’t have to burp it. Explosions aren’t an issue here, that is only a problem when you’re fermenting liquids with commercial yeast.
I’d like to use dried fruit. What ratio of added sugar, water and dried fruit would you recommend?
Hey Jeffrey,
So this can work, and you can do it in any number of ways. What I would suggest is to take 1/2 cup of dried fruit (I’m assuming this is commercially dried fruit) and puree it with 4 cups of filtered water, along with a splash of living apple cider vinegar and 1/4 cup sugar. Leave it on the counter covered with cheesecloth and it will do what you want it to do.
I am in the process of making blackberry vinegar from scratch using the long process. I strained out the solids a couple weeks ago and now allowing the alcohol to ferment into vinegar. I tasted it recently and it has a very bitter flavor. My thoughts on what went wrong? Did I squeeze out the berries too much?
This is my third batch previous being Hawthorne, rose hip and Oregon grape. All of them turned out nicely without any bitterness.
Susanne, I’ve never had a problem with bitterness in any version I’ve done. I would let it keep fermenting and see what happens.
Hello Alan,
Thanks for all the wonderful information you share on your website!
I started a batch of goumi berry vinegar a few days ago and noticed today that there were little fruit maggots in it.
Gross yes, but I didn’t want to waste it so I strained out the fruit and critters. Will the resulting liquid still turn into vinegar?
Do I now stir that for a week or two before leaving it alone for a month? I did not add any grain alcohol but am wondering if that would help it along. Any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks!
Thanks Jeannie. As far as your question re: safety, it’s very safe. Bugs, unlike molds, are completely harmless in something like vinegar, and, as they carry natural yeast on their bodies, they will likely speed up the fermentation process. No need to add any alcohol, just leave the container ajar or covered with cheesecloth and you’re good to go. Larvae in fruit is a big problem though. I’ve been patiently watching my blackcap raspberries, raspberries and blackberries so I can harvest them the moment they’re ripe, even if I get them at their peak though, the spotted wing Drophosila fruit fly will probably have laid eggs in them. They’re an invasive pest that has been reeking havoc on all of the Rubus in my area. Sour cherries around here suffer from a similar larvae. Even the most infested fruits will still make an excellent vinegar though, and the lowering of the pH during the fermentation process is a sterilization method in itself, so there’s absolutely nothing to worry about. Let me know how it turns out for you, I’ve never had goumi berries!
Following for your goumi results, as I always have a super abundance of these and am looking for interesting things to do with them. We have the spotted winged fruit fly here too, but they don’t seem to affect end results however you process the fruit…it’s only a problem when we sell fresh fruit, then the fruit has to be picked a few days early so the customers aren’t grossed out!
I’ve made some vinegar from strawberries, and it turned out really nice, so recently I bought some more strawberries and left them in the fridge for too long, and some of them got mold on them, some of them got soft spots, so I took them out, trimmed them up, and washed them off. I then cooked them lightly because I didn’t want any mold spores sneaking in. I’ve never used any cooked fruit to make wine or vinegar, what’s your take on that? Using those older strawberries, and then cooking them a little bit really brought out a wonderful Aroma, I’m hoping it will carry over into the vinegar
Just remember that cooking things will destroy the natural yeast on them, so you may want to jump start it with a dash of whey, fermented brine, or sauerkraut juice.
You mention that mold isn’t good. I live in the Virgin Islands and I’m not sure whether what looks like mold on my vinegar is the “mother” or something I should be worried about. Can you tell me how to know? Thank you for your recipes. I’ve been using Sandor Katz’ book for several years and it’s nice to see the addition of vinegar and vodka. I’ll try it.
Shirley, what you have is likely Kahm yeast. It is not harmful, but it is pesky. Strain the liquid through a coffee filter.
I am excited to see how this turns out, I’ve made apple cider vinegar before but never thought to use plum scraps as that’s what I have at the moment. Now to look up all the things I can do with fruit vinegar.
Do I need to add the scraps all at once, or can I start the recipe and keep adding until I get 1 pound of scraps?
I’m going to make paw paw vinegar.
Thanks!
You can keep adding them as you get them. Paw paw vin sounds great!
Hi. I’m just making this for this first time, and have a question. So after letting it ferment for the first two weeks with the fruit scraps in, I strained out the fruit scraps. There is a lot of sediment left in the bottom of the jar of vinegar. Should I strain it again with a finer strainer (or cheesecloth) to remove the sediment, or is it better to continue fermenting with the sediment still in it? Looking forward to tasting the final results. It’s already quite good!
Leave it in. If you want to refine it more later filter it after the fermentation is complete.
Hey Alan,
The recipe turned out great. I love the flavor and color, it’s going to be my go-to vinegar recipe now. I have a quick question though, is it like any other live vinegar I get from the store in that I don’t need to refrigerate this, or would you recommend keeping it in refrigerated? Thanks!
No it is like any other live vinegar, no refrigeration needed.
I made apple cider vinegar after having scraps leftover from applesauce making. Just put in 1 quart jars with water and 1tbsp sugar, cover with cheesecloth and strain after a few weeks. It has mother, and incredible flavor. Should I use this as “live vinegar” for berry vinegars?
Yes, that’s correct. What you don’t want to use is vinegar that has been sterilized, since it won’t ferment.
I have a couple questions:
1) Is it possible to get rid of the kahm yeast in a batch while still keeping the vinegar ‘alive’? Or should I just filter and pasteurize, if I’m not terribly concerned with keeping a living vinegar mother from this batch, but definitely want to be rid of the kahm yeast.
2) I made your long recipe batch. One from wild blueberries & one from ground chokecherry. At one point for both of them, I used an air lock, but then felt concerned that the air lock would kill the fermentation. Is it ok to use an airlock when making vinegar?
Thanks for the recipe! My vinegars turned out great!
I haven’t used an air lock. Vinegar needs to respire to ferment correctly. As long as there’s air exchange of some kind you should be fine. As for the Kahm yeast, it’s super annoying. If the vinegar is sour to your liking, you can pasteurize it. It may lose a little oomph but it should kill the kahm.
This looks wonderful, thanks for sharing! Do you think I can replace vodka with gin? Since that’s what I have in the cupboard? Otherwise I have a light Japanese rum.
Use the rum
Thank you!