We try really, really hard to waste as little food as possible.
Soft or squishy tomatoes are perfect for homemade ketchup and brown bananas are excellent in Mr. Crumbs’ favorite muffins. Any other fresh produce that goes uneaten from snacks or meals is tossed into a container in the fridge, and at the end of the week, is added to whatever smoothie concoction we’re making at the time. Leftover plain oatmeal becomes any numerous flavors of baked oatmeal or a chocolate snack cake.
Chocolate cake, if I get to choose.
But what REALLY makes my day is when those last little bits of food can be turned into something else that I normally buy. Rinds from oranges, limes, lemons and even key limes are soaked in vinegar to make the easiest all-purpose (and all-natural) cleanser ever, and we haven’t bought a cleaning solution in well over a year.
Apple season (and a visit to a local u-pick farm) means we almost always have some sort of apple dish in the kitchen. (Our favorite continues to be the oatmeal apple breakfast bars.)
Naturally, apple dishes means lots of apple cores or peels. We were using them in smoothies… and adding them to our garden dirt (one of the easy and free ways to improve the dirt now, for next season)… but even at the rate we were going through apple dishes (both for testing, and enjoyment), I still had plenty on hand.
As it turns out, you can use apple peels and cores to make homemade apple cider vinegar! This, my friends, is truly an ingenious idea. We use apple cider vinegar for a variety of things… soaking grains, warding off cold bugs, as a facial toner and even to remove moles!
Pasteurized apple cider vinegar is what most stores carry, and it’s fairly affordable. However, it’s always best to get the raw and unpasteurized version whenever you can. Unfortunately, the better option comes with a bigger price tag – $20+ for 64 oz of “raw and unfiltered” on Amazon.
On average, it takes us a couple of months to go through a 32 oz glass jar of apple cider vinegar. Spending $5 each month isn’t so bad, but still. If I can make the same thing for FREE, then why not?!
Apple cider vinegar earns bonus points too, since you don’t have to really “work” to make it. 😉
DIY: Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar (using peels and cores)
Supplies
- apple peels, cores and any browning/discolored flesh from pesticide-free apples (approx 6 large apples)
- one quart-sized jar
- one canning lid (the ring, not the part that seals), OR a rubber band
- coffee filter
- 2-2 1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 2-2 1/2 cups water, boiled and allowed to cool
Note: You want the peels to be from apples that have been scrubbed very, very well. Organic apples are preferred, but simply buy the best you can afford and use this all-natural produce cleaner. Secondly, it’s okay to use brown or bruised apples. However, it is NOT okay to use moldy or rotten apples.
Method
Place apple peels, cores and/or any browning or discolored flesh in a quart-sized glass jar, filling no more than 3/4 full. There needs to be enough room for the apples to expand after absorbing liquid, and room for the apples to be completely submerged.
Tip: You don’t HAVE to use a quart-sized jar, but it’s what I readily have available. Feel free to use whatever size jar you have on hand.
Add 2 Tbsp of sugar and 2 cups of filtered water to the jar so that the apples should be completely submerged in water. If they are not, you can add an additional 1/2 Tbsp of sugar and 1/2 cup of water. This is important, as mold can grow on any portions of apples that are not submerged and ruin your batch of vinegar. If necessary, you can add a lid of another jar with weights on top to keep the apples submerged.
The sugar is used to help feed the fermentation and while optional, it helps to speed up the process.
Stir the apples, sugar and water and cover with a coffee filter. Secure with a canning band, or a rubber band.
Tip: If you’re using a different sized jar and adjusting the quantity of sugar and water, the ratio is 1 Tbsp sugar per 1 cup water.
Allow apples to sit in a warm, dark place for 2 weeks. Above the refrigerator or on the top shelf of a cupboard are great places. Just don’t forget you put it there!
After 2 weeks, you might notice some fizz or some bubbles. That’s good news! Strain out the apples and compost (or feed them to your dog or whatever… just don’t throw them away!). Cover the apple cider vinegar again with a coffee filter and canning band and allow to continue to sit.
The vinegar may become cloudy or a SCOBY could form on the top, both of which are normal. Taste the vinegar once a week until it’s to your liking. You can stop the fermentation process by replacing the coffee filter with a canning lid and storing it in the refrigerator.
And that’s it! You’ve just made your own apple cider vinegar and saved yourself some cash!
Cost Breakdown
Well, it’s hard to say that this recipe really costs anything at all, since you’re using what was going to be in the trash can in the first place. BUT, I did say you needed sugar… so, we’ll do the math anyway.
As written, this recipe makes approximately 28 ounces of vinegar and costs just 1¢ per tablespoon of sugar. So one batch of homemade apple cider vinegar costs $0.02.
Additional Recipe Tips
The entire process can take anywhere from 2-6 weeks. If you would like to speed up the process, you can add 1 1/2 Tbsp raw, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar for every 2 cups of water, when you add the sugar. This would be called a starter, and helps to kick start the fermentation process. Strain the apples after just one week, and taste each week thereafter.
You can substitute honey for the sugar, but since it’s eaten by the yeast anyway, I prefer to use a less expensive sweetener.
You can also omit the sweetener altogether, but the total fermentation time will be up to six months.
FAQ’s
Can you use this apple cider vinegar to make more? Yes!
What do I do if I have a SCOBY? I would use it to make more vinegar, but I’ve heard dogs really them as a treat.
My vinegar is moldy. Is it still good? No, toss it out and try again. I’m usually willing to toe the “is it still okay?” line, but I draw the line at mold.
Looking for Apple Recipes Just to Make Apple Cider Vinegar?
Here are a few of my favorites:
- homemade applesauce
- apple butter (plus 7 variations)
- salted caramel apple bars
- slab apple pie
- oatmeal apple breakfast bars
- dehydrated apple chips
- no-bake apple oatmeal cookies
Find tons more Kitchen Hacks and Tutorials here.
This looks so cool. I definitely need to try this, I just got gifted a box of honey crisp that are pretty beat up looking, this will be perfect for the trimmings. I just started making and drinking good girl moonshine with raw apple cider vinegar about two weeks ago, and for the first time in my life the rest of my family is sick and I’m not. I’m a total ACV convert now!
LOL! Got a recipe for that good girl moonshine?! I’m all for NOT getting sick! 🙂 (Not that I want everyone else to be, but since mom takes care of those who are sick… there isn’t anyone left to take care of mom. 😉 )
Recipe I use for Good Girl Moonshine.
2 c. water 1 tbsp. vinegar 2 tbsp. lemon juice 2 1/2 tbsp. truvia or sweetener you prefer 8 drops liquid stevia 4 strawberries OR 8 drops strawberry flavoring 3/4″ hunk of fresh ginger root-I like to use garlic press to press out juice and discard root OR 3/4 tsp. ground ginger 8 drops of lemon extract. Can shake up in mason jar; or if using fresh ginger, use blender to blend up fibrous ginger root. (Fresh ginger is much tastier than powdered-just my opinion.) The recipe says to put this all in a quart jar and fill to the top with plain water. I prefer to add no extra water so as not to weaken too much. I just put everything in a pint jar and fill to brim with water. This is a good blood sugar balancer. Adapted from Trim Healthy Mama eating plan.
Thanks Karen! It sounds refreshing! I’m a huge fan of fresh ginger. 🙂
Karen, do you add both truvia and stevia? Thanks!
I do not like strawberries at all. Can I substitute anything else?
Hello Karen…..just wanted to know how do we close the lid of the bottle? Is it to be air tight or shud we let air pass in that? What is coffee filter? Is it the same as tea strainer? Thanks for this recipe
Yasmin – close the lid airtight. A coffee filter is what we use to make coffee in the States.
That would be a Trim Healthy Mamma recipe yes?
This is actually not apple cider vinegar, which would need to be made from apple cider (pressed apple juice turned alcohol). This is apple scrap vinegar.
LOL, well if you want to split hairs, then you’re right. But the fermentation folks who do this more often than me – and use the same method – call it cider vinegar too. You say toe-MAY-toe, I say toe-MAH-toe. 🙂
No, experienced fermenters do not call this a cider vinegar, and actually we’re quite frustrated that so many bloggers are passing off weak scrap vinegar recipes as a cider vinegar. The small amount of sugar used in this recipe will yield an extremely low amount of acetic acid in the finished product, creating a “vinegar” that is not shelf stable and prone to spoilage. It should not be substituted in health, cosmetic, or cleaning applications that call for full-strength cider vinegar. You cannot soak apples in water with a little bit of sugar and call it cider. Cider is the pure juice of pressed apples with no water added. And that is actually a legal definition, in the US – “VINEGAR, CIDER VINEGAR, APPLE VINEGAR. The product made by the alcoholic and subsequent acetous fermentations of the juice of apples.” (Source: US FDA) Apple cider vinegar, being made from pure juice, is a good source of pectin and other nutrients, which is why it has long been touted as a health tonic. Apple-flavored light vinegar like yours does not have those benefits, and calling it a cider vinegar may confuse your readers into thinking they are making something at home which is comparable to a product like Bragg’s Raw ACV, which it absolutely is not.
Wow! Thanks for this! I have started 2 batches of this recipe, and at the very least I know now to handle it a lot differently than I would actual ACV. Kinda makes me sad to know that now I have to start all over to make the actual product… But better that than noy understanding what I actually have made. Thanks again.
I was very interested to read what Sarah had to say about what true ACV is… however, I have been getting some fantastic results from soaking chopped apples in filtered water, with no sugar added even. The one batch I made, sat in my fridge for over a year, and when I eventually tried it, it had matured into the most delicious vinegar I have ever tasted!! I wish I could have tested it to see how it measured up to the “real thing”, but taste wise, it was GREAT! So Andrew, don’t lose heart… stick with it and see how delicious it can turn out if you give it time…
Thanks for sharing this Sarah.
Thanks to Sarah for the clarification on what true ACV is. I am just learning how to brew / ferment excess fruit from my orchard. I noted that the definition of wine disallows dilution. But I wasn’t sure whether the addition of sugar was allowed. I achieved enough sugar from some Granny Smiths mixed with some Winter Nellis pears to achieve an SG of 1.040 (> 5.5% alcohol by volume) to make what I believe should be a true cider. But all of my apples were covered with a lemon water solution to limit spoilage prior to freezing. The scraps were cleaned up and all of the lemon water solution placed with the scraps only achieving an SG of 1.012 or so. So I added Dextrose to target about 4.5% alcohol by volume.
Just wondering if anyone knows whether the acidity could limit the formation of cider and the subsequent acetic acid.
I was wondering if this vinegar is good enough for human use or just for cleaning? Thanks!
Human all the way! 🙂 Hair rinse, allergies, daily health, soaking grains… go for it!
When this homemade version of apple cider vinegar is done ( 4 weeks of fermenting ) you will have the most delicious thing you ever tasted, as well as the most healthful. this stuff will correct your body pH to alkaline even though you think it should make you acidic. This is a truly blessed substance ever since Jesus was mocked on the cross and given it for His thirst while dying!
Glad to hear you enjoy it so much Teresa! And to think – it’s made from garbage! 😉
Trying this from some peaches not at prime, love sustainable foods
Let me know how it goes Cathy! I bet it’ll be delicious! Can you imagine using it in salad dressing?! YUM!
can I apple cider and vinegar to make apple cider vinegar?
Hi Pamela! There are some words missing, but I think you’re asking if you can mix apple cider and vinegar to make apple cider vinegar? Yes, sort of. The ACV would be the starter, with the liquid being the cider. You would have to cover w/ventilation and allow the ferment to take place, but it should work… I’ve never tested this though, so cannot say with certainty, and if you try this, make sure your starter ACV has the mother, which would be vital to recreating the fermentation.
I have a batch of this going right now. Plus a batch of peach and a batch of pear. It is so easy! You can use most any fruit. It is a great way to use up fruit scraps left over from canning or other cooking.
Ooh, pear! I agree – great way to put scraps to good use!
Why do you say to refrigerate the ACV? I have made more ACV using 1 part Braggs ACV and 1 or 2 part apple cider (both seem to work the same. I have never refrigerated. I have also gotten a large mother when doing this, which I removed (just the large piece as I wanted mother in the ACV.)
I tried a similar recipe using peels and cores, but it called for a much longer fermentation process with the peels (think it was two months). When I removed the peels, everything was slimy and ended up being tossed. I thought your recipe might be the path to success due to the shorter fermentation time.
I’m dehydrating apples today so plan to give it a try. Just curious about the refrigeration.
Hi Susan! I recommend refrigeration only to stop the fermentation. You can put a lid on it, and that will do it too, but just in case it keeps going (you know how ferments tend to have a mind of their own 😉 ), you can put it in the fridge.
Geeze I just made 3 gallons of this, it’s not going to keep on a shelf?
It will Amy, but there’s a chance it might continue to ferment slowly over time – just like with any raw vinegar. Strain the apples well and seal the container so that no air can get in and the fermentation process should essentially cease.
If you’re sealing it airtight AND thinking it can still be fermenting, you’re essentially creating a bomb. Pretty sure you should re-think that one…
I take it you’ve never made kombucha Alex? That’s pretty much a bomb if you don’t burp it early on. 😉
Do you have to use the peels or would cores work just as well? We eat the peels in our house!
No, you don’t have to use the peels!! Any sort of apple “extras” will work. You’ll probably need more cores, and I would halve a few of them too. 🙂
Thanks, I’ll give it a try!
I’m trying this with the peels and cores from my strainer. I’m hoping it’ll work, as I had to partially cook apples in order to strain them. If not, o, well! I’m not out very much money. Thanks for recipe! 🙂
Great outlook Tammy. You’re most welcome!
THANKS!! I am sooo going to try this! I love ACV and our family of 6 uses it a lot. When we do applesauce in the very near future, I’ll make a large batch! How would this work for cleaning? I use white vinegar a lot for that and now you’ve got me wondering…….
Love your blog!:)
I imagine it works fine for cleaning Sophy, just as white vinegar does. So long as it’s vinegar, it’ll do the trick! (And if making your own cleaner is frugal, imagine making your own vinegar too! 😉 )
will it work in a plastic container, I have been cooking up applesauce and this time I decided to save all the peels and cores, but not being prepared, I don’t have any large enough, and am using a plastic pitcher…. is it important enough to run out and get a glass one?
This was a question I was looking for, but in the end did run to a thrift store and found a 1 gallon glass “Sun Tea” jar. I’m sure it will work and be plenty big.
I know plastic isn’t the best thing to use, but I still think the question might be good for someone else.
thanks,
Pam
Hi Pam! Sorry I couldn’t answer in time! Glass is best, but plastic will work in a pinch. Avoid metal though, as the vinegar will corrode the metal. 🙂 Those big sun tea jars are so versatile!!
What is the shelf life for the vinegar… Trying the recipe now just curious how long it will keep
It should keep for quite awhile Susan. Since it’s naturally fermented, it has a much greater shelf life than the average foods. Vinegars can last from 6-12 months, depending. Always just by smell first, then taste. It will only get more acidic as time goes on, so if it’s “gone too far,” just be sure to dilute first.
Thank you
Hi Tiffany! Well I’m back a year later and making this year’s batch. After the fiasco of too many peels equals mold, I ended up with one qt. of good vinegar. I stored it in the fridge. I only use a T at a time mostly, so it lasted several months. Sometime the end of spring. beginning of summer I actually threw it away ( I know, I know, but there wasn’t much) because it was smelling like it had definitely gained an alcohol content, and no longer worked in my recipes.
This year I’m starting the first batch (today!) using the sugar water, and all subsequent batches I will just use water, so thinking that will help space it out a little (processing a round 100 lbs again).
I tried this and after two weeks there what I think was mold on top in each jar. I hadn’t check them recently and there were some peels above the water, I’m not sure if that was what did it. I make kombucha too and this didn’t look like what is on the top of my brew. Any thoughts?
The apples should be completely submerged in the liquid. The liquid is what’s fermenting and in theory, producing good bacteria and keeping the apples “safe.” Anything above the water line can create mold. For sourdough, you can scrape off the mold, plus a bit extra, and keep going. I’d try this with the vinegar and see what happens. It couldn’t hurt anything to keep brewing, right? And not all vinegars will create a SCOBY. You will likely see string-like substances at the bottom, which is good, but the SCOBY reference is mostly for those who aren’t sure whether a floaty mushroom-like disc is good or bad. 😉
I tried this, after 2 weeks it didn’t look nearly dark enough, so I left it up another 10 days after opening it, with the apples bits in it. I opened it today and what I believe are fruit flies came out, the little eggs were attached to inside rim of jar but I see nothing in the ACV, is it still ok to use? a few flies fell in, but I plan to strain the apples pieces and all out. Also, what is a SCOBY?
Hi Ginger! If there were fruit flies, I’d toss it just to be safe. SCOBY is the mushroom-like solids that are a natural byproduct of fermentation. It looks like a pancake, but it’s the catalyst for fermentation in kombucha.
Thanks Tiffany! It smells alright, don’t have a SCOBY, just lots of thread-like strands and some scum. I’m not going to drink it diluted in water b-4 meals as I normally would but I am going to try it on a mole. I hate to waste anything. Will have to try again for drinkable ACV.
You can also use this for cleaning too Ginger, or washing produce. 🙂
Does this method produce vinegar that includes “the mother?”
Yes Carolyn, it does!
I started a jar with some water, sugar, and peels a few days ago. Fun science experiment + free groceries = fun!
Then, today, I found a jar of apple cider (the regular drinking kind, from a local orchard, so no preservatives) that accidentally got a little lost in the fridge. It is now somewhere between “hard” and “vinegar.” Can I add that to my other jar? Or is it better to just toss it?
I think I know why to use the coffee filter instead of a lid – the plastic milk jug the cider was in was quite bloated!
Hi Amber! I do believe I had a jug of apple juice that did the same thing last year, lol! Hmmm… I’m not sure if I’d add it to your other jar, but I wouldn’t toss it either. Maybe water it down? Use in place of ACV in other recipes? Make chicken stock? Salad dressing? If all else fails, freeze it in ice cubes until you think of something. I have a hard time throwing anything away. 🙂
If you keep allowing it to torment, then freeze it you can make applejack, otherwise known as grain alcohol. I did it by accident one time.
I’m at my 2 weeks and just strained the peels and cores from the liquid… The liquid is thick and slimy and light in color is this normal or should I discard
Keep going Susan. My liquid got thick too, but the color will darken with age.
This year I am having the same thing with one of my batches of ACV, thick and slimy. Did yours ever turn out okay? I am thinking maybe to much sugar. I am going to cut up some more apples add some water and mix in this batch and see what happens.
I’ve been fermenting my vinegar now for close to 3 months. I began with another recipe that called to submerge the apples for about one week I think? Anyways, I used spring water and just apple cores, and then strained and let it sit with a cheese cloth on top. They appear to have the SCOBY, but they smell awful- like stinky feet. They certainly don’t smell like the Bragg’s ACV I have. Do you think the ACV I made is still good? It’s a pretty revolting smell, and I’m not sure if it’s suitable for recipes.
Hi Amber! I tend to go by the nose test, so if it smells revolting, I’d bypass for recipes. Mine never had a “bad” smell, but it definitely had an odor (typical yeasty/fermenty smell) that got stronger and “richer” so to speak with age. You don’t think it got contaminated or anything, do you?
So, I started my jar two days ago. I’d suggest maybe adding to the instructions to use some kind of weight to keep the apples below the surface. I’ve already got lots of fizzy bubbles, but the apples had risen to well above the level of the liquid (actually even above the top of the jar) and were pressing the cover – fabric, since we don’t keep coffee filters – upward. There were mold spots on one core, which I removed, but I think I caught it quickly enough not to worry. I’ll be checking daily in case more mold spots emerge. Found a lid that just fit into the opening and set a few “pickle pebble” glass fermentation weights on top of it to hold the apples below the top of the liquid.
I knew this wouldn’t produce actual apple cider vinegar, as another commenter suggested, but I’m hoping it will have similar enough properties to use in ACV’s place. If anybody has checked pH and compared the finished product to real ACV, I’d love to hear about it.
I have some pH test strips and I’d be happy to test the pH for you this week. Great note on the weight idea, and I’ll be sure to add that into the notes above. Thanks for sharing your experience with the vinegar, and with controlling those runaway apples!!
After my jar developed a serious white mold film on the top after just over a week, I gave up and tossed it. I think I’ll stick to making ACV the more traditional way. 🙁
Bummer! I haven’t had any issues so far. I’m sorry your batches haven’t turned out 🙁 Any thoughts to the cause?
Oops, another question! Did y’all take the seeds out of your cores? There’s that whole arsenic thing…
I did not, but I haven’t heard of arsenic in apple seeds. I’ve only heard of seeds being a fairly good source of vitamin B12, and since we’re not digesting them anyway, didn’t think to remove them.
Sir, you’d literally have to eat a coffee cup full of apple seeds to get an arsenic induced belly ache.
Do you think this could be canned? I want to make a lot but don’t want it to go bad before I could use it all. Plus it would not take up room in the fridge. Thanks
My friend and I did over 100 lbs of apples this month, so we had a lot of jarsof ACV started. She kept 12 at her house, and I had 6 at mine. Our conclusion is that those made with just granny smith apples did not turn the dark reddish brown color after 3-4 weeks, but did smell right. 5 of my 6 had some form of mold, and yes, the apples were not covered completely. You might want to add to the recipe that filling the jar all the way full with the cores/ peels is to much. I think The Soup Fairy and I both believed in “more is better”, using too many pieces, therefore not having room for enough liquid to cover (or in his case expand over).
Thank you for the suggestion Janice – I’m going to make that change right now. Thank you for leaving your experience and the great tip on the granny smith apples. I haven’t tried with any other variation (simply using what I had on hand), so it’s good to know that different varieties of apples produce different colors of vinegar. That would explain why a homemade brew would look different than store-bought!
i’ve tried a mixture of both eating apples and cooking (bramley) apples, about 50/50 by weight.
and then two techniques:
1. peels and scraps only
2. coarsely chopped apples
in both cases i half filled the 5 litre jars with apples, and then added some rapadura sugar and immersed the lot in water up to the neck, and made sure that the apples are covered. left in a warmish place and stirred once a day
it’s been about 14 days since i started and i have two very happy off white cloudy thickish ferments
they smell sweetly alcoholic and are very reminiscent of coarse cider known as scrumpy in the west of England
my question – how do i know when it’s time to remove the apple pieces and start the acetic acid ferment?
some say when the apple pieces fall to the bottom of the jar…
Hi Nick! I pull the apples at 2 weeks, but you could go longer if you want. Some leave them for as long as 6 weeks, but I think it all depends on your environment. If you’ve got good smells and clear fermentation going, I say you’re good to go!
I am very excited as I think my first batch of home made vinegar is almost ready! I added some Braggs ACV to mine as you suggested, to speed up the process. I strained the cores and peels after one week. It was so weak at first I thought maybe I strained it too soon. Each week I checked and it was still weak. I think I started this about a month ago or 3 weeks ago. I checked it tonight and it is starting to taste stronger and it is darker in color. I think I will let it go a little longer to see if it will get just a little stronger. It is a little weaker than Braggs, will it be anyway? The mother is settled on the bottom and I think a scoby is forming on top….it’s a white slimy thing floating around..but not a thick disk like I have heard it described. Is this the scoby and do I strain my vinegar or leave it as is to use? Do i plop that scoby thing into another batch of vinegar to make more?
So, the 1st time, I got fruit flies (you may remember), the 2nd time I tried, the apples rose above the water and got moldy. Uggh. I almost didn’t try again, it was hurting my pride as my friends & family know me as a pretty good cook but I couldn’t make something I leave on a shelf for 2 weeks! FINALLY, on my 3rd try my ACV turned out. It’s much lighter in color than Braggs but smells right and tastes right. No more moldy apples b-c I figured out I needed to check it and add water during fermentation in these dry winter months, and found something small enough to put on top to hold the apples down under the water – a small round nail brush from a foot spa. No, this one was never used for that purpose.
LOL! I’m glad it worked Ginger! I would have likely come close to giving up too, but what do you have to lose, right? The peels and such are only going in the trash anyway. 😉 Smart thinking to add water and improvise to keep the apples covered. My vinegar got slightly darker over time, but I think color might have to do with the type of apples used too. In either case, if it passes the smell & taste test – enjoy!!
So, if this is not “apple cider” vinegar… Wont it help if we add cider? (The bottled one, sold to drink, with alcohol)
LOL, I guess it depends on your goal Marina. What do you think adding the cider will do to the vinegar?
I dont know.
I was wondering after reading that comment about “this is not the real thing”…
Anyway, i want to try this to use it con my beauty routine… So i want the best option.
I’m trying my second batch of this, and have a question, please! The first batch got moldy and had to be tossed out. Pretty sure it happened because the apple peels and cores won’t stay totally submerged, rising to the top.. Any ideas?
Thanks for posting this in the first place, and for any helpful ideas you may have 🙂
Hi Susan! You’re right on the first batch. To help keep the apples completely submerged, try a canning weight (if you have them), or a lid (or anything really, so long as it’s sterile) that’s just smaller than the opening of the jar and then something heavy on top to keep it submerged!
Thanks for the suggestions 🙂 Seems fine, so far!
I’ve got a question because I just made my first batch and while all the apple pieces WERE submerged, they eventually apparently got a bit above the water and developed some mold on the top of the pieces. I scooped those pieces out- but should I just scrap the whole thing or is it ok because just the top pieces had some on it? I probably already know the answer but had to ask lol.
Yeah, you know the answer already. Luckily, the overhead on this is project should be nothing but time.
Rookie here, some canning experience but not fermentation. If it is advised that I keep the fruit under the water level, how might I do that, I’m thinking there is an inherent risk of the fruit getting to or above the water level.
Also, have you tried cores only, as opposed to cores and peels? I usually eat the peel and am wondering if there will be a process change if just use cores.
Thanks!
Do you think you can freeze the apple cider vinegar? Come apple season I make a lot of butters and applesauce and there is no way I can go through that much vinegar, but I’d love to store it over the long term. Thanks!
I haven’t tried it myself, but I don’t see why not Correne. Another option would be to make some and gift some at Christmas. 😉
I did this last fall, turned out great, got a good food grade bucket, used heavy plates to weight it down, and covered with clean kitchen towels, secured tightly with string. Used all the peels trimmings etc. Then when I took the trimmings off I fed them to the cows and chickens. .I use it as a hair rinse (super hard well water) in food dishes, coleslaw dressing and put it in my chickens water dishes. I couldn’t get ever the amount of fruit flies this attracted. .
Jaime,
That was huge scale ACV making! I love the thought process behind that especially using glass plates to weigh it down. We have apple trees, and they produced well this year. I’ve been composting tons of scraps though, and I keep thinking about my one lone pickle jar of apple scraps that I’m trying to ferment. LOL! Hate to waste and don’t have room for a dozen canning jars on my cupboard shelf. I’ll have to give this a try. Thanks for sharing.
-Ruthie
I have a ton of apple scraps in my freezer and want to try this. Does anyone know if the finished product can be canned to store long term? I can’t fill up my fridge with (more! haha) quart jars! I’m reading some places that as long as you cap it once it’s done you can keep it on the shelf, but that does not sound right to me at all.
Hi, Wondering how long the ACV keeps. You mentioned putting it in the fridge. I keep store bought raw ACV in the cupboard. Will it just keep and ferment more etc? Can I process it like water bath to keep it longer. Thanks
hi. do you use the coffee filter as a cover for the jar and can you use bottled spring water
Hi Charlie! Yes, and yes!
cheers Tiffany. looking forward to trying it. I was going to buy some last week but its quite expensive!
How do you keep all your apple pieces submerged? I cant keep mine down and I cant find a lid to fit inside my jar 🙁
Hi Nicole! There are canning kits that you can use to keep them submerged, but I wedge the cores down so that they’re stuck, and nothing comes above them. 🙂
I used a wide mouth canning jar and a glass fruit jar lid to hold down the apples. Worked great!
Hey!
This is a great site…It has been just 3 days since I started with the acv process and Der is a white froth/bubbles in top.I just skim them to the side and stir d mix.Is it ok to keep on going or should I throw it??
White froth and bubbles is normal. Just let it go!
my “apple cider vinager” has been fermenting now for almost a month. when i checked it today, its milky whitish and smells sour. should i keep going or just toss it.
It should smell sweet and fermented, definitely not sour. If it doesn’t smell good, I’d toss it to be on the safe side. 🙁
I started my two batches(that I condensed into one big gallon jar) back in late January. It’s been in my basement this whole time. Smells great. Nice amber color that I can see right through. Sediment at the bottom. I have yet to actually USE it for anything, or even taste it for that matter. But I know it’s going to be fine because of the smell alone. I’ll let you know how long it keeps once it goes bad.
Thanks so much for testing this out Andrew!
Hi I was wondering if anybody has used not only the cores and peelings but also chopped up apple flesh. It seems to me that the fruit itself might have enough sugar in it to be able to use less added sugar. Any thoughts on this? I have so many apples this year I can’t even give anymore of them away. Everybody had a great harvest. I guess if there is too much sugar it will just take a little longer to get used up. Thanks for this post and everybodies comments.
Sure did. Worked great!
I made ACV from peels September of 2013. I bottled it in 32 oz. juice jars and stored it in my basement with my canning jars.
The vinegar is still OK. It was weak in color and flavor at the six weeks when it was bottled and the lids put on. After a few months the color darkened and the flavor became more vinegary. We use it for anything that we would use Bragg’s for. This fall we were again given lots of apples ——so I have a one week old batch going and just started my second batch. It is very important to cover the peels and to weigh them down so they stay under the liquid. I also put in some of my ACV from 2013 , not the mothers just the dark cloudy vinegar.
As I finish the bottle of ACV –I pour the mother and the vinegar from the bottom of that bottle into another bottle to save them to use as starters for the new batches.
Does using a coffee filter vs cheesecloth keep the fruit flies out? My mom is making a few jars, but covering with cheesecloth, and they all have fruit flies.
I’m not sure if the covering makes the difference, but rather where you live and climate. I’d try keeping behind a pantry door to keep the flies out.
The couple batches I’ve made I have used a coffee filter. No flies, and it let’s the stuff “breath” while it does it’s thing.
Thank you Andrew!
I recently tried this and they got moldy 🙁 I was so sad I had to dump three beautiful jars of acv. I had plenty of water to cover the apples but they kept floating. Any tips on keeping them submerged?
Hi, Jenn. I couldn’t find anything to keep mine submerged either, so I just checked on it everyday. I took a spoon and pressed everything down once a day for the first 2-3 weeks. It’s more of a pain, but for me it was better than having it go to waste. Hope that helps.
Hi I have 2 batches going. One is still very light and one is light and thick like a syrup. Is this right? I have never bought acv
If you don’t have mold, you’re good to go Jaime. The batches will be different for various reasons. It shouldn’t have a funny smell either, by the way. 🙂
Hi, Love these instructions – lots of pretty pictures. I am at week 2 and one of my jars has got a fat, juicy scooby on it, but the entire thing is like a dark garnet to black color. It smells ok, actually good. The other jar is sort of tan in color. I just wondered if you could explain the color differences? TIA
I think it’s fair to say there is no “right” color. So many variables when you’re doing this in your own space. Light exposure, oxygenation (how well vented the top is) temperature to name a few. As long as it smells good, you’re probably fine. The batch in my basement is almost 10 months old. Smells and looks great, but I don’t think I’d be too worried about the color as long as the smell is right and there’s no mold. That said, go with your gut. If it doesn’t seem right, it’s not a huge investment you’re tossing.
Great answer Andrew – thank you for chiming in!
I am going to try your recipe for making a video. My question is, when you get the “mother” how do you use her to make more accurate? I am excited about making this. My daughter is making some now.
Sorry, the above comment was suppose to say ” make acv” not a video. Crazy spell check. Lol.
LOL – no worries!
I’m not sure if I follow Vickie… the “mother” in ACV is a stringy set of bacteria that doesn’t necessarily clump together like a scoby does. What do you mean by “making more accurate?”
Wow! Guess I really need to read my comments before I post. Evidently spell check doesm’t like “acv”. Lol
What I was trying to say is, what is the process of using the “mother” to make more acv?
Sorry for the confusion.
What should I do with my container of apple cores while I’m waiting to accumulate enough to start a batch, it could be a few weeks before we eat enough apples? Fridge?
Fridge or freezer Ashley, depending on how long you’re storing. 🙂
Thanks for the recipe. I was wondering if I could seal the jars? I just don’t want my house to stink up while I am making the vinegar… Or are there any tips to prevent the smell to cover the house while you are making this?
Hi there! love the instructions.. I’m making fig,strawberry,white grapes and red grapes vinegar atm and they are all turning out really well.. i can see the scum on top and no mold BUT i covered the entire thing with unfiltered coconut vinegar and did not add water at all.. it’s going to be too strong.. can i add purified water at this stage? it’s only been a week now.. can i add water now?
Hi there! love the instructions.. I’m making fig,strawberry,white grapes and red grapes vinegar atm and they are all turning out really well.. i can see the scum on top and no mold BUT i covered the entire thing with unfiltered coconut vinegar and did not add water at all.. it’s going to be too strong.. can i add purified water at this stage? it’s only been a week now.. can i add water now? or should i add it later after filtering the fruit after few weeks?
HELP!!! I made this 2 times but wasn’t successful. I have it on my counter all covered up so it’s warm enough since it’s the change of the season, but it never gets real vinegary(is that a word)? It’s always weak.
What am I doing wrong?
If it smells sweet, I’d just let it go longer. How long has it been Sue?
On other recipes it says to leave the apples in the mixture until it has been turned to vinegar, is there a reason you strain them out beforehand?
To help prevent the formation of mold on the fruit LC. 🙂
HI Tiffany. Did you ever get around to testing the Ph level out of interest?
Hi Sophia – I didn’t. We ended up packing up and moving across the country and I haven’t started a new batch of vinegar yet!
Hi there,
I’ve been working on my acv for probably 3 weeks. Right now it’s just a cloudy color and smells a little fermented. There isn’t any bubbling going on.
Should I add more apples and keep it going? Or do I need to start over?
How do you know when it’s time to take the apples out?
Thanks
Hi Kelsey! It sounds like it’s right on track! You can take the apples out now and if you want it to keep fermenting for a higher level of acidity, let it keep at room temperature. Otherwise cap it and call it done!
Can I make this with apple cider, the natural kind, Not processed like juice?
I haven’t tried that James, but you’re welcome to experiment!
Hi Tiffany, I am trying to do the ACV as you described above. My mixture stands now for 3 days..is it normal that the liquid becomes like jelly? Thank you!
Hi Peggy! The whole thing like jelly? I wouldn’t think so… but apple peel contains pectin, and that is used to make jelly. Natural cultures can also possibly form a scoby, although the chances are slim. I’m not sure what is going on, but if it smells ok, I’d keep going. Maybe you’ll just have to dilute once it’s done to thin?
Pretty much the whole thing yes…there is no liquid anymore..it’s all jelly, but otherwise it looks and smells good. The apples are out of my neighbors garden and 100% organic, maybe it’s one the kinds which has a lot of pectin. I will continue and see. Thank you Tiffany☺
Ah, mine is also very very viscous, kind of like a sticky clear gel or slime. Still looks fine, smells great. A friend of mine thinks maybe pectin? I can’t really find any information about what to do — if you should just leave it, or if you need to add a brewer’s enzyme to break it down? Mine is not a total gel, just thicker, almost like a light syrup.
I just strained mine and I have the same situation, more like a thick syrup. I don’t have an answer for you, just adding on here to see if someone else has had this result as well.
Just a thought. I would think glass shot glasses, turned upside down, would work to keep the fruit submerged. ?
Ooh, nice thinking Kelly!
If you aren’t opposed to using plastic, I’ve used a plastic zip top bag partly filled with water and zipped up to place on top of your jar of fruit or pickles or whatever you’re trying to ferment. Remove all the air out of the bag of water so it will conform to the inside of the jar. Push the bag of water directly down into the liquid to hold the fruit under the surface. This will keep the fruit submerged and since it doesn’t actually seal the jar, the gas from the fermenting process will escape around the edge of the bag of water. You may want to place your jar of apple scraps and water into a bowl to catch liquid that might run over the lip of the jar if you have it too full. This might work best with a larger jar such as the gallon size sun tea jar. Also a pint size canning jar filled with water and the lid screwed on should fit in most gallon size jars to hold the fruit down. Using the pint jar would work best if the gallon size jar is full enough of apple scraps so the pint jar sets above the rim of the gallon size jar so that you can get hold of the pint jar to pull it out. Just cover the whole thing with a cotton towel or cheesecloth and put a rubber band or string or whatever around the cloth to hold it onto the gallon jar.
Thanks for the ideas Dan!!
made two seperate jars at same time one is slimy the other not? ive read that slimy is ok and to keep going…what do you mean keep going? keep peels in or strain them it has been two weeks with peels.
If it’s been two weeks with peels, go ahead and strain, but keep letting it ferment until it’s the desired acidity.
I just want to say thanks again for this recipe. My first try didn’t work out because of mould. But my second worked wonderfully. I used it on salads and cooking but the most amazing thing was that I used it to cure my son’s planters wart in two weeks. Before this home made concoction, this beast was bad, let me tell you. I took him to the doc twice to try and have it removed with liquid nitrogen with no success. In fact after the first treatment the emperor struck back and spread to his other foot in spite of all my efforts to keep the wart covered.
Here’s what I did…
Cut the tip off a cotton swab and soak it in the homemade vinegar.
Apply the soaked cotton tip directly to the wart.
Cover the soaked cotton tip with duct tape trying to centre it on the wart.
Leave it covered for two days.
Repeat process.
After asking my pharmacist nephew was really surprised by the results of this home remedy. He figures the acv may have changed the ph of the surface of the skin making it unfriendly to the beast.
This is amazing MW – congratulations! And to think – it all stemmed from what was originally going to be trash!! 🙂
Mine developed a SCOBY on top. What should/can I do with it?
Composting would be best Valerie. I’ve never worked with an ACV scoby before (just kombucha), so I’m not entirely sure what to do with it. BUT – if you wanted to try another batch using the scoby to start, that would be an interesting experiment (with nothing lost since you’re using trash anyway, right?) 🙂
Wonderful advice from all the comments. Thanks. I wish I read them BEFORE I tried this.
I used a shot glass upside down… It was the only thing I could find small enough and I figured it was the most sterile. I noticed action after about a week. The filter was puffed up and completely soaked, dripping liquid down the sides of the jar and puddling at the bottom. There was lots of bubbling when I lifted and tilted the jar so I wiped it up, replaced the filter with a dry one and carried on. After another couple days, same thing, only this time I could actually smell the mould ( I’m super sensitive to smells). So, I threw it all out!
But, I will definitely try again. This time, maybe not fill it so much with apples. I have one weird question. When you say apple cores, do you mean to include the ones that have been left after eating, or cut away? I’d think it would be ONLY cut away, but thought I’d ask anyways.
Thanks for blogging. I’ve learned a lot. ?
Glad the comments are helping you AnnieVee! As for the apple core, I would NOT use eaten cores for ACV, just cut. But eaten cores can go into smoothies for sure!!
I don’t eat enough apples to have enough scraps. Could i just save the apple scraps by freezing them until i have enough to use?
Yes!
Thank you all for the interesting advice making acv. I used to make Kombicha years ago and enjoyed making it, I gave the extra ‘mother’ to our local health shop, they were most appreactve.
I have never made acv but am going to give it a go. I have been using bought acv for years, I put it in a spray bottle and after showering I spray it in the air and ‘walk’ through it, I’ve used it as an u/arm deodorant for years. It works. Ps. I’m 80 yrs young. 🙂
BerylH
I tried this. I got 2 thick layers of what assume to be mother, but it smells sour not vinagery. Should I toss it. It’s been over a month
April – does it smell bad? Or just sour? Sometimes “sour” is mistaken for vinegar, especially in home fermentation. If you don’t see any mold, then you’re probably fine.
Hi, could you please enlighten me, what is a SCOBY. I have made the apple water part and it smells pleasantly sour. I am going to remove the apples now at day 16. At the edges where i couldnt completely submerge the apples, there is a skin that has formed that looked like a congealed scum that is a milky colour. I am assuming that i am to toss this out? Can i use the rest of the cloudy looking liquid and keep following your instructions? if i can skim off the milky skin on the side?
Thank you,
Hi Michelle – that is technically an MOV – mother of vinegar! It is VERY similar to a scoby (Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast), but technically speaking, scoby’s are created in kombucha (fermented tea) while MOV’s are created in a vinegar solution. I have an MOV too, which I honestly haven’t done anything with yet, BUT I do plan to use it to make more ACV. You can do that, instead of using the mother from raw ACV when you make vinegar. If you don’t want to use it for awhile, store it in a jar w/some of the homemade vinegar – maybe 1/4 cup, depending on how thick it is. Cover w/thin cloth and secure w/rubber band. It’ll continue to thrive, but you won’t be forced to do anything with it right away. Congrats! It’s not a super common occurrence to grow an MOV, but it means making more ACV easily going forward!!
I have tried this a few times now with different contraption involving jars and lids. But I still struggled to keep the apple scraps down and mold kept ruining my batches. This last time, I used a coffee filter pot and a piece of paper towel. I just cut a slit in the paper towel so it would slide in around the shaft. I was going to use a rubber band over the paper towel, but I thought I might brake the pot. So I just let. The lid hold the paper towel down. Perfect results and no mold!
Wonderful – thanks for sharing Merrilee!
So I’m at 2 weeks minus 1 day and my apple peels closer to the top of the jar are browning. They are *mostly* submerged (has been a few peels that have come out of the liquid maybe a milimetre at most) but even ones that are completely submerged are starting to brown. The second half at the bottom look the same as they did when I first started the process. I don’t see any mold, just discoloration. Is this normal? Has anyone experienced this? Any solid advice or even just pondering would be helpful 🙂
Hi Chelsea! Discoloration is fairly normal, as it takes only a little oxygen to react w/the apples. You definitely don’t want mold, and you don’t want an off smell. As long as it smells good and the color is the only issue, I say you’re doing great!
Im just wondering if anything can be made from apple peels after using to make vinegar.
I think once you make vinegar, you won’t want to use them for much other than compost. MAYBE you can dehydrate them into dog treats, but the vinegar soaked flavor likely won’t be enjoyable by humans. 🙂
I used this recipe and it has been sitting for about 2 months. I had another batch of homemade act with the mother, so when I started this I added that mother in with the apple scraps. After a few weeks I strained the apples and the mother was all grown into the apple pieces. Now it looks great with more mother growing on top and it’s super cloudy, but very light in color, almost white. It smells right, but I havnt tasted. Do you think I should leave it a lot longer and hope the color gets darker? I was hoping to jar it in clear glass growlers soon. Any suggestions??
If it smells right, I’d judge by that over color (personally). Taste, and see if it needs more time, and get it bottled up!
Hi! I also tried to make one at home my self! But the color of the vinegar was really cloudy and pale… did i do wrong?
Thanks!
Hi is it ok to apply on my hair, Henna and make a Conditioner of it? cuz i really like everything home made and if i can use this vinegar for my hair it will be great, and can i make other blends of it?
Thanks.
I’m not sure Julian, but if you try it and are successful let me know!
Can I use brown sugar? Will the molasses be a problem?
I don’t think I’d recommend brown sugar Sarah. In all the ferments I’ve seen, white sugar is nearly always used.
Hello!
SOS!I will move in there weeks and even if I start today it will not be read until then.Can I pause the procedure for one day and put the lid?
Absolutely!
I love making ACV. always have at least 1 gal going. I get used pickle jars from local places that sell the full pickles, like the Farmers Market.
I’ve also made a pineapple vinegar that was delicious. Used the meat cut off inside of peelings. Never trust the pineapple peelings, unless you grow them yourself. Exact same process.
1/2 c of acv w/mother, pineapples bits, 1/2 c br sugar, (can also use honey, but takes longer), dist. water, & 2 Tbsp of lemon juice. Strain after 2 wks. Then after 2 more wks, start tasting & cap off, when you like the taste, then bottle.
Another vinegar hack I love is citrus cleaning vinegar, (wht vinegar & citrus peelings). I clean everything w/vinegar. Peelings gives wonderful citrus smell. Having 2 Meyers lemon, a tangerine, a pink lemon, & a Ponderosa lemon.
Citrus peelings in any size jar, (can keep in fridge for a wk, until you have enough), fill w/reg white vinegar, & cap. Put in dk cool place, remembering to shake at least every other day. After 1 mth, strain & keep in same jar, or put into spray bottle. I clean mirrors, tables, floors, etc w/it.
So, I started and after the first two weeks with the scraps, my mixture turned very syrupy. Is this normal?
I don’t recall mine being syrupy… how does it smell?
It smells like vinegar. It’s just much thicker than the normal kind you’d get at the store. I wonder if it would help if I added more water?
It might – let us know how it works out for you!
Thanks for this post. For the many commenters who have ‘failed’ making the fermented apple scrap vinegar due to mold, I suggest they try using an airlock which will allow air to leave the jar, but keep the contents protected from molds, bacteria, dust and pests. They are not hard to make yourself, or there are companies selling them all ready to just screw onto your wide mouth Mason jars. A food safe bag filled with water and rested on top of the apple scraps will also cut down on molds, etc., but an airlock is the best in my experience. It’s also fun to watch how the water in the airlock responds to the pressure of the fermentation process in the jar.
Using an airlock protects against contamination and allows the materials to create the ideal environment for fermentation. I use the Perfect Pickler, but you can also easily and inexpensivly make your own if you are a bit handy.
Hey, I’ve been making acv for a little but now, and has always been great. I’ll bottle it in an air tight glass bottle and stash it away. Previously had no trouble but the last batch I made, I went to pop open a bottle to use it and it was very very carbonated.. Still tasted like vinegar though not very strong. What have I done and can I rid the carbonation and save them?? I don’t know what to do haha. Thanks
Hi Natalie! The carbonation is a natural by-product of fermentation and doesn’t make it bad at all! I’d burp the vinegar now and then (opening and closing it) and just let it keep sitting to make it stronger. 🙂