vinegar

[Libby]

Does anyone know if there is anywhere in the UK who sells 'mother of vinegar'?
I have 3 half filled jam jars of red wine with muslin covers currently sitting in the kitchen, in the hope it will produce its own 'mother' eventually, but it could take months, if it happens at all!
I,ve never seen it for sale here, and I have searched the internet exhaustively. USA sites have an abundance of the stuff.
I,ll go to plan B if I can,t find it, which is to use unpasturised cider vinegar, but I,m not sure if it,s ok to use it with the red wine!

I have a sad, lonely, empty vinegar jar just waiting to become a productive member of the household, so any sightings would be much appreciated

[gunners71uk]

you got me thinking when i do chutney or pickle onions in the summer
what vinegar do you use malt ????

[Libby]

I use malt usually, but for red tomato chutney, or any that you want to preserve the colour of, I use both white vinegar and sugar

[Shirley]

I'd never heard of this before - but have a look at this site :


http://www.kombuchatea.co.uk/kombucha-f ... ng-tea.asp

as it says "By using brewed vinegar you can change your Kombucha to Mother of Vinegar"

http://thewinemaestro.co.uk/artman/publ ... e_48.shtml this site refers to mother of vinegar also being called a starter so you may have some joy with that.

I guess you could contact sarsons and ask them for some

[Millymollymandy]

All my chutneys and pickles are made with cider vinegar because I can't get white wine or malt in France. I don't know if it makes any difference using different kinds of vinegar but mine are very nice!

[Libby]

I'd never heard of this before - but have a look at this site :


http://www.kombuchatea.co.uk/kombucha-f ... ng-tea.asp

as it says "By using brewed vinegar you can change your Kombucha to Mother of Vinegar"

http://thewinemaestro.co.uk/artman/publ ... e_48.shtml this site refers to mother of vinegar also being called a starter so you may have some joy with that.

I guess you could contact sarsons and ask them for some

Thanks Shirlz,
Looks like unpasturised vinegar is what i,ll have to use. I,ve a couple of places jotted down where that can be bought, since most of what,s in the shops is already pasturised.
I had the same problem finding rennet for cheesemaking Got there in the end though
Sometimes I think there is a conspiracy to prevent independance from the big manufacturers!
Other times I just know I,m a complete nutter

[Libby]

All my chutneys and pickles are made with cider vinegar because I can't get white wine or malt in France. I don't know if it makes any difference using different kinds of vinegar but mine are very nice!

I think you can use whatever you like really MMM, The vinegar is a preservative, doesn,t matter which type I don,t think.
If I ever get my own going, I,ll even have a go at using that! Just a matter of having enough wine left over now

[Libby]

The good news is...............................
I got some unpasturised cider vinegar from a company called Ostlers It cost me a fiver, but I couldn,t start without it.
Once exposed to the air it has grown a lovely slimey 'mother' for me to feed up with cider.
I,m going to fish half of it out and transfer it to some red wine in a few weeks, then it,s down to begging enough dregs from everyone I know as I don,t drink red wine

[Shirley]

Fantastic Libby!!

Actually I might have a go at this myself - we are red wine drinkers in this house. Do you have the contact details for Ostlers? Do they do mail order????

Questions questions - sorry

[Libby]

Hi shirlz
http://www.ostlerscidermill.co.uk/acata ... negar.html
Thats the link, they do mail order, but you have to send a cheque. No plastic at present.
Good luck with it

[Shirley]

Thanks libby

ACV is good for the chooks too :)