How to turn apples to cider to vinegar! How to make apple cider vinegar (ACV) from scratch in a few easy fermentation steps with water, fresh apples, and maple syrup. Let it set and have fresh ACV to naturally cleanse your body and house. Use it for drinking, cleaning, healing, and in recipes!
Why make apple cider vinegar
Homemade apple cider vinegar is a wonderful way to use up apples and apple scraps. Raw, organic apple cider vinegar (also called ACV) is one of the most highly talked about natural remedies in homeopathic medicine. Especially when you combine it with honey you get all the benefits of apple cider vinegar and honey in one!
It can help with weight loss, an upset stomach, cough, to soothe dry and chapped skin, and is great for cleaning surfaces. And it is incredibly simple to make at home with a few basic ingredients you probably already have on hand! Be sure when you make ACV to use it in this apple cider vinegar drink, cranberry juice detox water, ACV shots, and apple cider vinegar smoothie recipes!
Homemade ACV is a wonderful way to use organic apples when you have too many apples or extra scraps from making crisps and pies. The combination of apples with a sugar (like how to make apple cider) sits out and the sugar ferments in a two-step fermentation process and turns from apple cider to vinegar. [source]
Fermentation process: apples to apple cider to vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is made from sweet, fall varieties of organic apples (we don't want those pesticides in our liquid, so make sure to use organic apples!). There is a double fermenting process, which produces healthy enzymes that add to the fruit vinegar, giving it health-promoting characteristics.
Apples To Hard Apple Cider: First the sugar in the apples is broken down turning it into "hard" cider, or alcoholic cider. Then the apples are strained.
Apple Cider To Vinegar: The second fermentation happens where the alcohol turns into vinegar or ACV. After the apples are strained it sets for 3-4 more weeks and turns the apple cider to vinegar.
When organic apple cider vinegar is unpasteurized it contains the "mother" which is what makes it have a cloudy appearance. The mother is completely harmless and contains healthy living nutrients and bacteria. So if you are using cider vinegar for its health benefits, make sure it contains the mother and is unpasturized.
Benefits of ACV with the Mother
Benefits of apple cider vinegar bacteria are vast, with incredible healing properties both internal and external. One of my favorites being that drinking apple cider vinegar to help shed weight is a real thing and you can read about apple cider vinegar for weight loss here. ACV alkalizes the body, unlike other vinegars, when consumed and during the digestion process makes the body alkaline which helps to ward off sickness and disease. Sickness and disease can not grow in an alkaline environment.
Here are a few more enticing benefits of apple cider vinegar:
- Eases digestion and adds healthy bacteria for proper gut health
- Aids to prevent the flu
- Ease nausea and heartburn
- Weight loss and fat breakdown
- Natural detox for the body by supporting healthy kidney, bladder and liver function
- Reduces acne
- Smoothes wrinkles
- Reduces inflammation
- Balances pH levels in the body
- Alleviates allergy symptoms
- Antifungal
- Antibacterial
- Antiviral
- Fights Candida
[source]
Nutritionally the unpasteurized mother of vinegar includes:
- Iron
- Potassium
- Enzymes
- Magnesium
- Malic Acid
- Acetic Acid
- Calcium
- Pectin
- Calcium
- Ash
- Trace Minerals
- Chlorine
- Copper
- Fluorine
- Phosphorous
- Silicon
- Sodium
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B1
- Vitamin B2
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin P
Uses
Make ACV and use it for bone strengthening, athletes food, nosebleeds, external itching, sore throat, weight loss and fat reduction, diarrhea, diabetes, blood pressure, leg cramps, hay fever, heartburn, headaches, cholesterol, candida, nail fungus, head lice, ear infections, sinus congestion, gallstones, natural all-purpose house cleaner - the list goes on and on and on!
ACV Ingredients
Supplies - To make ACV you need a large jar with a wide mouth (such as a 32 ounce mason jar or larger), mesh netting or piece of cheese cloth to prevent debris and bugs from falling in as it sets, rubber band or mason jar ring to hold a mesh netting on top.
Ingredients - 2 cups of apples chopped or apple scraps including the core, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup or honey, 3 cups of filtered water.
How to make apple cider vinegar from scratch
STEP 1: Add the apples or scraps to the jar and fill with water, leaving room at the top so you can stir it each day. Add the maple syrup and mix together.
STEP 2: Cover the jar with the cheesecloth. Fasten closed with a rubber band or mason jar rim, so air flows in but the mesh covering prevents bugs from getting in.
STEP 3: Place the jar in a warm, dark place for about 3-4 weeks. During this time make sure the apples are submerged in water the entire time. They will start to float up, so make sure to push them down everyday.
STEP 4: It will start to thicken and you need to stir it occasionally and make sure the apples are fully submerged each day otherwise they will mold on the top above the water. If it molds, it is no good. When you stir, bubbles will start to form and it will become cloudy with scum. After the first 3 weeks the apples will be soft and not float as much.
STEP 5: After 3-4 weeks, strain out the apple pieces.
STEP 6: Cover again with the cheesecloth and let the liquid set in the jar in the same spot for another 3-4 weeks. This is the stage it turns to vinegar.
STEP 7: Taste the vinegar and if it is strong enough it is ready and now you have apple cider to vinegar! Store the vinegar in a glass container.
Side note, super glad to have my measurment conversion chart to break down how many tablespoons are in a cup to get the exact amount this apple cider vinegar recipe makes😍.
Expert tips for making fruit vinegar with apples
When the apples set in water, it can mold, or at least it did it for me the first time I tried to turn apple cider to vinegar. Make sure the apples are submerged under water completely. They will start to rise to the top, so stir it frequently, at least once or twice per day. I just leave mine in the kitchen and give it a good stir in the morning while making breakfast and in the evening while prepping dinner. When you blend it you will see bubble.
It ferments in two steps. For the first couple of weeks when you make acv, as it sits out it will start to have a yeast smell, like a beer or hard apple cider. Strain it and let it set for the next phase which is where it turns to vinegar. The process is similar to if you have wine that sat out too long. You know wine is bad when it tastes like vinegar. You know your homemade apple cider vinegar is good when it tastes like vinegar🤣!
Frequently asked questions
Yes, apple cider to vinegar will occur after the second fermenting process. It takes about 6-10 weeks with this method.
Mix one part apple cider vinegar and three parts water is traditional, but if drinking I suggest 1 tablespoon to 4-8 ounces of water to protect teeth enamel.
When stored properly in a glass container it will last 2 years.
Yes, good bacteria which is what we want to see in the mother and cloudy result but see this article about fermented apple beverages.
ACV is highly acid. If consuming it as a drink it needs to be diluted with water. Use 1 tablespoon to 8 ounces of water. Drinking it straight can damage tooth enamel or harm tissue in the throat and mouth.
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📖 Recipe
How To Make Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)
Equipment
- large jar with an open mouth
- cheesecloth or mesh bag
- rubberband or mason jar rim for a mason jar
Ingredients
- 2 cups organic apples sweet ones such as honecrisp or fuji
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or you can use honey
- 3 cups filtered water
Instructions
- Add the apples or scraps to the jar and fill with water, leaving room at the top so you can stir it each day. Add the maple syrup and mix together.
- Cover the jar with the cheesecloth. Fasten closed with a rubberband or mason jar rim, leaving the top exposed.
- Place the jar in a warm, dark place for about 3-4 weeks.
- It will start to thicken and you need to stir it occationally and make sure the apples are fully submerged each day otherwise they will mold on the top above the water. When you stir, bubbles will start to form and it will become cloudy with scum.
- After 3-4 weeks, strain out the apple pieces.
- Cover again with the cheesecloth and let the liquid set in the jar in the same spot for another 3-4 weeks. This is the stage it turns to vinegar.
- Taste the vinegar and if it is strong enough it is ready and now you have apple cider to vinegar! Store the vinegar in a glass container.
Notes
- When the apples set in water, it can mold, or at least it did it for me the first time I tried to turn apple cider to vinegar. Make sure the apples are submerged under water completely. They will start to rise to the top, so stir it frequently, at least once or twice per day. I just leave mine in the kitchen and give it a good stir in the morning while making breakfast and in the evening while prepping dinner.
- If the top has mold the mixture is no longer good, so make sure they stay under water. After about 3 weeks the apples will soften and not float as much.
- It ferments in two steps. For the first couple of weeks when you make acv, as it sits out it will start to have a yeast smell, like a beer or hard apple cider. Strain it and let it set for the next phase which is where it turns to vinegar. The process is similar to if you have wine that sat out too long. You know wine is bad when it tastes like vinegar. You know your homemade apple cider vinegar is good when it tastes like vinegar🤣!
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from Going Zero Waste and The Alternative Daily.
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