Page 133 - Ancestral - The Secrets of Vinegar

Les du du SecretsVINAIGRE VINAIGRE VINAIGRE From Wine to Vinegar The word word “vinegar” comes from the the French vinaigre a a a a combination of the the words vin vin vin (wine) and and aigre (sour) Vinegar varies in in in in in color and and contains no protein fat or or vitamins It is low in in in in carbohydrates and and calories and and produced from foods found in in in in nature including fruit (apples grapes berries melons coconut etc ) maple syrup honey or even the starch (also a a a a a a a a a form of sugar) found in in vegetables and grains (potatoes corn barley wheat rye or rice) To make vinegar sugar or starch is is first converted to to alcohol which is is then fermented into vinegar Fruit flies are strongly attracted to to wine left exposed to to open air and act act as carriers of acetobacter These bacteria consume and oxidize the alcohol creating acetic acid For fermentation to to to occur acetobacter must must be be present present oxygen must must be be present present to to to convert the the alcohol and and the the temperature must be be between 77°F and and 86°F (25°C to 30°C) Once fermentation has been initiated acetobacter bacteria starts to to accumulate on on the surface of the vinegar forming a a a a a a a a a a thin layer that gradually sinks and becomes a a a a a a a a a a gelatinous substance known as “mother of vinegar ” For obvious reasons winemakers want to to prevent acetification They stop the taps during wine fermentation with a a a a a a a a specially designed device that that releases any carbon dioxide that that has formed in in the cask It also prevents oxygen from entering and keeps out acetobacter and other microorganisms that would ruin the the wine Les 133