The word "Vinegar" means "Sour
wine." Thus, the most logical thing to make vinegar out of
is, you guessed it, wine. Making your own wine vinegar is easy,
and it also means that you can have more than one type. White or
red wine can be used, and you can use whatever wine you'd like (as long
as it's not a sparkling wine).
You will need:
1 bottle of wine, white or red
1 tablespoon of pot barley
a non-metal container with a decent lid that will hold 1 bottle of wine
Pour the wine into the container and add the pot
barley. Cover and let stand in a warm place for a few days.
When it tastes right to you, strain and bottle. Keep some of the
liquid in the crock as a mother. Feed it occasionally with
splashes of wine, and you can use it to make a new batch in the
future. Always use the same type of wine that the mother was
created with.
Note: If you're going to keep making
vinegar, don't wash the crock with soap or detergent between batches. A
rinse and wipe with a lint-free paper towel is enough.