Mother of Vinegar / making wine vinegar

[mudbug]

I understand you can try to make a mother (of vinegar) by putting the wine in a large-mouth jar covered with cheesecloth and placing in a warm spot for several weeks -- or until it smells like vinegar. Has anyone tried this or did you just obtain a Mother of Vinegar first? Comments? Opinions? Personal experiences?

[shroomgirl]

I have a dear friend that is a retired banker who makes wonderful vinegars....I have some Dom vin on my fridge.....He uses a mother and gets wine from wine tastings...shares with restaurants and they give him some raw product.
I'll ask where he got his mother. (sounds sad)

[mudbug]

Hadn't heard back from you shroomgirl.

I finally found some fantastic information on the net.

This article "How To Make Vinegar" tells how to make the "mother of vinegar" and how to get different varieties like clover, honey, wine, raspberry, cider, etc. The most info I've found on this topic yet...!
http://www.countrysidemag.com/issues/4_1999.htm

[shroomgirl]

OK I reached my dear friend who is retired and travels a bunch....he started his mother in 1979 took him several trys and 3-4 monthes.....open jar of wine in a cupboard...needs to be room temp, the cupboard eliminates some of the junk you don't want.
You want air borne acetobacteria, pink floaters, they are fragile and do not travel well!!!! Geno said that you need to be very careful when inoculating fresh wine because you want this bacteria to float if it sinks it dies. He had a friend that ordered from a commercial outfit it came DOA....so small amount in a multi layered cheesecloth covered room temp container....size of marinated artichoke jar ok.
Hope this helps.
sorry it took so long.

[mudbug]

Hey, no prob... thanks for the tips!

[chefjohnpaul]

Thanks for the vinegar link!

[davewarne]

I read somewhere, ages ago, that you pour the wine thro' a bunch of birch twigs. I suppose it's agood place to pick up the bacteria. I was presented with a 'mother' by a chef who was retiring. It does seem to be indestructible. I have also had 'mothers' developing in half used jugs of commercial wine vinegar that have stood unused for some time. My problem is that I never have enough wine dregs to feed the thing!

David

[davewarne]

CCHIU

I checked out the site. It is really informative. One thing I noted. It says the 'mother' is a thin scum forming on the surface. Mine has always looked more like a 1/4" thick layer of aspic jelly.

David