How to Make Apple Cider Vinegar

Requires:

• 4-5 ripe apples without worms or blemishes (there is a high content of sugar in ripe apples)
• 1 package of cake or wine making yeast
• Optional - Honey or sugar syrup

How to prepare:

1. Wash and core the apples, cut them into small pieces.
2. Blend the apples and mash them to release the juice.
3. Strain the juice with a cheesecloth to remove the mash.
4. Pour the juice into a non-metallic (preferably glass) container - note that vinegar reacts with metal
5. Keep a cup of apple juice aside and stir in the yeast until it is completely dissolved. Add the mixture into the rest of the apple juice and stir it in.
6. Cover the container with a cheesecloth and place in a dark place at room temperature (65 degrees to 80 degrees Fahrenheit). 
7. Stir the mixture every two days (use a wooden ladle) for about three to four weeks.
8. After three to four weeks, taste the Apple Cider Vinegar for the desired flavor; if the flavor is not up to par, wait a few days and try again. 
9. Once you find the taste you like, filter the vinegar to strain the yeast. Transfer the vinegar into a large Heavy bottom pot.
10. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture reaches a temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit  in order to pasteurize it. 
11. Let the mixture cool, then pour the cider into a glass bottle, secure the lid and place the bottle in a hot water bath. 
12. Let the bottle cool and store it in a dark, dry, cool place.

 For some medicinal uses for Apple Cider Vinegar which have been around for centuries, see my previous post: Benefits and Uses of Apple Cider Vinegar