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How to Make Apple Cider Vinegar at Home

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How to make apple cider vinegar at home from apple scraps
Wellness Mama » Blog » Recipes » How to Make Apple Cider Vinegar at Home

Every fall we take at least one trip to an apple orchard near us. They have family-friendly activities, wonderful local canned goods for sale, and of course, apples. So many apples! My kids love applesauce so I take advantage of the apple season to make homemade applesauce so that we can enjoy it throughout the year.

Don’t Waste Apple Cores and Peels!

I don’t always peel the apples when I make applesauce but if you do take the time to peel the apples (maybe you even prefer your applesauce that way), you can use the peels and the cores to make apple cider vinegar. This way you have virtually no waste!

It is also totally possible to make apple cider vinegar from the whole apple so don’t worry if you don’t have leftover peels and cores from anything.

When I make applesauce, I typically do large quantities at a time so I have enough peels and cores for a batch of apple cider vinegar. If you only occasionally use apples, you can store the peels and cores in the freezer until you have enough gathered to start a batch.

If you don’t have an apple orchard nearby, farmers markets are another great place to get organically grown apples. Just check with the farmer. Organic apples are ideal for apple cider vinegar, especially if you will be using the peel. If you cannot find organic apples, peel them first. Discard the peel and just use the inside portion.

What Is So Special About Apple Cider Vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) has many healthy uses. It is made through the process of fermentation and is high in phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, and calcium. Hippocrates is believed to have prescribed ACV for a variety of ailments.

ACV for Digestion and Heartburn

ACV is the base of spicy cider which is a great remedy to help quickly knock out a cold.

Amazingly, and contrary to what seems logical, ACV also has a valuable role in preventing heartburn and aiding digestion. In most cases heartburn is actually caused by too little stomach acid which slows down digestion. Food and gasses put pressure on the stomach, causing stomach contents (including stomach acid) to leak back into the esophagus. When you remedy heartburn with ACV it increases stomach acid and helps the body digest the food more quickly. This prevents the build-up and subsequent leakage which causes heartburn. You can read more about natural heartburn relief here.

ACV Topically

In addition to its many benefits when taken internally, it is wonderful for the skin. When added to bathwater, it helps to naturally restore balance to the skin’s pH. It also helps kill bacteria and fungus on the skin which can lead to a host of problems, including eczema, dandruff, and other skin conditions.

Because of its great pH balancing benefits and dandruff preventing abilities, it makes a great hair rinse that replaces conditioner and can be used after shampooing with a natural shampoo.

Unfiltered, Unpasteurized, And With “The Mother”

Most of the ACV you find in the supermarket is pasteurized and highly filtered. These versions still work well for cleaning but they are not optimal for internal and culinary uses because most of the benefits are gone once the “mother” is filtered out and the vinegar is pasteurized.

There are a few available that are “with the mother” which means they leave in the beneficial bacteria that develops during the fermentation process in the vinegar. When you make your own ACV you can be sure that your vinegar retains this beneficial “mother.”

Important Notes:

  • This recipe uses sugar. The sugar is necessary to “feed” the yeast, but most (if not all) of the sugar is fermented out. People often ask if they can use honey. The short answer is yes, but it really does not work as well and causes the whole process to take longer. And to be honest, because the sugar is broken down, there really isn’t anything to be concerned about as far as the effect it will have on blood sugar.
  • Make sure all of your equipment and your jar are very clean. It is important to make sure you don’t introduce any bacteria other than what is naturally occurring in the process.
  • My favorite apple variety to use for applesauce is Gala so my scraps are usually a majority Gala. However, you get the best flavor if you have a mix of varieties. I use mostly Gala, but I will throw in a mixture of other types for the rest. Some I have used are Fuji, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, and McIntosh. It just adds some complexity to the flavor.
  • White scum is going to form on the top. This is normal. Mold, however, is not good and will spoil your ACV. Be sure that the apples stay submerged under the water. This will help prevent mold. You can use a fermentation weight or even just a smaller glass jar (thoroughly clean the outside) and set it on top of the apples to keep them submerged.
  • Gnats and flies love ACV so you need to make sure your jar is well covered. However, it needs to be able to breath and release gasses created from the fermentation process so do not use a solid lid. Cheesecloth or a coffee filter work well.

Final Notes

At some point while making apple cider vinegar, you will probably notice a SCOBY-like “thing” that forms on the top. This is the “mother.” You can remove it or you can just leave it floating in your vinegar.

If you don’t want to make your own apple cider vinegar, it is becoming more common for grocery stores to carry organic ACV “with the mother.” Or you can buy it online.

How to Make Apple Cider Vinegar

Before starting to make ACV, there are a few things you’ll need to have on hand first:

Supplies:

  • Clean jar – you can use any size jar (I have used a wide mouth quart jar and a half gallon pickle jar)
  • Organic apple scraps – enough to fill your jar ¾ of the way full
  • Organic cane sugar
  • Filtered water
  • Fermentation weight or small glass jar
  • Cheesecloth or coffee filter
  • Rubberband
How to make apple cider vinegar at home from apple scraps

Apple Cider Vinegar Recipe with the Mother

Apple cider vinegar with “the mother” has many benefits and it is simple to make at home with some organic apple scraps and a little time. Here’s how…
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 42 days 5 minutes
Calories 6kcal
Author Katie Wells

Servings

2 cups

Ingredients

  • organic apple scraps
  • 2 TBSP cane sugar
  • 2 cups water (filtered)

Instructions

  • Clean a quart jar very well and let air dry.
  • Fill the jar ¾ full with apple scraps. If you are using whole apples, roughly chop them up before you put them in the jar.
  • Dissolve the cane sugar into the cup of water.
  • Pour sugar water over the apples until they are completely submerged. Add a little additional water if needed to make sure the apples are covered.
  • Weigh down the apples with a fermentation weight or with the small glass jar. Any apples that are exposed to the air could mold.
  • Cover with the cheesecloth or coffee filter and secure with the rubber band.
  • Store in a dark place at room temperature. I put mine in a cabinet in the kitchen.
  • Leave it for approximately 3 weeks. Check on it every few days to make sure the apples are staying under the water and to make sure no mold is growing.
  • After 3 weeks, it will still smell fairly sweet. Strain the apples pieces out and return the liquid to the jar. Compost the scraps.
  • Recover and put the jar back in a dark spot for another 3-4 weeks, stirring every few days.
  • When the ACV has reached the “tartness” you like you can put a lid on it or transfer it to a different jar with a lid and start using it!

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Apple Cider Vinegar Recipe with the Mother
Amount Per Serving (2 TBSP)
Calories 6
% Daily Value*
Sodium 1mg0%
Carbohydrates 0.3g0%
Sugar 0.1g0%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notes

This recipe is for a quart size jar of apple cider vinegar. If you are making a larger jar, just make sure your apple scraps fill the jar ¾ of the way and are covered with sugar water.
When the ACV is finished you can save “the mother” that has floated to the top or just a small quantity of the finished ACV to start a new batch that will ferment more quickly. 

Like this recipe? Check out my new cookbook, or get all my recipes (over 500!) in a personalized weekly meal planner here!

How do you use apple cider vinegar? Will you try your hand at making your own?

Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

220 responses to “How to Make Apple Cider Vinegar at Home”

  1. Chris Avatar

    Can a raw store brought acv be used to make a new batch? If so what would be an ideal ratio of sugar water to store brought acv?

  2. Anne-Marie Avatar
    Anne-Marie

    I have followed your instructions, but when I strained the apple pieces out, my liquid was was very thick and a bit gloopy. It smells like vinegar, but I don’t think it should be this thick. Can you advise me?

  3. Denyse Avatar

    Yes you can use your homemade apple cider for cleaning, but why would you? It is so tasty and so full of good nutrients it, it seems a waste to use it for cleaning. I use the cheapest of white vinegar for cleaning and use my own apple cider for consuming.

  4. Matthew Avatar

    Hey I recently made some homemade vinegar made it through all the stages developed a mother and all after I’d sealed off the jars thinking they were ready for use when I came back I found that my vinegar had become carbonated it still tastes like cider vinegar but I thought that a month after I strained it was enough please help

  5. Lee Avatar

    During the “curing” process some of the water/vinegar evaporated which resulted in a couple apples becoming exposed and the exposed part molded. Also, when I strained it after 3 weeks I was surprised how thick, short of syrup but thicker than I expected ACV to be. Should I throw it out?

  6. Don Avatar

    Hiii B-) Can i add water into it since the apples are not totally submerged after a week?

  7. Rick Avatar

    Can I use a small Harsch crock with a water moat seal which lets gas out, but does not allow air in, or must I use a cheesecloth to allow air in?

  8. Cheryl Avatar

    Sure, you can make vinegar without filtered water from the tap…But you will need to buy a jug of spring water to do it. Don’t use chlorinated water.

  9. Janet Avatar

    I don’t have a filter on my faucet. Does this mean I can’t make the cider vinegar? Thanks!!

  10. Rebecca Avatar

    It’s actually yeast and bacteria. Scoby is an acronym for symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast.

  11. R Buzzbee Avatar
    R Buzzbee

    I made my first half gallon of ACV. It was as easy as you said it would be. The hard part was patiently waiting. I needed this, I live in the Caribbeans, I can’t buy ACV, here. I am ready to bottle it and share it with my friends, I have no way to test the acid level. We simply don’t have those luxuries here.

    Please help!
    Should I bottle it full strength or would you sugest that I dilute it with water?

    Everything I read says to add water according to my desired taste. I don’t know what my desired taste is. I have no way to compare it. To those of you who have made it before, what would be the ratio of water to vinigar? I want my bottled ACV to be of similar strength to what I would buy in a store.

    How much water should I add to a half gallon?

    Thank you!

  12. Cheryl Avatar

    Yes, you can use the mother to make more vinegar. In between batches, I keep the mother in a smaller jar. I cover “her” with juice of some kind or some of the last batch of vinegar.

    1. Janet Wohlgemut Avatar
      Janet Wohlgemut

      Thank you! If I cover the mother with juice or some of the last batch, then what else do I add to make vinegar? Sugar and water? Guess I didn’t think that through very well before I asked. 🙂

      Janet

      1. Cheryl Avatar

        I am just storing the mother in a small jar of juice. I would start again with the scraps of apple, water and some sugar; let it ferment for a week, stirring several times a day. After a week, I strain into a clean jar and add the mother (juice and all) to it. Cover with coffee filter or cloth and put in a dark closet for another month. Remove the mother and cap the vinegar and store several months before using.

  13. Janet Avatar

    OK, I made this and it turned out great! Can I now use the mother to make more vinegar?

    Thanks! Janet

  14. Dean Avatar

    5 stars
    Yes, thank you so much for your apple cider vinegar recipe. We have made it successfully in the past from our organic apple trees, (7 so far), but had a bad crop last year, early frost killed the blossoms. So we needed a refresher course. I would be interested in knowing what kind of problems there is using honey. We used organic sugar like you suggested. I was more involved this year being freshly almost retired, but my wife lily made very good vinegar in the past, some I tried to remember to take a tablespoon in a glass of water. We have 2 large crocks going now. The cheesecloth came loose over night, and so flavored with a few hornets, but we just scooped them out, and it looks fine now. (True Confessions, ha ha.)

  15. Natalie Hideg Avatar
    Natalie Hideg

    Hi. Someone asked this question before, but it wasn’t answered. About the cane sugar – what if it’s not actual cane sugar? Because I think most brands SAY they are, but aren’t. I live abroad and it’s hard to find. What would happen if I use brown sugar?

  16. Kasey Avatar

    How long is the shelf life after it is all done? Do you have a process to can it to make the shelf life longer?

  17. Devon Avatar

    5 stars
    Hi there! I made this recently, and it turned out PERFECTLY. I strained out the apple pieces late one night, and (tired-ly) put 1.5 gallons of raw ACV in the refrigerator. Aaack! Will it be okay to remove it from the fridge and keep it in the pantry, or now that it’s been refrigerated, do I need to keep it there?

    Thanks for any insight. No more late-night kitchen projects for me! 😀

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