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Making homemade apple cider vinegar is my favorite way to make use of leftover apple scraps from making pies or canning apples and the process is incredibly easy and rewarding. There are so many benefits of apple cider vinegar and the variety of ways to make use of it is endless. All you need are apples, sugar, water, and a couple months’ time to create a high quality vinegar that will last years to come. The best part is, you can make this batch any size and use any type of apples, depending on what you have available and there’s no special equipment involved. After realizing just how easy this is to make, I have never gone back to store-bought and have saved so much money over the last few years of making my own. So think twice before you throw out those apple scraps next time! Just throw them in a bag and stick them in the freezer until you’re stocked up and ready to make them into some vinegar.
Benefits of apple cider vinegar:
- Contains organic acids (acetic acid, citric acid, formic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, and succinic acid) and phenolic compounds (gallic acid, catechin, epicatechin, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and p-coumaric acid), all of which contribute massive benefits to our health
- Reduces cholesterol and lipid levels
- Antibacterial properties
- Antifungal properties
- Antioxidant properties
- Anti-obesity properties and helps with weight loss
- Helps to reduce blood pressure
- Helps regulate blood sugar
- Supports cardiovascular health
- Antidiabetic effects
- Anticancer effects
- Fights against Alzheimer’s
- Supports digestion and gut health
- Supports skin health
Supplies you’ll need:
- Organic Apples: Any type of apples will work when it comes to making apple cider vinegar. Just keep in mind, the type you use (sweet, tart, dry) will have a slight effect on the flavor profile of the finished product. I typically use scraps leftover from canning applesauce or making pies, etc. since this is a great way to make use of them and reduce waste!
- Filtered water: It’s important to use filtered water when making vinegar to reduce the amount of chemicals, like chlorine, that can potentially kill the good bacteria necessary for fermentation. If you don’t have access to filtered water, I recommend leaving your water to sit out on the counter in an open container for at least a few hours or overnight to allow any chlorine to evaporate.
- Organic pure cane sugar: The beneficial bacteria will consume the sugars and convert them into alcohol, which is then converted to acetic acid, the main component in vinegar.
- Glass jar of any size (you’ll need to fill it half way with chopped apples or apple scraps)
- Breathable lid: You’ll need some type of cover for your jar that allows air to pass through without allowing any unwanted bugs or debris in. I highly recommend these cloth covers because they fit almost any size lid and allow air in while also keeping out fruit flies or other small bugs.
- Bottles for storing: Once the cider vinegar is ready, you’ll need smaller vessels to bottle it up and store it. These flip top bottles are a great option, or you can simply store it in mason jars with plastic lids (metal lids are likely to rust).
Below is a step-by-step guide to making apple cider vinegar at home, with a full recipe summary and measurements at the bottom of the page.
Step 1: Fill a clean jar half way with apples
Feel free to use any size jar depending on how many apples you have or how much vinegar you plan on making. All that matters is that the jar is clean! I typically use apple scraps when making apple cider vinegar since it’s my favorite way to make use of the scraps, but you can always use chopped up apples as well.
Side note: All parts of the apple can be used in making apple cider vinegar. Seeds, stems, skins, use it all!
Step 2: Fill jar with room temperature filtered water
Be sure to measure how much water you use to fill the jar, as this will determine how much sugar to add. Make sure the water is room temperature to lukewarm. If it’s too hot or cold, it will effect the fermentation process.
Step 3: Add sugar
Once you know how much water you’ve added, you can determine how much sugar you’ll need. The ratio is 1 tbsp sugar per cup of water. Or, if you’re working in large batches, 1 cup of sugar per gallon of water. Give it a good stir to dissolve as much sugar as possible.
Step 4: Begin fermentation process
Next, cover the jar with a breathable lid and store in a dark place at room temperature (70°F-75°F is the ideal temp for fermentation) for 2 weeks and STIR IT DAILY. I recommend storing it on your kitchen counter and covering it with a dark cloth or towel so you don’t end up forgetting about it. Out of sight, out of mind, they say! You should see bubbles start to form after a couple days and it should start to smell like hard cider. The apples will become more brown over time and the liquid will become more cloudy.
Note: It is extremely important to keep the jar in the dark and stir it on a daily basis to rotate exposed apples and avoid allowing mold to develop on the top layer, as this will ruin your entire batch. (Trust me, I learned this the hard way by 1) thinking my kitchen was dark enough that I didn’t need to cover it and 2) forgetting to stir it for just one day. Don’t make the same mistake!)
Step 4: Strain the apples
After 2 weeks of daily stirring, it’s time to strain out the apples. Use cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer to separate the apple pieces from the liquid and discard or compost them. Transfer the liquid back to a clean jar with a breathable lid and return the jar to a dark place at room temperature to complete the fermentation process.
Step 5: Continue fermenting
Allow the jar to sit for at least another month to finish fermenting. The liquid should become more translucent and it should smell and taste like apple cider vinegar. There will likely be a layer of SCOBY on top. This is perfectly normal and can be left in the jar or discarded. (Also known as the “mother”, which you may be familiar with from purchasing Braggs or other store-bought brands of ACV.) Go ahead and transfer the vinegar to bottles or smaller jars and store at room temperature or in the fridge. It should keep for up to 5 years.
What is SCOBY?
Symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) is a fermentation culture that consists of lactic acid bacteria, acetic acid bacteria, and yeast. Also known as the “mother”, SCOBY naturally arises during fermentation of sour foods and beverages like vinegar and kombucha and looks like a thin, smooth, white membrane floating on top of the liquid. It is perfectly harmless and loaded with beneficial bacteria. The SCOBY can be used to kick start the fermentation process when making a new batch of apple cider vinegar, or some people like to feed it to their chickens or even dehydrate it and use as a seasoning.
As you can see, making your own apple cider vinegar is not at all complicated and very beginner-friendly. It’s a great way to ease into learning how to ferment and transition to a more self sustained life. I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love learning new skills like this that reduce waste, save money, and lessen my reliance on store-bought items. There’s something so invigorating about taking the time to make things from scratch and stocking up a pantry full of homemade goods. If you follow these instructions to make your own apple cider vinegar, please let me know in the comments down below how it turns out! I always love to hear your feedback.
Sources:
Fahey, R. L. (2017). Health benefits of apple cider vinegar and other common vinegars: A review. Integrative Medicine Alert, 20(6).
Tripathi, S. (2023). Health benefits and modern applications of apple cider vinegar: a four-decade review of the scientific literature. Br J Med Health Sci BJMHS, 5(8), 1441-50.
How to Make Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar
Ingredients
- chopped apples or apple scraps (skins and cores) enough to fill half the jar of any size you choose
- 1 tbsp pure organic cane sugar per cup of water used
- filtered water enough to fill remaining space in jar
Instructions
- Fill your glass jar half way with your apples or apple scraps.
- Fill jar to the top with filtered, room temperature water. Make sure to measure the amount of water you use. (Fill a measuring cup before pouring it in the jar so you can keep track)
- Add 1 tbsp sugar per cup of water used and stir well to dissolve.
- Cover jar with a breathable lid and store in a dark place at room temperature. (I recommend covering with a dark towel and leaving it on the counter so you don't forget about it)
- Stir it up DAILY for 2 weeks to mix up the apples and rotate the ones exposed to air. This is crucial to avoid mold growth. You should see bubbles after a couple days and the liquid will gradually become more cloudy. It should start to smell like hard cider.
- After 2 weeks, strain the apples out using a cheesecloth, saving the liquid. Discard the apples and transfer the liquid to a clean jar. Again, cover with a breathable lid and store in a dark place at room temperature and allow it to continue to ferment for at least a month.
- After a month, or possibly longer, the liquid should be more translucent and it should smell and taste like apple cider vinegar. There will likely be a layer of SCOBY on top. This is perfectly normal and can be left in the jar or discarded. Go ahead and transfer the vinegar to bottles or smaller jars and store at room temperature or in the fridge. It should last up to 5 years.
