Fruit vinegar brings full fruit aromas to your kitchen. With its mild acidity, it refines dishes and drinks in an exquisite way. A high-quality fruit vinegar always tastes like the variety of fruit used and contains no artificial additives.

Fresh fruit, fruit juice, or must are used as raw materials for its production. An aromatic fruit vinegar is made from fully ripe fruits. Careful selection and the right harvest time are crucial for the subsequent aroma.

Production of fruit vinegar

Production generally follows these steps:

1. Processing the fruit: Apples, pears, berries, or other fruits are washed, crushed, and pressed.
2. Fermenting the mash / juice: Yeasts convert the fruit sugar into alcohol (mash or juice fermentation) — a type of fruit wine is created.
3. Acetic acid fermentation: Acetic acid bacteria (Acetobacter) convert the alcohol into acetic acid in the presence of oxygen.
4. Maturation: The vinegar matures for a few weeks to months to develop its aroma.
5. Filtration or bottling unfiltered: Depending on preference, the vinegar is either filtered until clear or bottled as a cloudy natural vinegar.

Types of fruit vinegar

• Apple vinegar — fruity and mild, the classic, versatile
• Pear vinegar — finer and slightly sweeter than apple vinegar
• Quince vinegar — very refined, delicately floral, good with game or foie gras
• Raspberry vinegar — fruity and intense, classic in raspberry dressing or with game
• Strawberry vinegar — summery and light, for salads and desserts
• Mango vinegar — exotic and fruity, good in Asian salads
• Cherry vinegar — robust and fruity, with game and chocolate desserts
• Plum, mirabelle, elderflower vinegar — seasonal specialties

Fruit vinegar in the kitchen

Usage in the kitchen:

• Salad dressings — a classic in every vinaigrette
• Marinades — for meat, poultry, vegetables
• Pickled vegetables — mixed pickles, pickled onions, beetroot
• Sauces and chutneys — as a tangy accent in apple chutney or fruity BBQ sauce
• Desserts — a few drops of raspberry vinegar over strawberries or vanilla ice cream
• Drinks — apple vinegar in a switchel with honey, water, ginger
• Fruity sundaes — sorbets benefit from a drop of fruit vinegar

What to look for when buying?

• Single-varietal and natural
• Prefer organic quality
• Clear statement of origin and manufacturer information
• Glass bottle
• Unfiltered — the "mother of vinegar" indicates natural production
• Without the addition of synthetic spirit vinegar or flavorings

Storage

Thanks to its acidity, fruit vinegar has a long shelf life. Store it in a dark place at room temperature, tightly sealed. The formation of a "mother of vinegar" is normal and can even serve as a starter for making your own vinegar.