Vinegar Acidities – Levels and Usage

Reginald SmithAll About Vinegar, Recipes & Tips, Uncategorized, Vinegars89 Comments

We have talked about acidity a bit on this blog, from how to measure acidity and how it is different from pH to comparing the acidity of Coca-Cola and vinegar. Vinegar obviously comes in different acidities though. Which one do you  need? How do they help? Below is a quick and informative guide to vinegar acidities and their usages. Acidity  … Read More

Vinegar/Kombucha Acidity Testing and Microbiological Analysis Services

Reginald SmithMaking Vinegar, Microbiology, Uncategorized8 Comments

Here at Supreme Vinegar we frequently get inquiries about testing vinegar acidity or even questions about what bacteria someone’s vinegar has. We frequently test all of these in our own vinegars and would now like to extend our services to all home vinegar or kombucha makers. Vinegar/Kombucha Acidity Testing Acidity testing is done using sodium hydroxide titration and the average … Read More

pH and acidity exercise: Vinegar vs. Coca Cola

Reginald SmithUncategorized12 Comments

Based on our last post outlining the differences between pH and acidity as measures of acid strength, a short exercise will help emphasize the differences. Here we will compare two deceptively similar acids: 5% store bought white vinegar and Coca-Cola classic. White Vinegar   As stated before, 5% white vinegar has an acidity of 5% which means 5 grams of … Read More

pH and acidity – their difference and importance in vinegar

Reginald SmithAll About Vinegar, Making Vinegar91 Comments

Those who know vinegar know acidity is of prime importance in measuring the completion and strength of vinegar. Acetic acid is what distinguishes vinegar and global standards of taste and safety specify minimum acidity levels for vinegar. The more widely recognized measurement of the strength of an acid (or base) is the pH scale. Many people know pH is important … Read More

Beer Vinegar: Be Careful of Kegs

Reginald SmithBeer Vinegar, Making Vinegar, Malt VinegarLeave a Comment

Just a quick note on those making vinegar from commercial beer. Of course if you want to make a large quantity, kegs are the economical and efficient way to go. I have experience (as have some customers) with kegs though and the lack of cleanliness in many kegs, especially those on loan from beer stores, can often ruin your fermentation … Read More

Could balsamic vinegar ever become an asset class?

Reginald SmithAll About Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar, Regional Vinegars, Vinegar Industry2 Comments

I have a feeling every oenophile that clicks on this post is probably laughing hysterically at the headline. For decades, fine wine has been bought and sold by not just individuals but also auctioned in high end auction houses such as Southeby’s and Christie’s for ungodly sums due to fine wine’s ability to both retain its value and grow in … Read More

High temperatures threaten balsamic vinegars in Italy

Reginald SmithBalsamic Vinegar, Microbiology, Vinegar IndustryLeave a Comment

A recent story in the vinegar world of Italy is the effect of extended record high temperatures on traditional balsamic vinegar makers in Modena and Reggio Emilia. In particular, the ‘il caldo africano’, a heavy, hot wind that blows into Italy from North Africa, has set record high temperatures for weeks of July and August. This is not as much … Read More

Temperature and Speed for Bacterial Fermentation

Reginald SmithMaking Vinegar, Microbiology1 Comment

Much of the food we love to ferment is fermented by bacteria. Obviously vinegar, which my company is dedicated to, is a prime example with several families of acetic acid bacteria contributing depending on the method of vinegar fermentation, acidity, and starter alcohol. For a variety of fermented foods, however, lactic acid fermentation by various lactic acid bacteria is primary. … Read More