Raw and organic apple cider vinegar (ACV) is incredibly easy to make at home. The only downside is the time it takes to ferment (2-3 months). ACV has many benefits for digestive health, skin and hair and I personally use it in my toner recipe for an even complexion, and in my mouthwash recipe. You can buy the clear, processed ACV at most grocery stores. However, raw ACV is best because it contains all the beneficial nutrients that are otherwise destroyed once processed (buy the good stuff here).
Raw ACV is a cloudy liquid that has a thick, cloudy substance (known as the “mother”) that sinks to the bottom. Since, I realise that not everyone can afford to buy everything organic (including myself), I’d like to share how you can make raw ACV at home. If you’d like to make organic ACV, then simply use organic apples.
Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
Ingredients
- 3 Apples (core & peel included, but no stem)
- 3 teaspoons (15ml) Raw Sugar or Honey
- Filtered, non-chlorinated water to cover
- Sterilised, Wide-mouth Glass Jar
Instructions
- Wash apples thoroughly.
- Chop apples into 6-8 pieces each.
- Allow pieces to stand until they turn brown.
- Place brown apple pieces into a clean (sterilised) wide mouth jar.
- Mix the sugar/honey with 1 cup of water and pour on top of the apples.
- Add more water if needed to cover the apples.
- Cover the jar with a paper towel or cheesecloth. This keeps dust/insects away while letting the liquid breathe.
- Place the jar in a relatively warm, dark place for 3 weeks.
- After 3 weeks, the liquid should be darker. Strain out the liquid and discard the apple pieces.
- Return the liquid to the glass jar and cover it again with the same paper towel/ cheesecloth.
- Store it again for a further 4 to 6 weeks, stirring daily with a non-metal spoon, or at least every few days.
- After the first 4 weeks, you can begin to taste your vinegar and once it reaches an acidity you like, you can transfer it to a bottle with a lid and begin using it. Store in the refrigerator.
Notes
1.) Don’t use metal containers to store your ACV. The acids corrode metal, so it is best to use glass containers.
2.) Wash your apples thoroughly, even when organic, to remove dirt and pesticides. You can even remove the peels if you are using pesticide sprayed apples.
3.) Make sure you use a clean, sterilised jar that is free from detergent residue too. Rinse with white vinegar after washing to make sure.
4.) Bubbles and white scum may form on top of the water as the bacteria turn sugars and alcohols into vinegar. That’s the beginning of the “mother”, just stir.
5.) If you include some of the “mother” from your completed batch in your next batch, the fermentation will occur faster.
6.) Stir with a non-metal utensil. Metal will destroy the fermentation process.
7.) Do not use this homemade vinegar to preserve food, as you cannot trust that the pH will correct or stable enough to preserve.
Photo Credit: Rosmarie Voegtli via Compfight Creative Commons
Hii
What can I use for dark spots in my face
Hi there. Thank you for your question. What sort of dark spots are they – old acne scars, hyperpigmentation, sun spots?