WORKSHOP: Make Your Own Vinegar

Discover vinegar as a living fermentation

Vinegar is everywhere in our kitchens, yet it remains one of the most overlooked forms of fermentation.

Wine, cider, beer, fruit juice and many other alcoholic liquids can all become vinegar through the work of acetic acid bacteria. Behind something as familiar as a bottle of vinegar lies a fascinating process connecting microorganisms, oxygen, alcohol, time and flavour.

During this hands-on workshop, we'll look at vinegar from a completely different perspective. We'll explore its history and the basic science behind acetic fermentation, taste different styles of vinegar and learn how the raw material completely changes the character of the finished product. Most importantly, you'll learn how to make vinegar yourself.

We'll work through the different stages of the process, from choosing a suitable base and understanding the role of alcohol to working with a vinegar mother, managing oxygen and recognising when your vinegar is ready.

From leftovers to something new

Vinegar is also one of our favourite examples of circular fermentation.

An unfinished bottle of wine, leftover cider, beer or an abundance of seasonal fruit doesn't necessarily have to become waste. With the right conditions and a little time, fermentation can transform these ingredients into something completely new.

This way of thinking is central to what we explore at the Urban Fermentory: preservation not simply as a way of making food last longer, but as a tool for creating new flavours and finding value in what we already have.

During the workshop we'll discuss how you can apply these principles at home and start experimenting with your own ingredients.

What you'll learn

We'll explore:

• how vinegar fermentation actually works
• the difference between alcoholic and acetic fermentation
• what a vinegar mother is and how to work with one
• which liquids can be transformed into vinegar
• the importance of oxygen, temperature and time
• how to recognise and troubleshoot a healthy fermentation
• how different ingredients influence acidity, aroma and flavour
• how vinegar can become part of a low-waste kitchen

You'll leave with your own vinegar fermentation, a starter and the knowledge to keep experimenting at home.

Practical information

Price: €39 per person

Location: Fermenthings @ Be-Here
Rue Dieudonné Lefèvre 4
1020 Laeken (Brussels)

Duration: Approximately 2 hours

The workshop is given in English, with live translation into French or Dutch whenever needed.

Want to explore vinegar further?

The workshop is only the beginning.

On our Ferment Wiki, we collect the techniques, recipes and background knowledge that we use throughout our workshops. There you can go deeper into vinegar fermentation, learn how to maintain your culture and explore other forms of fermentation and preservation.

wiki.fermenthings.be

Take your culture home, give it some time, and see where the bacteria take you.