ZEROWASTE APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

Don’t throw those apple cores, coz we’re about to turn it into magic. 

Apple Cider Vinegar is one of those items that’s nearly a scam to even buy! All you need is sugar, water and leftover apples. 

ACV is used as an acidic agent like lemon juice, or diluted in water for a morning health drink. Diluted ACV even works great as a conditioner for hair! Many people who quit using shampoo (no-poo), use diluted ACV wash for their hair to avoid frizz. 

The ingredients list is enough to ensure how easily this can become one of those products you never have to look for in a store. 

Ingredients 

• Apple pieces or Apples cores (collected in the freezer also works. Don’t need fresh)
• Sugar 1 tbsp per volume of 1 apple. 
• A small rope or rubber band
• A piece of cloth to cover the mouth of the bottle.

Whenever you eat apples, Store your apple cores in the freezer in a container or packet. Once there’s enough volume that you need, get started on the process to make your batch of ACV! We recommend using leftovers because it’s the ultimate zero waste hack!

Process, Usage & Storage 

Take a bottle which you’d like to store the mix in and sterilize it with soap and water. This process is essential in order to disinfect the bottle and prevent the spread of dirt or mold to the batch of ACV you’re making. It keeps the problem of unwanted growth away. 

After you have your bottle ready, fill it with the apple pieces. There’s no dedicated or specific quantity for water. But we recommend filling half of the container with the apple pulp. There’s no issue if you put more pulp too. A strong ACV can be diluted later but a diluted batch might be difficult to adjust later. 

Mix sugar with water and pour the liquid inside the bottle. We used a narrow neck container to ensure that the chunks remain submerged at all times. The cores automatically stayed lower when filled with sugar water. This is the perfect time to reuse liquor bottles because of their default narrow neck designs. 

Ensure apple pieces are submerged. 

You can now tie the piece of cloth on the mouth of the bottle with the help of a rope. Store it in a dark place away from sunlight. 

If your chunks aren’t submerged, ensure you swivel the bottle a little everyday to avoid the formation of white layer (it’s harmless on liquid, but might form mold on apple).

Keep a paper or bowl below the bottle as the ACV might sometimes spill over during the bubbling stage. An alternative to that can be to leave enough space in the bottle and not fill it till the top. 

Sometimes the water quantity may look like it has increased but don’t let the air bubbles stuck below the apple cores fool you. Tilt or slightly tap the bottle which will make these bubbles flow to the top and your liquid will come down to its normal quantity. It means your apple water has started fizzing and fermenting!

2 weeks later…

2-3 Weeks later when the bubbling and fizzing stops and all the apple chunks have settled to the bottom, your ACV is ready to be strained.

Strain it into a container and transfer it into a final bottle for storage. Make sure there aren’t any solids pulp leftover before the liquid is transferred to the final bottle. 

Let the liquid sit in the bottle for two more weeks and it’s ready! Store it at room temperature and use it in food recipes, tea, skin and hair DIYs. 

FAQs  

1. How long can we store it after it’s made? 

It’s basically a type of vinegar which means it doesn’t have an expiry date! Use it up at your own pace. In case you want ideas to finish it up quickly, dilute 2-3 spoons of ACV with water and drink in the morning for gut health. 

2. How long do we have to store it in the bubbling stage? 

Ideal indication of the ACV being ready is when the apple cores settle down to the bottom. Sometimes it can take weeks or months. Even if you apple cores don’t settle down at the bottom. The fact that its fizzing is a good sign. Sieve it out after 3 weeks max. 

3. How much water is to be used?

Fill whichever container you have chosen. Ensure it is at least half filled with apple pulp before pouring in the sugar water. Leave some space for the bubbling and fizzing or it may spill over later.