The American word “vinegar” comes from the French vinaigre or “sour wine,” which is derived from the Latin vinum acer, which also means sour wine. (1) I figure what happened is wine accidentally turned sour and someone decided to cook with it so as not to loose money. As they say, accidents are the mothers of inventions.
What is Vinegar
Vinegar is a fermented splash of acid added to foods to brighten up flavors and in some cases color as well. Vinegar’s, like citrus, are the acidic counterpart to a base of oils and fats.(2) Each vinegar tastes a bit different. Obviously apple cider vinegar will taste different from red wine vinegar, but also all the variations of red wine vinegar will taste unique. So if a recipe calls for a specific type of vinegar go with that.
I have several on my counter that I use at different times. The tangy tastes of the various options often reduces the need for salt in soups, stews, and bean dishes, and can cut help balance flavors without requiring additional fat. I use Vinegar as a deglazing liquid, and in marinades, chutneys, salad dressings, dips, some sweet-sour foods or soups, etc.
CAUTION: Most vinegars are between 4% to 7%. Check acid percentage, anything above 7% is not good vinegar, and anything at or above 10% is not consumable and must be handled with protective gear.
Storage: All types of vinegar should be tightly closed and put in a cool, dark place. They will last for ~1 year after opening, and after that time, the flavors and acidity will diminish; however the vinegar will still be usable. Vinegar does not really go bad, just less flavorful and acidic but can still be used. (3) But do not use old vinegar for pickling, use the freshest stuff you have.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Acid 5%
Source: Fermented from apple cider and apples.
Taste: This is probably becoming one of the most popular vinegar in the USA given all the publicity about its healthiness. I avoid really clear apple cider vinegar, having a preference for the cloudy vinegars that may have some “mother” in it.* It is sweet-sour in an apple-ish way and tastes like hard apple cider. It is a strong enough flavor that it will change the way your food tastes.
Recipe: Pickling, salad dressings, marinades (chicken, pork and fish), BBQ sauce. Great with apples and braised dishes.
Balsamic Vinegar
Acid 6%
Source: Traditional balsamic is made in Modena, Italy, from reduced Trebbiano and Lambrusco wine grapes (not made from wine), and is aged in a succession of different wood barrels for at least 6-25 years. It is very expensive and a good quality Balsamic is worth every penny.
Commercial Balsamic: These may come from Italy and are of lesser quality from traditional balsamic, but still good.
Taste: This is unlike any other vinegar. It has a complex flavor, sweet-sour, rich and is a dark syrup that is great paired with savory and sweet food, drizzle over salads.
There is a White Balsamic, but I have not used that so do not know much.
CAUTION: Most “balsamic” vinegars are fake. Real balsamic vinegar will come in small bottles, is expensive, only comes from Italy, and has the appropriate labels certifying its origin. Look for a seal from the Consortium of Producers of the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena. 4 leaves is the highest rated where you would use only a few drops. Other things to check is to see if coloring is in the ingredients which is not needed, see if grape must is on the list which is needed.
Champagne vinegar
Acid 6%
Source: Made from fermented champagne grapes.
Taste: This is a lighter, more mellow vinegar but super bright. I do not use it in any cooking I do, but do use it in condiments, mainly salad dressings, and marinades (pale greens, chicken, dish).
Distilled White Vinegar
Acid 5% to 7%
Source: Made from grain and/or corn alcohol or laboratory-produced acetic acid and then diluted with water
Taste: I tasted just a bit of this for this article and find it flavorless, but harsh and unpleasant. I do not cook with this vinegar, but have used it to color easter eggs, and for household cleaning. It is the cheapest vinegar.
DIY Buttermilk: 1T Distilled White Vinegar to 1C milk.
Recipe: Because it is inexpensive, it is often used in commercial pickling, meat brines, some ketchup, and salad dressings.
CAUTION: Anything labeled “cleaning vinegar” should not be used for food.
Malt Vinegar
Acid 6%
Source: A British favorite, this vinegar is made from beer barley. I have seen this vinegar on restaurant tables that serve chips (french fries).
Taste: Mellow flavor of acid with a nutty toastiness to it.
Recipe: Fish and chips, and relish. Some swear that anything potatoey needs malt vinegar. Others combine this vinegar with others to make a unique combo.
CAUTION: A cheaper (less flavorful) “malt” vinegar consists of acetic acid diluted to between 4-8% acid with a little caramel coloring added. Check the labels.
Red Wine Vinegar
Acid 5%
Source: Made from red wine grapes.
Taste: This is probably the second most popular vinegar in the USA. Generally a good quality red wine vinegar will have a tang followed by a subtle fruitiness to it. A cheaper brand can be a bit sharper in taste from white wine vinegar. Red wine vinegar is called for in many European ethnic cuisines.
A sub-market is for varietal wine vinegars that are made from a specific grape (cabs, merlot, etc). They have subtle differences that will be known to the most knowledgeable cooks.
Pattycooks: I love Basque Vinegar. One red wine vinegar I always have on hand is a 5 year aged Banyuls Traditional French Red Wine Vinegar made from mainly grenache grapes. Expensive but very good.
Recipes: Rainbow Coleslaw, Blaukraut, marinades (beef, pork and veggies), and dressings. It can also be used to apply a reddish or pinkish hue to food. Good for pickling red onions. Also a good add to lentil dishes.
Rice Vinegar or Rice Wine Vinegar
Acid 4.3% to 5%
Source: Used a lot in Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Vietnamese cuisines, this vinegar is made from sour and fermented rice wines. So it is both tart and sweet. There are white, red and black varieties, but I have only used the white. Also each country makes it a bit differently so find one you like and stick with that brand.
Taste: Mild, clean, tart but sweet taste. Great compliment to ginger. This is a unique taste that no other vinegar on this list replicates.
Pattycooks: Usually Regular Rice Vinegars have no sodium. However Seasoned Rice Vinegar usually has both sugar and salt.
Recipes: I use it in stir fry a lot, but it was made for Sushi. I also use this when making Japanese cucumber salad or a quick pickle to augment a rice bowl. Good in salad dressings, and as a splash of seasoning in beggies.
Sherry Vinegar
Acid 7.5%
Source: A Spanish fortified wine (usually Brandy) called Sherry, aged in oak barrels for at least 6 months. From Spain, this can be an expensive and deep caramel colored vinegar.
Taste: This is an acquired taste, very sour and complex to my taste.
Uses: I have used it to deglaze a pan, and for a salad dressing. It is also used for Mediterranean and Basque recipes. Although not a replacement, if I run out of Balsamic I will use Sherry instead.
White Wine Vinegar
Acid 6%
Source: Made from white wine, it is the most commonly used vinegar in the US.
Taste: Red wine and white wine taste different from one another and this is true with vinegars made from those fruits. This is generally more flavorful than Champagne vinegar and slightly lighter and less fruity than red wine vinegar. I find it is a clean tasting vinegar.
Recipe: A great combo with onions and herbs, and often used in salad dressings, and marinades (chicken and fish) and some pickled egg dishes. This vinegar does not pair well with red meat.
Comments
*Often you will hear of a vinegar’s “mother,” which is the bacteria and yeast that does the fermenting of the cider and can be seen in unfiltered vinegar, or if you make your own.
Note on Acid: Acidity is defined as grams of acetic acid per 100 mL water. <4% acidity is not legal vinegar to be bought and sold, but of course what we make at home is our business.
No Alcohol: All vinegars are fermented and thus have traces of alcohol. If you are avoiding alcohol completely, skip vinegars and use citrus juice instead (lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit, etc.).
Around the world:
Using Wine Vinegars is common in Europe, especially in Germany. So I use those in my general cooking. The better the wine used for the vinegar the better the flavor. So I am picky on these vinegars. Germany also has a Beer Vinegar that is used often, but I have not found it in the USA. Here is a list of other vinegars, but I have not tasted them so do not know much other than where they are mainly used.
- In the Phillipines they have a Cane Vinegar made from fermented cane sap that I read is sweet like unseasoned Rice Wine Vinegar.
- Southeast Asia also uses a Coconut Vinegar.
- Turkey and the Middle East use a Raisin Vinegars.
- Japanese Umeboshi Vinegar, made from Ume Plums, is sort of a fruit, fishy, vinegar used a lot in Japanese cuisine.
- Chinese Black Vinegar is made from glutinous rice alcohol or sorghum and has a woody, smoky flavor and intensely sour best used in dipping sauces and marinades.