why does one turn to vinegar and one into alchohol?

[bornthrifty]

I am looking at a recipie for peach brandy

you use 20 peach pits and skins
1 c sugar
2 c hot water

seal and let sit for 4-six months


sounds cool, they claim this makes brandy ...?

now I seem to recall that I can use apple scraps
and water to make vinegar in several months


does the first recipie turn to alcohol because of the sugar?

I guess I am doubtful about this process, as I don't want to wait all that time for peach vinegar...

if I have to, I could just use good peaches and let them flavor a store bought alchohol, but I do love the idea of using up those scraps,

thanks in advance for all your help!

 

[PunkinPeep]

That apple cider vinegar, i believe, is alcoholic sometime in the middle, before it becomes vinegar.

But i don't know about peaches.

 

[xpc]

Your recipe is depending on wild yeast for fermentation and needs to be left in open air with a wind blowing over it at least for a day, if they did settle in your mix as listed could have a potential of making 30% alcohol but no wild yeast or even modern yeast will tolerate that and will most likely die around 10%.

If the good yeast doesn't make a stronghold and produce enough alcohol the mix will become infected and make vinegar. I personally would not drink what you propose without a bit more stringent controls, as fruit can make a lot of methanol (read: go blind) and off flavors if not controlled. Without sugar yeast has no reason to make alcohol.

My house has so many different strains of yeast floating around that I can get drunk just by eating an orange.

 

[FarmerDenise]

Your recipe is depending on wild yeast for fermentation and needs to be left in open air with a wind blowing over it at least for a day, if they did settle in your mix as listed could have a potential of making 30% alcohol but no wild yeast or even modern yeast will tolerate that and will most likely die around 10%.

If the good yeast doesn't make a stronghold and produce enough alcohol the mix will become infected and make vinegar. I personally would not drink what you propose without a bit more stringent controls, as fruit can make a lot of methanol (read: go blind) and off flavors if not controlled. Without sugar yeast has no reason to make alcohol.

My house has so many different strains of yeast floating around that I can get drunk just by eating an orange.

The juice turns to alcohol first, then to vinegar.
Apple juice turns to hard cider (or apple jack), then to vinegar
Grape juice turns to wine, then to wine vinegar if left out in the open.

 

[xpc]

True true, most mixtures with fruit sugar is called a "must" with grains a "mash" and with only simple sugar a "wash" all need yeast, be it wild or added to ferment. If the yeast can't overwhelm the bacteria or molds then you will get a vinegar, types vary depending on the infection. If you have enough food for the yeast it will not turn to vinegar as it will make a hostile environment for the other to live.

Apple jack in its true meaning is freezer distilled "cider" to increase its alcohol without the need of heat distillation, even though in the eyes of the government beverage rules freezer fractional distillation is illegal. Jacking the apple over 0.5% of the original proof will get you busted for tax evasion. Note: you can freezer jack any low alcohol drink. The ancients found this out after falling asleep in a snow bank with their mead cup.

ps. I ain't kidding about the amount of yeast floating around my house and always worry about cross contaminations when making different things. I tend to make yeast bombs to make sure I don't get an unwanted strain to take hold.

 

[patandchickens]

As previous posters have said, the only way to get to vinegar is to go *thru* the alcohol stage Your choice whether to stop there or continue (with appropriate microorganisms) to make vinegar.

I would add though that your recipe is not going to make "brandy" in the conventional use of the term -- brandy is produced by distilling wine to remove water and increase the alcohol content. Your recipe would basically make a homestyle peach wine. Not that the difference in terms necessarily matters to you

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[bornthrifty]

thanks!