Rotten Fruits

The next phase of my summer fermenting would be understanding the fruit vinegars that were evolving.

Apple Vinegar at 2 months.

The pear vinegar, which was the first fruit I started, and actually what I had expected to be my most prized vinegar, took me through a plethora of spoiling issues. From a stage where a nectar-like fragrance wafted from the jar to a point where an almost addictive rancidity sank deep into my nostrils. Dipping a spoon into the mixture had me questioning the worst that could happen.

I so wanted this fermentation to work that I blended it with an early stage white wine vin that I had started and then bottled it hoping that some magic was in the final aging. To this date I have not been convinced that it is worth consumption and therefore have not released it. I had such high expectations.

During this time, as the pear seemed to falter, the apple and nectarine I had started a month later were fermenting like clockwork. Almost too perfect. The acid levels in these two were so high that I knew I had vinegar, but for what purpose I feared. Household cleaning?

Apple Vinegar strained
& ready for final fermentation.

After some research I found that the apple and nectarine were perfect specimens of fruit vinegar and that the acid levels were commonly very high. Again, I decided to blend the vinegars with an early batch of apple that I had started out of the excess of falling apples from our back yard tree.

At this time most (13, 375 ml. btls) of the first batch of apple has been bottled. I decided to bottle these first 13 bottles with RAW/ unpasteurized Apple Vinegar. Filtered but RAW. I wanted to allow those who would be using the vinegar to have all the natural benefits of a living food and the fun of meeting the mother.

 I didn't realize I had been making so much and never worked the need for more bottles and corks into my budget. This goes back to my enthusiastic nature whenever I take on something that brings me joy. So the nectarine and remaining first batch of apple are waiting for more bottles.

Spoiled Rotten Apple, Batch #1 2012: A bright acidity finishing crisp with cider spice notes.

Shadow Creek Presents Something Spoiled Rotten.