Balsamic Vinegar

[Ponyman]

I am just wondering if there was a trick to making your own balsamic vinegar? You could grow your own grapes right and is there any place someone could go to find out how to make this themselves? What kind of grape is best for it... especially grown in the northern part of the US? How it can be aged etc... Just curious as it is a favorite in my household and I would love to take a stab at making it myself! Thanks,
Ponyman

[zebraman]

Hey Ponyman;I don't have an answer for your question however I buy an aged Balsamic in London,aged over 100 years at about $135.00 US called Belazu.This is absolutely the Best aged Balsamic I have ever used.I do know that it is aged in Oak barrels.But it also takes 100 years.There is also BV that is aged for 200 years @$350.00 for a 4 oz bottle,which I think is a bit extreme.It does however come in a really nice handmade wooden box.There are simpler methods but a variety that sells for $35.00 here doesn't even come close to the taste of Belazu.-

[Ponyman]

Thanks Zebraman... right now it might take me 100 years to get enough for the 200 year old balsamic! ha ha I am building a bigger garden set up this spring hopefully and if I ever get around to making some I will let you know!

It has to be close to one of my favorite things tho... and not many know about it it seems!

Have a good one!

Ponyman

[AlchemyAcres]

Ponyman,

What type of Balsamic are you used to?

True Balsamic wouldn't be practical for most folks to make...it's made from must, not wine...vinifera grapes (viniifera grapes require very specific growing conditions) and it's aged in successive wooden casts (5-7 different types of wood).. for several years.

Commercial Balsamic is made from grape juice, wine vinegar, coloring, sugar...and who knows what else!?...that's the cheaper Balsamic vinegar that's sold here.

You can make a pseudo-Balsamic, that's as good or better than most medium quality true Balsamics, by reducing cabernet sauvignon and a small bit of burgundy wine....adding wine vinegar and a sweetener (if needed) to taste.....it can be used as a substitute for Balsamic...many folks actually like it better...


~Martin :)

[Ponyman]

Thanks... I may have to try it and see. I figured most wineries here in Wisconsin either truck in grapes or the juice to make wine from various grapes so there would have to be a way to get that specific grape, must, juice somehow along with the right small barrels or casks to make it... I figure if you made one batch a year and then transfered one batch from the oak barrel to the cherry barrel in a few years you could have some decent balsamic... kind of like a hobby and probally something I will attempt when I retire to keep bee's (sorry Sherlock Holmes fans) and garden and do all the things I want to accomplish now without the time! BUt I figured if I didn't ask while I was thinking about it I would forget later on!

My experience with it has basically been stuff they pass off as Balsamic in stores here that are pretty cheap but at times I have had it in restaurants and it was incredible the taste it had... plus it makes my salads taste good enough for me to eat!

Thanks for the tips!

Ponyman