September 2025

How to Make Apple Cider Vinegar at Home From Scraps: A Step-by-Step Guide

How do you make apple cider vinegar at home? Follow this step-by-step guide for scrap apple cider vinegar from a natural foods chef and homesteader.

Wondering how to make apple cider vinegar at home from scraps?

Although true apple cider vinegar is made from apple cider, you can make a comparable and (dare I say?) tastier version using apple scraps, sugar and water.

If you’re new to making vinegar and have a bunch of apples on hand, this is a perfect place (and season) to start.

Why I Tried Making Apple Cider Vinegar At Home From Scraps

I’m almost embarrassed to admit it took me this long to make scrap apple cider vinegar at home.

As a natural foods chef, homesteader and herb farmer who grew up on an organic farm drinking apple cider vinegar tea (yuck!), you’d think I would have been DIYing it for years.

As you can imagine, the apple cider vinegar tea my mother insisted I drink as a child kind of turned me off the stuff.

Plus, it’s easy enough to buy high-quality organic apple cider vinegar these days.

However, inspiration struck when I was making applesauce from our trip to the orchard last year, and I was faced with a pile of leftover apple skins and cores.

Sure, I could compost them, but I also knew they were the perfect fodder for homemade apple scrap vinegar.

I’d been meaning to give this a go for years, so I looked up a recipe and gave it a try.

I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to make, and it did make me feel good not to waste all those scraps.

Plus, my whole family raved about the results: a sweeter, tastier and more flavorful vinegar.

The homemade ACV was sweeter than store-bought, which I loved, and had a surprisingly fresh and unique flavor, likely from the variety of apples I had used to make the sauce.

After that, I was sold on making my own, at least in the Fall, and I think you will be too.

How to Make Apple Cider Vinegar

9 More Reasons To Make Apple Cider Vinegar At Home From Scraps

There are several reasons to consider making ACV at home using scraps (in addition to the bragging rights and flavor), including:

1. Apple cider vinegar is a natural source of probiotics

Cultured foods, like apple cider vinegar, create natural probiotics as they ferment, which are great for your gut and digestive health.

2. Less Waste

There’s something deeply satisfying about using up kitchen scraps that would otherwise be wasted.

3. Cost-effective

Although apple cider vinegar has become pretty affordable, it’s even cheaper to make your own, especially from cores and peels.

4. You can make a lot

I love bulk cooking and preparing food, and with ferments, you can make a lot without worrying about spoilage.

5. It's insanely easy

After many years of experimentation, I’ve learned some DIY projects aren’t worth the trouble, but ACV requires no special equipment or skills: just apple scraps, water, sugar, a mason jar(s) and some patience.

6. It makes a great gift

People love homemade gifts, and now is the perfect time of year to make a batch and hone your recipe to gift at the holidays.

In other words, if you have apple scraps and the ability to put things in a jar and wait a few weeks, you can make ACV at home and reap the benefits.

7. Apple cider vinegar has several health benefits

ACV is a staple in most health-conscious people’s kitchens because of its many health benefits (proven and anecdotal).

Some research-backed benefits of ACV include:

Promoting blood sugar balance
Supporting kidney health
Possibly promoting weight loss, although most studies included other measures, such as calorie restriction, so more research is needed
Clearing up minor skin ailments
To promote digestive health and curb indigestion
It has natural antimicrobial and antifungal properties

This is only a short list of the studied benefits of apple cider vinegar as a functional food, drink, tea and supplement.

However, there is ample anecdotal evidence that it works for other issues, so more research is needed.

8. It's versatile

Apple cider vinegar can be used as a culinary ingredient, a supplement, for non-toxic cleaning and for hair, skin and nail health.

9. You control the quality of ingredients and packaging

Using organic, home-grown or naturally-grown apples will help reduce pesticide residue in your ACV.

Storing ACV in glass, will also reduce your microplastic exposure versus buying ACV stored in plastic bottles.

What You'll Need To Produce Apple Cider Vinegar At Home

I like making ACV using apple cores and peels, but you can also make it from fresh apples if you prefer.

Keep in mind, it takes several weeks to ferment, so you’ll want to time it with that in mind, especially if you’re making it as a gift.

Here’s what you’ll need to make scrap apple cider vinegar at home:

Apple cores, peels and scraps or cut up fresh apples. You’ll need at least six to eight apples worth of scrap to make one quart of vinegar.
1–2 tablespoons sugar or honey per cup of water. Note, you must use a true sugar; sugar substitutes will not create fermentation. Don’t worry, there will be very little, if any, sugar left in the finished product after fermentation.
Filtered water: Well or spring water are also OK to use, you just want to avoid water treatment chemicals.
A quart-sized mason jar or other glass storage container
- Do not use plastic or metal, as they can leach substances into acidic ferments that may be harmful and change their flavor.
Cheesecloth, clean cloth, fabric scrap or coffee filter: Use in place of metal lids for covering.
Rubber band or string: To secure the cover.

How to Make Apple Cider Vinegar At Home Using Scraps

Now that you’ve got your ingredients, you’re ready to make DIY ACV!

Here’s a basic recipe.

Make a sugar or honey syrup by pouring 1 cup of boiling water over 1-2 tablespoons of sugar or honey. Make about 3 ½ - 4 cups for 1 mason jar; you can always add more water to top it off.
Gather up your scraps. These must be clean, fresh and free from any funk.
Fill the jar 3/4 full with apple scraps. Don’t be afraid to pack them in tight, but there’s no need to overfill.
Add sugar water leaving 1-2 inches of headspace (the space between the apples and the top of the jar). Unlike in canning, exact measurements are not required; just eyeball it.
Cover using cheesecloth, cloth, fabric scrap or coffee filter, affix with a rubber band and place in a dark, warm spot (about 60–80 °F) to ferment for 3–4 weeks. This is the first ferment, you’ll do a second.
Stir or shake a few times a week to keep the fermentation process going and keep everything covered. If a brown scum develops, simply remove it.
After 3–4 weeks strain the apple scraps and discard. At this point, you have a form of hard cider, so a second fermentation is required.
After straining, re-cover with a fresh breathable cloth and let sit another 3–4 weeks. No stirring is required at this point.
Taste after 6 weeks to determine if it needs longer. If it’s too sweet, let it ferment another 1-2 weeks, if it has just the right tang, you’re done!

Note: A blob floating around your ACV is a good sign! It means you’ve made “the mother”, a natural culture that will help you jump-start future fermentations.

You can remove it and store it in the fridge, or leave it in the bottle, either is fine.

how to make apple cider vinegar

How To Store Your Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar

If you’re happy with the flavor as-is, store the vinegar in the fridge to stop the fermentation.

If you’re okay with the vinegar becoming more tangy, store in the cupboard or pantry. The fermentation process will continue at room temperature.

Homemade ACV can last 6 months to a year if stored away from direct light and heat, such as in the fridge, cupboard or pantry.

If you see any mold or it smells off, throw it away.

So Many Ways to Use Homemade ACV

Apple cider vinegar is, arguably, the most versatile vinegar. Here are some ways to use it.

Dressings
Marinades
Pickles
Sauces
As a health tonic or tea, try diluting 1-2 teaspoons in water, sweeten with honey if desired, and drink. Yep, it tastes like vinegar (and not my idea of a good time!) but many people swear by this daily tonic for digestive support, longevity and overall health
As a skin toner, use diluted
As a hair rinse, diluted 50:50 with water and apply as a spray or dump directly over your head, avoiding the eyes
As a scalp treatment, use diluted as a folk remedy to ease scalp concerns and stop flaking
As a spot treatment for pimples, apply a diluted version directly to pimples before going to bed
As a natural cleaner for surfaces, mirrors, produce, stainless steel, toys and more

Always do a spot test before applying ACV to your skin or hair to check for irritation.

DIY ACV FAQs

Still have questions? Let’s tackle these ACV FAQs…ASAP.

Q: How long does homemade apple cider vinegar last?

A: When stored in a sealed glass container at room temperature or in the fridge, it can last at least a year or more.

Q: Do you need a starter culture to make homemade ACV?

A: No because the wild yeasts on the apples naturally create fermentation.

However, you can add a small amount of raw ACV with mother for a faster fermentation.

Q: What is the “mother”?

A: The “mother” refers to that lovely, sometimes stringy blob that forms on apple cider vinegar, and is found in high-quality storebought versions.

The mother is rich in probiotics and acetic acid bacteria. It’s harmless and can be used to kickstart future batches.

Q: Can I use honey instead of sugar?

A: Yes, though it can slow down fermentation, and may not be worth the extra cost. The reason is that the fermentation consumes all or most of the sugar, leaving behind very little.

It’s your choice, but in my opinion, this is a good place to save money and use plain white sugar.

Q: What if mold appears on my ACV?

A: Brown scum or a white film is harmless and can simply be removed. However, anything that looks like mold (fuzzy, green, just wrong) indicates spoilage, and the batch should be discarded.

Q: Is it okay to use imperfect apple scraps? Like with bruises?

A: Yes, it’s fine to used scraps with bruises or tree marks, but don’t use anything with mold as that could ruin your batch and make you sick.

Q: Is homemade apple cider vinegar healthier than store-bought?

A: It can be, depending on what you use versus what you’d buy. A high-quality organic apple cider vinegar sold in a glass bottle will have many of the same benefits as homemade, whereas a run-of-the-mill ACV stored in plastic won’t be as healthy for you.

Also, homemade ACV from local apples is definitely better for the environment (less shipping of food and heavy bottles, for instance), which benefits us all.

Q: Can I use homemade apple cider vinegar in canning recipes?

A: No, please don’t!

Although store-bought apple cider vinegar at 5% acidity can be used in place of white vinegar, homemade apple cider vinegar, especially from scraps, likely has less than 5% acidity and could be dangerous to use in canning recipes.

You can use it in refrigerator pickles, though, just not anything meant for canning.

Q: Can I give homemade ACV to my farm animals?

A: If you’ve been giving your animals store-bought ACV, then yes, you can replace it with homemade for many of the same benefits.

Many farmers and homesteaders give their chickens, ducks and other animals ACV for health benefits.

Q: Can I clean with homemade ACV?

A: Yes, but it may be less effective than store-bought, especially if it’s on the sweeter side.

The acetic acid in vinegar is responsible for its cleaning properties, so the less acidic it is, less strength it has.

Storebought ACV is typically 5% acidic, and cleaning vinegar is about 6%.

However, it can’t hurt to try it out.

Looking For More DIY Recipes Like This?

DIYing and cooking from scratch are foundational to homesteading and self-reliance.

For more recipes like this, check out the following articles (and best wishes on your homemade ACV endeavors!):