To Make Vinegar
From the treasured pages of Cookbook of 1720
Unknown Author
To Make Vinegar
"To every gallon of water, put one pound of the coursest brown sugar stir it well together, set it on the fire, boil it an hour, scum it all ye while, when it is cold toast a piece of bread & spredd on both sides with yest, put it into it when it rises with a white froth put it into your vessel, which must be hooped with iron, let it stand warm cover it with a tile, ye longer it keeps the better, its not fit for use till it has stood ten months"
Note on the Original Text
The recipe is written in a practical, almost conversational manner, typical of eighteenth-century English household manuals. Spellings are often phonetic ('scum it all ye while', 'spredd', 'yest'), reflecting regional speech and the lack of standardized spelling schools. Quantities are broad ('a pound'), based on household measures, and directions rely on visual cues ('when it rises with a white froth') to guide the cook. Such recipes assume familiarity with basic fermentation and kitchen management, passing wisdom from cook to cook by example and experiment.
Title
Cookbook of 1720 (1720)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Unknown
Era
1720
Publisher
Unknown
Background
Step back to the early 18th century and discover a delightful treasury of recipes and culinary secrets, where traditional flavors meet timeless technique—a feast for curious cooks and history lovers alike.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This recipe comes from around 1720, a period when home fermentation was a practical skill. Vinegar's primary role was as a preservative and flavoring, essential in an age before refrigeration. Housewives would have used readily available coarse brown sugar and homemade or bakery bread, not only to nourish the yeast but also to bolster fermentation. The recipe exemplifies an early English technique of producing 'small vinegar' for culinary and preservative use—democratizing what had previously been a laborious or costly product.
In the early 18th century, the process required large iron-hooped wooden barrels for fermentation, as metal helped protect against leakage and contamination. The mixture would be boiled in heavy copper or iron cauldrons over an open hearth, then skimmed with a wide flat ladle. Bread and yeast were household staples; yeast typically came from the local brewer or baker. A simple baked clay or tile would serve as a loose cover to keep dust out but allow wild yeasts and air in.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Servings
16
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 1 gallon water
- 1 pound coarse brown sugar (substitute: muscovado sugar or dark brown sugar)
- 1 thick slice rustic bread
- 1 tablespoon fresh baker's yeast
Instructions
- To make this historical vinegar with modern ingredients and measurements, start by dissolving 1 pound of very coarse brown sugar (such as muscovado) in 1 gallon of water.
- Stir well, then bring to a boil and keep it boiling steadily for about one hour, skimming off any foam or impurities as they appear.
- Allow the liquid to cool completely.
- Take a thick slice of bread and spread it on both sides with about a tablespoon of fresh baker's yeast.
- Once the sugared water is at room temperature, add the yeasty bread.
- Watch for a white froth to form—this signals that fermentation is beginning.
- Transfer the foaming mixture to a large, sterilized vessel (a glass or food-grade plastic carboy is best).
- Traditionally, a wooden barrel hooped with iron was used.
- Cover loosely to keep dust out, but allow air to circulate.
- Leave the vessel in a consistently warm place for at least ten months.
- The vinegar matures with time—taste after ten months, and use when you are satisfied with its sharpness.
Estimated Calories
5 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It takes about an hour to boil and reduce the sugar water, and a few minutes to prepare ingredients. The recipe yields about 4 liters of vinegar, which is roughly 16 servings of 250 ml each. The calories come mainly from the sugar, but most of it is eaten up by yeasts during fermentation, so the final vinegar is very low in calories.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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