VINEGAR 



133 



purchasing a good product, and in its use. The type of 

 vinegar commonly regarded as the best is that which is 

 made from cider, although a large part of the vinegar used 

 in the world is made from some other source of alcohol 

 (wine, beer, etc.). Thevalue 

 of vinegar is in a measure 

 dependent upon its flavor, 

 which differs according to 

 the material from which 

 it is made. Vinegar, of 

 course, has always an in- 

 tensely sour taste from the 

 presence of acetic acid, but 

 in addition to this there 

 are other flavors, due to 

 the original material from 

 which it is produced, and 

 these affect its value. 

 Vinegar also varies in color 

 according to the substance 

 from which it is made. 

 Cider vinegar is of a rich 

 brown color, while if made 

 from other materials it 

 may have a reddish or whitish color, or may be almost 

 black. The color, therefore, is no indication of the char- 

 acter of the vinegar, for a perfectly good product may be 

 white, red, or brown. The market value of vinegar is 

 dependent chiefly upon the amount of acid it contains. 

 The higher the percentage of acid (the sourer it is), other 

 things being equal, the greater its value. 



FIG. 61. Bacteria producing vinegar. 



