What You Need to Know
Involves heating fermented vinegar to separate acetic acid (bp 118°C) from water (bp 100°C) and other volatile compounds, with careful temperature control to prevent decomposition of flavor compounds.
Produces hyper-concentrated vinegar used sparingly for flavor accents, especially in Scandinavian cuisine and molecular gastronomy.
Key Parameters
Temperature
105°C
78°C - 118°C
Time
3.5 hours
2 hours - 6 hours
Equipment
Copper alembic stillFractionating columnAcid-resistant condensers
Steps
- 1.
Swedish Ättika (Scandinavia): Creates 24% acidity for pickling herring
- 2.
Balsamic reduction (Italy): Pre-concentration before aging
The Science
Primary Reaction
Esterification