heather_in_sf
Well-known member
from Safeway. It was in the condiment cupboard, lid on, and when I went to use it this week it was totally solid! So weird....
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
anyone have this happen? I bought some balsamic vinegar last year (November?), standard stuff
- Thread starter heather_in_sf
- Start date
G
Guest
Guest
Oh no! I thought vinegar lasted forever.
heather_in_sf
Well-known member
It's at the same level as when I last used it - about 1/4 cup gone. So weird, right? I'm going to
toss it. It sort of creeps me out! Congealed.
toss it. It sort of creeps me out! Congealed.
I did a little research and some people thought it was a mother, from which you can make new vinegar
however depending on how much you paid for the balsamic, and if it is of a lesser quality, which does not make it bad, it just means there is more sugar in it, it may have just thickened from evaporation. If this is the case, read this.
Vinegar, in general, has a very long shelf life. Older bottles of wine-based vinegars might get sediment at the bottom, and sometimes they develop a growth of what is called Mother of Vinegar, the natural mold that is used to make new batches of vinegar. Mother looks more like a thin sheet you'll see floating in a bottle.
Mother wouldn't be as thick as the globs you're describing, though. Balsamic vinegars vary wildly in price, from the true aged balsamicos that can cost more than $100 a bottle to very cheap balsamic-flavored vinegars that cost less than $5.
With the cheap stuff, manufacturers sometimes add caramel flavoring or sweeteners to mimic the true balsamic taste. Home cooks sometimes boil a cheaper balsamic with a little sugar to make it thicker or sweeter, too.
In this case, it sounds like the vinegar thickened up from sugar. It could be that the cap wasn't tight and allowed the vinegar to evaporate.
If that's the case, it probably won't taste like it's supposed to and you'll be better off just pitching it out
A: Vinegar, in general, has a very long shelf life. Older bottles of wine-based vinegars might get sediment at the bottom, and sometimes they develop a growth of what is called Mother of Vinegar, the natural mold that is used to make new batches of vinega
however depending on how much you paid for the balsamic, and if it is of a lesser quality, which does not make it bad, it just means there is more sugar in it, it may have just thickened from evaporation. If this is the case, read this.
Vinegar, in general, has a very long shelf life. Older bottles of wine-based vinegars might get sediment at the bottom, and sometimes they develop a growth of what is called Mother of Vinegar, the natural mold that is used to make new batches of vinegar. Mother looks more like a thin sheet you'll see floating in a bottle.
Mother wouldn't be as thick as the globs you're describing, though. Balsamic vinegars vary wildly in price, from the true aged balsamicos that can cost more than $100 a bottle to very cheap balsamic-flavored vinegars that cost less than $5.
With the cheap stuff, manufacturers sometimes add caramel flavoring or sweeteners to mimic the true balsamic taste. Home cooks sometimes boil a cheaper balsamic with a little sugar to make it thicker or sweeter, too.
In this case, it sounds like the vinegar thickened up from sugar. It could be that the cap wasn't tight and allowed the vinegar to evaporate.
If that's the case, it probably won't taste like it's supposed to and you'll be better off just pitching it out
A: Vinegar, in general, has a very long shelf life. Older bottles of wine-based vinegars might get sediment at the bottom, and sometimes they develop a growth of what is called Mother of Vinegar, the natural mold that is used to make new batches of vinega
If it is a mother (and that can be very thick) it will be a little
"spongy". I think if this is so solid as it seems to be described, it will be hard to get it out of the bottle. I have difficulty seeing how so little could be gone/used (as described) and it be sugar crystallization. But that also would be easy to identify if it can be extracted from the bottle.
Even if you toss it, it would be interesting to know and look at what is really inside. Any possibility that there is liquid UNDER the "solid"? I know it was described as totally solid,. Just wondering.
"spongy". I think if this is so solid as it seems to be described, it will be hard to get it out of the bottle. I have difficulty seeing how so little could be gone/used (as described) and it be sugar crystallization. But that also would be easy to identify if it can be extracted from the bottle.
Even if you toss it, it would be interesting to know and look at what is really inside. Any possibility that there is liquid UNDER the "solid"? I know it was described as totally solid,. Just wondering.