All true barrel aged Italian balsamic vinegars are aged in a battery of conditioned wood casks. Viscosity of 12 year-aged balsamic should be very similar to water. Viscosity of 18 year-aged balsamic should be similar to olive oil (lightly coat the sides of a cup), but not thick like Hershey's chocolate syrup.
Good quality balsamic vinegar will have its ingredients listed as “Grape must, tradizionale'. This means that it has been aged for at least 12 years, and the vinegar will thick and sweet.
The vinegar gets thicker and more concentrated as it ages because of evaporation that occurs through the walls of the barrels—the vinegar in the smallest barrel will be much thicker and more syrupy than the liquid in the successively larger barrels.
The longer the balsamic has been aged, the sweeter and thicker it becomes. Balsamic vinegar should be rich, glossy, deep brown in color with a complex flavor that balances the natural sweet and sour elements of the cooked grape juice imbued with tones of wood.
If you're using balsamic vinegars primarily for salads and like them chilled, they can be refrigerated. If you're using them for sauces, marinades, and reductions, store them in a cupboard. The shelf life of balsamic vinegar should be between 3-5 years.
If the vinegar smells off or has a moldy odor, it's time to throw it out. Taste: You can taste the vinegar to see if it's still good. Good quality balsamic vinegar should have a complex flavor that is both acidic and sweet, with a vanilla ice cream-like sweetness.
That said, you will want to consume most commercially available balsamic vinegar within three to five years. They're still safe to consume after five years (self-preserving, remember), but the quality won't be the same.
Containing such deep and interesting flavors and a unique sweetness that will have your taste buds eager for more as well as notes of fig, molasses, cherry, and chocolate, you'll feel like you've tasted a piece of heaven.
True balsamic vinegar is made from a reduction of pressed Trebbiano and Lambrusco grapes. The resulting thick syrup, called mosto cotto in Italian, is subsequently aged for a minimum of 12 years in a battery of several barrels of successively smaller sizes.
While refrigeration after opening is required for many pantry staples, it is not necessary for balsamic vinegar. Putting the balsamic vinegar in the fridge can potentially cause condensation to form on the inside of the bottle, diluting the flavor.
Sniff the contents – If you open a bottle of balsamic vinegar and it smells rancid, throw it out. Taste it before using – the flavor should be a little acidic with a hint of sweetness. Any harsh taste may indicate it's spoiled and will no longer be suitable for use in your cooking.
Once opened and exposed to air, however, harmless “vinegar bacteria” may start to grow. This bacteria causes the formation of a cloudy sediment that is nothing more than harmless cellulose, a complex carbohydrate that does not affect the quality of the vinegar or its flavor.
The fermentation process
Secondly, good bacteria are added, which helps to convert the alcohol into acetic acid. A thick, gelatinous layer is formed by the acetic acid bacteria on the surface of the vinegar. This layer is known as 'The Mother' because it is the catalyst that gives rise to the vinegar.
If you use a high quality olive oil (has a higher ratio of monounsaturated fats), it will solidify in the fridge. This is completely normal, so no worries. Just let it sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes before using or place in a warm water bath to speed up the process. Shake and enjoy!
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.
Commercial grade balsamic vinegar may be labeled simply as "Balsamic Vinegar of Modena" if they are, in fact, produced in that region. Domestic vinegar made in the United States or in other regions can not carry the Modena name.
It's best to mix well in a sealed bottle so you can shake vigorously, or slowly add extra virgin olive oil to your balsamic vinegar in a bowl while whisking vigorously. This will create a thick smooth mixture with the flavors wonderfully blended.
Gran Deposito Acetaia Giusti was founded in 1605 and is thought to be the oldest in the world. Their master vinegar makers have been passing on the art for 17 generations, focusing on quality, excellence and on their century old family recipe.
There are a few signs that balsamic vinegar has gone bad and should be discarded: Smell: If the vinegar smells off, sour, or musty, it's likely gone bad. Cloudy appearance: If the vinegar appears cloudy or has sediment at the bottom of the bottle, it may have spoiled.
The only real side effect from leaving vinegar to its own devices is that its acidity will gradually decrease over time, making it less potent. This is why a "best by" date can be found on the bottle, but it's still perfectly fine long past that — it isn't an "expiration date," by any means. Vinegar does not expire.
Balsamic vinegar is aged in barrels and exposed to oxygen as it ages. As a result, balsamic vinegar can develop black specks on the bottom of the bottle or sediment and other substances present during the aging process, such as wood chips, grape skins, and seeds raisins nuts.
Yes, balsamic glaze should be kept refrigerated, as it is made with vinegar which can spoil when left at room temperature. Besides, when stored properly in the refrigerator, balsamic glaze will maintain its flavor and texture for up to six months.
To qualify as tradizionale, balsamic vinegars must be aged for a minimum of 12 years and have no ingredients other than grape must. The color of the label indicates the minimum level of aging: Red means 12 years, silver means 18 years, and gold means 25 years.
Apple cider vinegar
Just like the red wine vinegar: for every tablespoon of balsamic that you want to replace, you can do a tablespoon of red wine vinegar and then either 2 teaspoons maple syrup, 1 teaspoon of honey, or ½ teaspoons sugar.
A vinegar mother is a gelatinous disc that looks like a slice of wobbly raw liver. It's composed of a form of cellulose and acetic acid bacteria (mycoderma aceti) that develops on fermenting alcoholic liquids, and turns alcohol into acetic acid with a little help from some oxygen in the air.