FAQ
Should vinegar be refrigerated?
Refrigeration, especially for fruit vinegar, helps maintain freshness. However, our live vinegars contain 5% acidity and do not require refrigeration. For optimal taste, use within 90 days of opening.
Treat your opened vinegar like wine; minimize exposure to oxygen. With a good seal and stored in a cool, dark place, vinegar can last for several years.
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After fermenting the fruit or vegetable wine, we age it for 2-3 months before beginning the vinegar fermentation process. We employ a variation of the Frings or trickling generator method. Multiple times a day, we pour our base of fruit or vegetable wine over packing materials such as zeolite rocks, dehydrated fruits and vegetables, and fresh herbs. These materials allow beneficial bacteria to settle and convert the alcohol into vinegar. This co-fermentation approach enables us to experiment with different packing materials to enhance the flavors of even our simplest vinegars, diverging from the typical method of infusing flavors into a pre-made vinegar base used by most commercial vinegar makers. Importantly, our products contain no additional sugars or additives.
Our vinegars are crafted to be free of the most common allergens, with the exception of our Raisin Walnut vinegar. However, please note that they are manufactured in an environment that may contain nuts and sesame seeds. We take every precaution to ensure the safety of our products but we recommend that those with severe allergies exercise caution when consuming our vinegars.
Are there any common allergens?
What is floating in the bottle?
Because our vinegar is unpasteurized, it will evolve over time. The floating bits you see are from the natural formation of the "living mother" during fermentation. This is a normal and natural process of our product.
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Vinegar does not often turn bad with a 5% acidity, however, if you see fuzzy or green mold or if the vinegar smells or tastes foul then throw it out.
Why did my spices clump together?
Our dehydrated spices are made from organic, all-natural ingredients and contain no preservatives or anti-clumping additives. As a result, some natural clumping may occur. To address this, spread the spices on parchment or wax paper and place them in your oven at the lowest setting. If your oven doesn’t go below 200 degrees, leave the door slightly open to let some heat escape. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until the spices crumble easily.
How is your vinegar made?
After fermenting the fruit or vegetable wine, we age it for 2-3 months before beginning the vinegar fermentation process. We employ a variation of the Frings or trickling generator method. Multiple times a day, we pour our alcoholic base of fruit over packing materials such as zeolite rocks, dehydrated fruits and vegetables, and fresh herbs. These materials allow beneficial bacteria to settle on their surface and convert the alcohol into vinegar. Once the acidity tests at 5% we age the vinegar for 1-3 months before bottling.
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Our co-fermentation approach enables us to experiment with different packing materials to enhance the flavors of even our simplest vinegars, diverging from the typical method of infusing flavors into a pre-made vinegar base used by most commercial vinegar makers. Importantly, our products contain no additional sugars or additives. and were made in a Celiac's kitchen.
Do you deliver or offer local pick-up?
Currently we do not offer delivery options. We are able to ship within Georgia only.
We have pick-up options near Powder Springs/Austell/Marietta areas available by appointment only.
Please email thetickledpickler@gmail.com or call (943) 300-6370‬ for more information or to schedule a pick-up.