James Grieve apples are harvested at the peak of their ripeness on the Harmer Estate in Stripfing (ca. 25 km north-east of Vienna). They are then sorted out, carefully pressed and delivered to the Wiener Essig Brauerei.

Production: After the juice is simmered at a considerable temperature for several days, the flavours and the fruit sugar become concentrated. The juice is then filled into barrels and brought to an alcoholic fermentation. When the desired alcohol level has been reached, we air the derived wine and inject it with pure cultured vinegar bacteria (= mother-of-vinegar). After the fermentation process, the young vinegar will mature in oak barrels. We leave the barrels to the weather, so that the vinegar can “work” with the seasons. During wintertime, a kind of hibernation takes place, and in summer, due to hot temperatures, liquid can evaporate through the wood’s pores, whereby the volume decreases from year to year, lasting at least five years in this case, and, in the end, condensing the product.

Available in 25cl (8.5oz) glass bottles - Recipes available here

The quinces are harvested when fully ripened at the Harmer-estate in Stripfing (approx. 25 km northeast from Vienna), sorted and pressed carefully and delivered to our vinegar brewery.

Production: After day-long boiling at a low temperature the flavours and the natural fruit sugars concentrate. The reduced juice is filled into barrels and brought to alcoholic fermentation. Once the desired alcohol level is achieved, we ventilate the newly won wine and inoculate it with a "reinsortig" pure-bred vinegar bacterial culture (= vinegar mother). After fermentation is completed the young vinegar matures in oak barrels. We then expose the barrels to the elements, which means the vinegar can then "work" with the seasons. In winter a type of hibernation occurs, in summer liquid can evaporate through the pores of the wood due to high temperatures, that way the volume reduces from year to year and the vinegar becomes "rounder".


Available in 25cl (8.5oz) glass bottles - Recipes available here