Collect apple bits from about ten apples (or you can use five whole apples), putting them in a large glass container and covering them with un-chlorinated water.

Add a cup of sugar and stir until it’s dissolved.

Remove any floating bits of apple or seed and cover the container with cheesecloth or muslin, securing with a rubber band. Allow the apples to sit on your counter for about a week; you’ll see bubbles forming as the sugar turns to alcohol.

Once you can smell the alcohol, strain out the apples and pour the liquid into glass jars (I use my canning jars).

Put fresh cheesecloth over the top and ferment for about a month more until it starts to smell and taste like vinegar.

A little sediment will appear at the bottom and an odd-looking, mushy thing will form at the top; this is called the “mother”. All of that is perfectly normal and means your vinegar is doing well—Congratulations!

Use simple pH strips to measure the acidity – it should end up between one and two.