Vinegar
(from
Old
French
vinaigre
"sour
wine")
is
a
sour
liquid
made
from
the
oxidation
of
ethanol
in
wine,
cider,
beer,
or
the
like.
Vinegar
is
typically
3-5%
by
volume
acetic
acid,
and
natural
vinegars
also
contain
smaller
amounts
of
tartaric
acid,
citric
acid,
and
others.
It
is
commonly
used
in
food
preparations,
particularly
in
vinaigrettes,
and
in
the
pickling
process.
It
is
also
used
as
a
condiment.
For
example,
the
British
and
Americans
commonly
use
malt
vinegar
on
fish
and
chips.
Malt
vinegar
is
made
by
malting
barley,
causing
the
starch
in
the
grain
to
turn
to
sugar.
An
ale
is
then
brewed
from
the
sugar
and
allowed
to
turn
into
vinegar,
which
is
then
aged.
A
cheaper
alternative,
called
'non-brewed
condiment',
is
a
solution
of
4-8%
acetic
acid
coloured
with
caramel.
White
vinegar
can
be
made
by
distilling
malt
vinegar,
or
may
be
nothing
more
than
a
solution
of
acetic
acid
in
water.
Italian
balsamic
vinegar,
made
around
Modena
in
Italy
from
white
Trebbiano
grape
juice,
is
used
in
salad
dressings,
ice
cream,
marinades
and
drinking.
It
is
aged
for
several
years
in
wooden
barrels
to
give
it
a
dark
color
and
sweet
flavour.