When Bad Things Happen to a Good Mother

Sooner or later you will have more mother than vinegar in your crock, and the fallen mother will start to rot and damage your cork spigot. To prevent this, reach into the crock with clean hands, pull out the clumps of dead mother, and discard.

Avoid using metal utensils, as they can easily corrode as well as damage the flavor of the vinegar.

Temperatures that are too low (below 60°F) or too high (over 90°F) will kill the mother. You’ll know because the existing mother will sink to the bottom and no new film will form.