During antiquity, alcoholic liquids commonly turned to vinegar after a period of storage. But the ancients drank the vinegar as well: we know that 4,000 years ago, sour beer was consumed in Mesopotamia. Later, the Romans enjoyed a sour-tasting drink called posca, a mixture of vinegar and water that was enjoyed until the 20th century as a thirst-quencher and energizer. The Romans made vinegar of figs, grapes and special cereals (vinegar can be made from any fruit, grain or honey). Old writings mention that vinegar brewing was a secretive profession and today, many vinegar producers still keep their methods secret.
Brauerei Gegenbauer was founded in 1929, largely producing sauerkraut, gherkins and other vegetables preserved by vinegar. During the hard post-war years, problems with vinegar deliveries led the company to produce its own vinegar. About 20 years ago, Erwin M. Gegenbauer, Jr., grandson of the founder and a wine connoisseur, developed a passion for making fine fruit vinegars; that became an obsession to create the highest-quality vinegars on earth. The vinegars are made like fine wine; pure, all-natural fruit juice is pressed from the finest fruit and brought to alcoholic fermentation with cultured yeast. During the fermentation and maturing period, the wine is constantly monitored for both temperature and oxygen supply to create optimal living conditions for the bacteria. After the fermentation, the vinegar is stored in glass carboys (large bottles with short, narrow necks, usually encased in basketwork or a wooden box) until it is ready to be slowly matured in small oak barrels, where the sediment is removed several times over a five year period. This meticulous artisan production results in the highest quality vinegars.
Apricot Vinegar The apricots were harvested at the peak of their ripeness on the Harmer Estate in Stipfing (ca. 25 km north-east of Vienna), selected, carefully pressed and delivered to the Gegenbauer brewery. Deep gold in color this vinegar has a burnt caramel smell with hints of honey and fruit, the taste is tart but smooth with a pronounced stone fruit taste. Use this vinegar to balance Asparagus Soup or Bean Stews, to deglaze pork, in sweet sauces, reduced with brown sugar and vanilla and poured atop ice cream with salty peanuts; excellent with fish and, on fresh apricots with coarse ground pepper and poppy seed oil.
