Please see here for the first post about the Solera process.
Yesterday, I finally got the first solera up and running for the Sherry Vinegar Fino. I have one barrel that is a bit over 1 year old now, one that is a ~ 6 months old, and a brand new barrel from last night. In June, I can pour off a liter from the oldest barrel and refill from the younger ones and add fresh vinegar to the youngest one. Thus, the solera will be ongoing and continuous. It also means I need another trip to Trader Joe’s for more cheaper Sherry to turn into vinegar.
A challenge I have is that smaller barrels have higher surface area ratios than larger barrels. I get a lot more evaporative loss (as a percentage). That means I need to top off the barrels before that 6 month mark.
I also need to find worthy consumers of said vinegar and probably do a tasting class on it.
