Watch This Before You Buy Aged Balsamic or Just make it.

Before you spend $30, $120 or $1000 on aged balsamic vinegar, know what you are buying... or should you age the balsamic yourself?? Learn the difference between the different types and learn how to make aged balsamic vinegar on the cheap!

► Video Chapters ◄
0:00 Intro
4:32 $20 roaster
9:00 Siphon / Vacuum brewer
10:43 Taste Test

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Winning Fake Aged Recipe:
113 grams Organic Balsamic Vinegar
15 grams Organic Maple Syrup
15 grams evaporated Sandeman 20 yr. Tawny Port
#hellenicsnackbar #awarehousechef #balsamic #balsamicvinegar

[TheRealJBMcMunn]

Amazing work!

I've been to one of the businesses in Modena. It was started in 1860 and they still have the original battery. It's really impressive.

The must is monitored at first until it reaches 30% sugar. They have to make sure it doesn't accidentally turn into wine (aceto balsamico pulls the UNO reverse card on wine 😄).

Then it's placed in a "battery", a series of barrels in diminishing sizes. The first barrel is the largest and called the mother barrel. The barrel lies on its side with an opening on the opposite (upper) side. After the must is poured, the hole is covered with a cloth so oxygen can get in for the bacteria that does the conversion.

After a year the contents are pumped into the next barrel, which is smaller since the must has partially evaporated. This continues until it reaches the last barrel. Meanwhile new must is put in the mother barrel. In this way the battery has a constant cascade of must in various stages.

Unlike wine, the balsamic process involves leaving batteries exposed to all kinds of weather, both hot and cold.

The place I visited had a tradition where whenever a baby was born they were given their own battery with their name on it. The baby would receive the proceeds from sales from that battery for their whole life.

The bulbous bottle was designed and copyrighted to distinguish artisanal balsamic from industrial IGP stuff. The product must be taste tested by a certified official before it can be sold as DOP.

You're not paying for them to sit on a barrel for 25 years. You're paying for the repeated transfers and other work, which is done by hand. I've tasted up to 50 year old balsamic and I can taste the differences between vintages. I happen to have some of the world's least sophisticated taste buds so I'm sure everyone else will be able to appreciate it.

Once again, strong work. Liked and subscribed.

[rosshunter]

There is no way I can afford these aged balsamic.
However, for 20+ years I have been creating balsamic glazes using the low heat pot method, using a locally produced sweet port and cheap balsamic vinegar.
I can not say how well my creation compares to the genuine article, but it certainly compares favourably to the balsamic available off of the shelves where I live.

[TheMatrix]

You knocked it out of the park with this video. Thx!

[Kathleen.]

Oh my, I have had this very question for about twenty years. I love the respect you show for the traditional; and, what a treat to have your friends weigh in. Do you think you'll ever put a cookbook together? I'd pay the big bucks for such a treasure. I can hardly wait to make this one. We use Organic Hidden Springs Grade B maple syrup from Vermont and buy by the gallon for $64.99. Thanks, for another great video.

[leedoss]

I have an extremely old bottle of the real thing in my house.
My late beloved wife bought it for me 20 years ago for Christmas.
I think it was aged 25 years.

[semaj]

Brilliant idea to get the wood flavors of the barrels with the port. Thanks for this!

[jdavid]

That was a fun video. Thanks for sharing it.

[rcketplumber]

In working on space suit designs at XCOR, we learned about air-tight urethane films that can pass water vapor with about 3000:1 ratio between water and oxygen flow. When I draped a sample over my hand, it felt like silk because it wasn't clammy. Great in a pressure suit where getting rid of water vapor is a problem.

Foodie idea: put the urethane film over your dehydration/reduction ramekins to hold in all the complex organic molecules (=flavors) while letting the water vapor escape.

[chicobicalho]

As with so many situations where the most expensive product doesn't reflect in pure taste satisfaction. Lost count of the number of times I purchased espensive coffee and was disappointed, or expensive wine, or olive oil and was disappointed. I suppose the nuveau riche love to pay a lot of money for a product and this makes them feel good, but I am constantly reminded of Bob Parker, and his sobering message that the most expensive wine on the market, is rarely the best wine to drink. And this applies to just about any other food product in the world, with a few rare exceptions of course. Jamon Serrano being one of them!

[RealJonzuk]

Truly an underrated creator, Never a moment do I regret watching any of your videos when I need to learn something with food items

[havenbastion]

They've perfected the art of making things seem worth more than they are, while the art of creating wonderful tastes accessible to the masses is left to YouTubers.

[LarryMartin-oe]

I like you was gifted some of the traditional and ever sense then I have been buying it as gifts for my friend's and family as gift very special

[terrevidamushrooms]

Awesome video! Thanks for explaining about the notification button as I always want to help amazing contributors like you! Can't wait to try this!

[anthonyfootball]

I hit that notification bell! and can't wait to make this one day soon.. I love this channel keep the videos coming.

[SouthernCoastalCookingTM]

thank you so much for this video you just got a new sub. I really like how you brought in some super-qualified experts to help in the tasting

[duncanjames]

I remember the first time I tried aged balsamic at my sister's Inn near Perugia many years ago. A few drops of 18-year old on a slice of pear and some aged Parmigiano-Reggiano. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Thank you for sharing this information. There's a wide range of culinary applications between different ages (dessert to savoury), but at least one (12-year-old) should be in any serious foodies pantry. Thanks for sharing. 🙂

[RenghisKhan]

For a more complex taste you might try putting the port with wood chips and maybe some dried fruits in an ultrasonic bath first.

[richardrobson]

I just stumbled across your channel, and when looking at how many subscribers you had I was shocked, with the quality of your content and for how amazing they all are my partner and I swore that you would of had millions. You have new fans from Canada! Keep up the truly amazing work!

[nickolasgomes]

just a thing that would be cool to test, put some regular balsamic in mason jars with the wood of choice, like oak, and set it in an ultrasonic bath for a few minutes, might have to test to get the best result, then use the dehidrator, might get some good results.

[SooperToober]

New sub with likes n notifications on. Awesome content! 🎉🎉🎉