12 Types Of Vinegar And How To Use Them

Vinegar is a pantry staple that you can use for just about anything. You must have this pungent liquid in your home, as you will surely need it when you cook and clean. With so many types of vinegar, however, it can be hard to know which vinegars you need, and what you can use them for.

Some of the most important vinegars to know about and procure include distilled white vinegar and apple cider vinegar. These are both cooking staples and can be used for cleaning and in other non-food-related ways. Balsamic, red wine and white wine vinegar are all popular in salad dressings and cooking, especially in Mediterranean cuisine. Some exotic vinegar worth having in your pantry include rice, malt, black, and beer vinegars.

There is vinegar that can clean your windows, kill weeds, remove stains, make salad dressing, and even help pickle your vegetables. While vinegar has endless uses, you can’t use every type of vinegar for everything. Below is a list of the most common and important types of vinegars, and information about why you should buy each type, and what you can use them for.

12 Types Of Vinegar And How You Can Use Them

1. Distilled White Vinegar

If you only have one type of vinegar in your home, then it should probably be distilled white vinegar. While this isn’t necessarily the most flavorful vinegar, it is certainly the most versatile. White vinegar is inoffensive in flavor, which allows for its versatility in cooking. It’s perfect for poaching eggs and adding to baked recipes, as it doesn’t have an overwhelming flavor. This vinegar is also ideal for cleaning, as it has no color, and is great at removing bacteria.

2. Red Wine Vinegar

Red wine vinegar is fermented and distilled using red wine grapes. Like wine, this vinegar has a great flavor that is perfect in several types of cuisine. Red wine vinegar is a kitchen staple, and a vinegar anyone who likes to cook should own. 

You can use red wine vinegar in various sauces, and it’s the essential ingredient in red wine vinaigrette dressing and many other vinegar-based dressings. It has a rosy hue, so it isn’t ideal for poaching, home pickling, or cleaning unless you don’t mind the pink color.

3. Balsamic Vinegar

If you are a fan of Italian food, you know all about the delicious dark substance known as balsamic vinegar. Balsamic vinegar is made from grape juice rather than wine, which explains its rich dark color and more palatable flavor. 

Balsamic vinegar can be drizzled on salads, and used with oil as a dip for bread. You can add it to sauces as well. Balsamic reduction, made by boiling this vinegar down, is great when drizzled on flatbreads, Caprese salads, and all sorts of Italian meals.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is another vinegar that you can use for just about anything. You can cook with it whenever a recipe calls for vinegar. It is a crucial ingredient in several baked goods as well, including red velvet cake.

Apple cider vinegar is also great for cleaning windows and surfaces. It is even used for cosmetic purposes. It can be used to clean hair and skin and is commonly used in several types of DIY face masks. You can even drink straight shots of apple cider vinegar, as it is said to improve digestion.

5. Rice Vinegar

Rice vinegar is not as common on pantry shelves in North America, but if you’ve ever had sushi, you’ve surely tasted this delicious vinegar, which gets its name because it is made from rice wine, and originates in Asia.

It is mostly used in flavoring Asian cuisine, including marinades and adding flavor to sushi rice. It is a mild light-colored vinegar and is great to have on hand, especially if you make Asian food at home.

6. Malt Vinegar 

If you love fish and chips, then you are familiar with the unique and delicious flavor of malt vinegar. Malt vinegar has a much milder and slightly sweet flavor to it that separates it from stronger vinegar like white vinegar and wine-based vinegar.

It is made from fermented barley, and it therefore has a caramel color and unique flavor. It is great with fish and chips and makes great salad dressings. It’s a pantry essential for all vinegar lovers because it tastes great without needing to add sugar and other ingredients.

7. Sugar Cane Vinegar

Sugar cane vinegar isn’t as common as many other vinegars on this list, but it is worth purchasing it when you are lucky enough to come across it. It should come as no surprise that this vinegar, derived from sugarcane juice, has a sweet flavor to it, but it also has a sour flavor that characterizes most vinegar.

You can use this vinegar the same way you use other vinegar, and when reduced it forms a lovely sweet vinegar syrup. 

8. Champagne Vinegar

If you want a fancy vinegar for special occasions, champagne vinegar is a good option. Champagne vinegar has a vibrant orange color and has lovely and nuanced flavors thanks to the wine grapes from which it is derived. It is a step up from other wine vinegars and also tends to cost a bit more.

9. White Wine Vinegar

If champagne vinegar is a bit too pricey for you, opt for the more affordable and easier-to-find white wine vinegar. White wine vinegar can be used in all the same ways as red wine vinegar, but it has its own distinct taste. 

Since it is derived from white wine grapes, it won’t stain food like red wine vinegar would. This makes it a good option for pickling and poaching.

10. Sherry Vinegar

Sherry vinegar is another vinegar that has a distinct taste, and this is thanks to the sherry from which it is made, as well as its aging process. This vinegar has a signature nutty flavor, as well as other more delicate notes. 

Its robust flavor makes it great for adding to sauces, as well as making various sauces and marinades. The longer sherry vinegar is aged, the more distinct its flavor and the darker it tends to appear in color.

11. Beer Vinegar

Not many people have beer vinegar in their corner pantry, but they should. While beer vinegar is a type of vinegar, you can make it from all types of beer and therefore, there is a great variety in this vinegar.

Stout vinegar will taste and look different than IPA or lager vinegar. It’s smart to taste several types of beer vinegar before deciding on one to have in your pantry. Like malt vinegar, beer vinegar has a sweet and often milder taste to it, making it a great choice for those who like vinegar on everything.

12. Black Vinegar

Balsamic vinegar isn’t the only dark-colored vinegar out there, or even the darkest. Black vinegar is an artisanal and truly unique vinegar worth purchasing if you love off-the-beaten-path condiments in your kitchen pantry.

Black vinegar is another vinegar that comes from Asia, and it is derived from a black grain. It is also aged for a minimum of six months, giving it a flavor that is as unique as its color. It’s fantastic for all sorts of Asian cuisine, including marinades for chicken and pork, and dipping sauces for egg rolls and dumplings.

Final Notes On Types Of Vinegar And How To Use Them

Vinegar is unquestionably a pantry staple. The question is, how many vinegars should you have in your home? There are some fantastic vinegars everyone should have, including staples like apple cider, balsamic, white distilled, and red or white wine vinegar. Malt and beer vinegar are delicious and slightly sweet, making them ideal for vinegar lovers. If you make Asian cuisine, you should ensure you have rice vinegar or black vinegar on hand.

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