For pickling, the recommended vinegar to use is one with 5% acidity. This is also known as 50 grain vinegar. While most vinegars are at 5% acidity, some are not. Therefore, shop wisely and read the label. The percentage may be on the front of the label or in the ingredient statement.
Typical distilled white vinegar and apple cider vinegar has 5% acidity, but it depends on the brand. There are some alternative vinegars, such as a “pickling vinegar base” which is only 2.5% acidity. There are no pickle recipes developed for this type of vinegar for canning, but it could be used in a refrigerator pickle. Do not use “cleaning” vinegars as they are too high in acidity.
Learn more about different vinegars from Penn State Extension.
