First try into vinegar

[Daoud]

Hello guys
I usaly brew fine (most of the time atleast ) but i am new to vinegar .
I made a new watermelon wine since their season just started and decided to vinegar the layer close to the sediment into vinegar but i dont know if i failed or not so the thing is i lefted it in sanitized jar and their this white layer after i checked on it on 2 nd week so i dont know if this mold or something else . ( Abv was 9.4% )
Please be kinda to tell me what is going on in their and sorry for bad english

 

[MajorJC]

Did you use a vinegar mother to start your vinegar? Have you checked the pH of the "vinegar" under the pellicle?

If you didn't use a vinegar mother, you can still get vinegar because fruit flies are notorious for carrying acetic acid bacteria around and inoculating everything. It just takes longer. pH should be around 2-3 and it should have a pungent vinegar odor. If the pH is right, give it a taste.

 

[Daoud]

Used ph metre got 3,6 reading my initial ph was 4,3 so it droped quite a bit but not on the right ph and the thing is i didnt use any kinda of mother or raw vinegar so should i keep it for another week or 2 more ?

 

[MajorJC]

Yes, give it some more time. Oh, and Welcome to HomebrewTalk!

 

[Daoud]

Will do and Thank you