Michael W Stoops wrote:
>If I remember my biology correctly producing vinegar is the same process as
>fermenting alcohol, it is just done in an aerobic environment (with air
>present)
>instead of an anaerobic environment (without air present).


        Both can proceed (as they do on the surface of damaged fruit all
around the world) aerobically.
Conversion of sugars to the particular alcohol (ethanol) that has proven so
problematic thru history is performed by yeasts  -  single-cell fungi  -
and the resulting ethanol can be oxidised to acetic acid, the main compound
characteristic of vinegar, if the bacterium _Acetobacter_ is present, e.g.
brought in on the feet of fruit-flies.
        The key to success in stopping the oxidation at the alcohol,
preventing its going thru to the acid, is a reasonably pure yeast culture.
(It doesn't have to be utterly pure because a dense yeast culture exerts a
quasi-monopoly, quelling growth of minor contaminants.)
        Therefore it's a great help in making booze to prepare over a
couple days an uncontaminated vigorous yeast culture in a small vessel
which you can then pour in to the fruit juice, honey solution, etc when
it's ready to brew.  This starter culture benefits from a little lemon
juice, and a tad of tea.

R