5 Best Chinese Black Vinegars (Reviews Updated 2022)

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Cooking Chinese food is simple and fun, but it involves various vinegar, sauces, pastes, and oils. One of the most important ingredients in Chinese cooking is Chinese Black Vinegar. Chinese black vinegar is mild vinegar with a dark complex, made of malt and glutinous rice. This one is similar to balsamic vinegar and is used in Chinese braises, stir-fry, and sauces.

Now the real question is, which Chinese black vinegar is best for you. Because a lot of companies are manufacturing this product, finding the best one is quite challenging. But you don’t have to fret; in this article, we have reviewed the five best Chinese Black Vinegar that customers can get their hands on.

Best Chinese Black Vinegars

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Here are our Chinese Black Vinegar reviews.

1. Soeos Chinkiang Vinegar, Zhenjiang Vinegar

Soeos Chinkiang Vinegar, Zhenjiang Vinegar

When it comes to aromatic and high-quality Chinese Black Vinegar, no other product can beat Soeos Chinkiang Vinegar, Zhenjiang Vinegar. You can either buy an individual bottle or a pack of two. An individual 16.9-oz bottle can cost up to $13, which is surprisingly cheap. This item comes with dimensions of 11.38 x 4.84 x 4.61 inches and weighs about 1.98 pounds.

Soeos Chinkiang Vinegar, Zhenjiang Vinegar is made with glutinous rice, water, sugar, salt, and wheat bran. This vinegar is aged until the color turns inky black or dark brown. Its pungent, tart and rich flavor is perfect for spinach salad, vinaigrette cabbage, kung pao chicken, and many more. This vinegar is probably the most reviewed Chinese Black Vinegar available out there, so it’s not just one person that likes it.

Why do we like it?  

  • Healthy Ingredients
  • Versatile Uses
  • Rich and Pungent Flavor
  • Aromatic Vinegar
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2. Gold Plum Chinkiang Vinegar

Gold Plum Chinkiang Vinegar

Second, on our list is Gold Plum Chinkiang Vinegar. Being second does not mean it is not worth buying; in fact, this Chinese Black vinegar is even more inexpensive and mouth-watering than the above one. An 18.6-oz Gold Plum Chinese Black Vinegar can cost up to $9. This vinegar is produced in Zhenjiang, China.

Gold Plum Chinkiang Vinegar is made with glutinous rice, water, salt, sugar, and wheat bran. Its delicious and rich flavor is perfect for braised dishes. On top of that, you can also use this vinegar as a dipping sauce. This stuff is delicious, with rich and deep flavor, and really does make a fine sub for balsamic. In short, if you are looking for quality, this is it!

Why do we like it?  

  • Deep and Rich Flavor
  • Versatile Vinegar
  • Affordable Product
  • Good for Health
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3. Soeos Chinkiang Vinegar, Chinese Black Vinegar

Soeos Chinkiang Vinegar, Chinese Black Vinegar

If you liked the above-mentioned Soeos Black Vinegar, but want to buy some extra volume, then this one is for you. Soeos Chinkiang Vinegar, Chinese Black Vinegar also costs up to $13, but this one comes with a volume of 18.6 ounces. In addition, this item comes with dimensions of 10.51 x 3.31 x 3.1 inches and weighs about 2.4 pounds.

Soeos Chinkiang Vinegar, Chinese Black Vinegar, is made with glutinous rice, water, sugar, salt, and wheat bran. This vinegar is aged until the color turns inky black or dark brown. Its woody character and malty taste distinguish it from fruity rice and light-colored vinegar. This one has a pungent, tart, and rich flavor, which is perfect for spinach salad, vinaigrette cabbage, kung pao chicken, and many more.

Why do we like it?  

  • Exquisite pungent Flavor
  • No Preservatives or Caramels
  • Versatile Uses
  • Affordable and High-quality
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4. Koon Chun Black Vinegar

Koon Chun Black Vinegar

Koon Chun produces some of the best Chinese sauces and vinegar. If you have used other Koon Chun products, you surely know they are delicious and high-quality. Koon Chun Black Vinegar comes with a volume of 16.9 ounces and costs up to $9. You can use this Chinese black vinegar as braises, marinades, stir-fry, or as a dipping sauce.

Koon Chun Black Vinegar has dimensions of 11.65 x 5.39 x 3.19 inches and weighs about 1.87 Pounds. This black vinegar has a unique and complex flavor that adds “something special” to your dishes. It has a smoky, nice, sweet, and plum-like flavoring that makes it a perfect complementary for various dishes.

Why do we like it?  

  • 100% Pure Ingredients
  • Perfect Gift
  • Versatile in Every Kitchen
  • Unique and Complex Flavor
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5. 52USA Chinkiang Vinegar, Chinese Black Vinegar

52usa Chinkiang Vinegar, Chinese Black Vinegar

Last but not least, we have 52USA Chinkiang Vinegar, Chinese Black Vinegar. This mild and tangy black vinegar comes with a volume of 16.9 ounces and costs up to $13. It is made with glutinous rice, water, wheat, salt, and sugar, providing a pungent, rich, and tart flavor with a hint of sweetness. You can use this versatile vinegar with most Chinese dishes.

The packaging of 52USA Chinkiang Vinegar, Chinese Black Vinegar, comes with dimensions of ‎ 11.42 x 4.8 x 4.69 inches and weighs about 2.01 pounds. This black vinegar is made with grains and aged until the color turns inky black or dark brown to provide a delicious and full-bodied flavor.

Why do we like it?  

  • Mouth-watering rich and malty Flavor
  • Versatile in every kitchen
  • 100% Pure Ingredients
  • Gluten-Free and Healthy Ingredients
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Chinese Black Vinegar Buyer’s Guide

Chinese black vinegar is made by blending rice and malt and then left to age. With its tangy and mild acidity, this vinegar has a rich flavor with a blend of both cinnamon and nutmeg. This vinegar is a perfect alternative to aged balsamic vinegar. Because many brands are producing this vinegar, selecting the best quality product is quite a challenge. Below we have given a list of factors that customers must study before buying high-quality Chinese black vinegar.

Ingredients

Ingredients used in Chinese black vinegar influence the final product. A high-quality Chinese black vinegar is commonly made with glutinous rice, water, wheat, salt, and sugar. A trustworthy and reputable producer does not hesitate to reveal the ingredients or the aging technique. We won’t recommend buying a Chinese black vinegar from a brand that is not providing this kind of crucial information. To know more about vinegar, check out our articles about oil and vinegar dressing and does vinegar goes bad?

Product Description and Labeling

Just like all other liquid products, the labeling of Chinese Black Vinegar is quite essential. If you like online shopping, the first thing you should do is to read the features and product description. By doing this step, you find a lot of information about a product. For instance, If you notice red wine as an ingredient of your Chinese Black Vinegar, this is a red flag because red wine vinegar has a lighter texture and is more acidic than the normal Chinese Black Vinegar made of 100% pure malt and rice.

Sweetened Black Vinegar

There are two types of Chinese black vinegar available out there; black vinegar and sweetened black vinegar. Sweetened black vinegar is quite different and has added flavoring and sugar; usually, this vinegar has ginger. This type of vinegar is used primarily for pork dishes. We recommend not to use sweetened black vinegar to replace your normal black vinegar. If it’s necessary, you can use White vinegar and Rice Vinegar in place of black vinegar.

Price

Chinese black vinegar is a versatile item; you can use this product on different dishes or as a dip for spring rolls or gyoza. Therefore, spending some extra bucks to buy a high-quality and well-aged black vinegar is completely worth it. Regardless of its high quality, a 20-oz Chinese black vinegar should not cost more than $30. To get the full-bodied flavor, refrigerate it for up to a week.