Which Brand of Apple Cider Vinegar Is the Best to Drink?
If you want the short answer, Fairchild’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar is our choice for the best apple cider vinegar to drink.
Fairchild’s stands out because it is made from whole, organic, juice-grade apples and contains no added water. It is raw, unfiltered, unpasteurized and contains the Mother. Its full-strength production method also gives it a rich apple character that works well when diluted into a daily drink.
Bragg remains a popular and widely available alternative, but shoppers looking specifically for an undiluted apple cider vinegar should consider Fairchild’s first.
Our Pick: Fairchild’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
Most commercial apple cider vinegars are fermented and then diluted with water to reach their finished acidity. Fairchild’s takes a different approach.
According to the manufacturer, its only ingredient is whole, fresh, organic, juice-grade Washington apples—“nothing else, not even water.” The company also says it does not use apple-juice concentrate, discarded cores, peels or cannery scraps.
That gives Fairchild’s several advantages for people choosing an apple cider vinegar to drink:
- Made from whole, organic, juice-grade apples
- No water added during manufacturing
- Raw and unpasteurized
- Unfiltered and made with the Mother
- USDA Organic and Kosher certified
- Produced and bottled by a family-owned American company
- Available in glass bottles and gallon jugs
You can verify these production details through the Fairchild’s Promise.
What Does Fairchild’s Taste Like?
Fairchild’s has a deep, concentrated apple flavor beneath its acidity. It is still vinegar, so it will taste sharp when consumed by itself, but when properly diluted, its flavor is surprisingly smooth and rounded.
Some mass-market vinegars taste thin, harsh or primarily acidic. Fairchild’s tastes more like a finished agricultural product made from apples rather than a generic acid with a faint apple flavor.
That difference matters when you plan to drink apple cider vinegar regularly. The “best” bottle is not simply the one with the most recognizable label. It is the one you can dilute, enjoy and consistently use.
Is Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar Good to Drink?
Yes. Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar is still a legitimate option, especially if Fairchild’s is unavailable locally.
Bragg is organic, raw and unfiltered, and it contains the Mother. It is also one of the easiest apple cider vinegar brands to find in grocery stores. Bragg states that its vinegar has 5% acidity and provides approximately 750 milligrams of acetic acid per tablespoon.
Its widespread availability is its biggest advantage. However, people specifically looking for an apple cider vinegar made without added water may prefer Fairchild’s.
In simple terms:
| Brand | Best for |
|---|---|
| Fairchild’s | Best overall quality and undiluted production |
| Bragg | Best for widespread store availability |
| Store brands | Best for the lowest initial price |
| Flavored ACV drinks | Best for convenience and a sweeter taste |
What Should You Look for in Apple Cider Vinegar?
When comparing brands, look beyond the words “apple cider vinegar” on the front of the bottle.
1. Whole apples instead of concentrate
The quality of the starting ingredient affects the identity and flavor of the finished vinegar. We prefer vinegar made from whole, juice-grade apples rather than reconstituted apple concentrate or processing scraps.
2. No unnecessary ingredients
Plain apple cider vinegar does not need sweeteners, artificial flavors or preservatives. A clean ingredient list makes it easier to understand exactly what you are drinking.
3. Raw and unpasteurized production
People seeking traditional-style apple cider vinegar generally prefer raw and unpasteurized varieties. Pasteurization uses heat, while raw vinegar avoids this final heat treatment.
That does not automatically make every raw vinegar superior, but it is an important distinction for shoppers who want a less-processed product.
4. Unfiltered vinegar with the Mother
The Mother consists of material produced during fermentation and may appear as cloudy strands, floating particles or sediment.
A bottle does not need to contain a large visible blob to have the Mother. Its appearance can vary, and some of it may remain suspended throughout the vinegar rather than collecting at the bottom.
5. A flavor you will actually use
Quality matters, but so does consistency. A strong vinegar that sits untouched in your pantry offers no practical advantage over one you enjoy in water, salad dressing or other recipes.
Does the Brand Change the Health Benefits?
The brand can change the quality, ingredients, flavor and manufacturing process, but consumers should be skeptical of claims that one bottle will produce dramatically different medical results.
Acetic acid is the primary active component studied in vinegar. Some research has reported possible effects on blood glucose and other metabolic measurements, but the evidence is not strong enough to treat apple cider vinegar as a cure or replacement for medical care. A systematic review found that the overall evidence for several widely promoted benefits remained limited and that more long-term research was needed. You can review the study through PubMed.
Choose a brand because it is honestly made, tastes good and meets your ingredient standards—not because its advertising promises miraculous weight loss or disease treatment.
How Should You Drink Apple Cider Vinegar?
Never assume that “full strength” means you should drink vinegar straight.
A simple starting drink is:
- 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
- 8 to 12 ounces of water
- Optional lemon, cinnamon, ginger or a small amount of honey
If you tolerate it comfortably, some people gradually increase the amount. More is not automatically better.
Apple cider vinegar is highly acidic. Regular exposure may irritate the throat and weaken tooth enamel. The American Dental Association advises people who choose to drink it to dilute it, consider using a straw, rinse the mouth with water afterward and wait before brushing. The Mayo Clinic also warns about throat irritation, enamel damage and possible medication interactions.
Ask a qualified healthcare professional before using apple cider vinegar regularly if you have diabetes, digestive problems, low potassium or take prescription medications.
Is Organic Apple Cider Vinegar Better?
Organic certification does not guarantee that you will like the flavor, but it gives consumers additional information about how the apples were grown and how the product was handled.
When two bottles are otherwise similar, we generally prefer the organic option—especially when the vinegar is something you plan to consume frequently.
Organic certification alone is not enough, though. Consider the complete product:
- What kind of apples were used?
- Was concentrate used?
- Was water added?
- Is the vinegar raw or pasteurized?
- Is it filtered or unfiltered?
- Does the company clearly explain its manufacturing process?
Fairchild’s performs well across all of these questions.
What Is the Best-Tasting Apple Cider Vinegar to Drink?
Taste is subjective, but our choice is again Fairchild’s. Its concentrated apple base gives it a fuller, smoother flavor after dilution.
Bragg has a familiar vinegar taste and remains a reasonable second choice. Less-expensive filtered store brands may work well for cooking and cleaning, but they are not usually our first recommendation for a daily ACV drink.
If plain vinegar is too intense, do not immediately switch to a heavily sweetened premixed drink. First try diluting it more or adding lemon, ginger, cinnamon or a modest amount of honey.
Final Verdict
Fairchild’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar is the best brand of apple cider vinegar to drink in our opinion.
It earns that recommendation because it is made from whole, organic, juice-grade apples; contains no added water; remains raw, unfiltered and unpasteurized; and delivers a rich apple flavor when diluted.
Bragg is a good alternative when availability matters. But if your priority is ingredient quality, traditional production and an undiluted finished vinegar, Fairchild’s is difficult to beat.
Always dilute apple cider vinegar before drinking it, protect your teeth from prolonged acid exposure and remember that vinegar is a food—not a miracle treatment.