: Is vinegar just vinegar - even with a different flavor Is vinegar simply just that - vinegar? If one were to keep every type of vinegar called for in recipes from around the world then there would be a lot of different types.

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From my understanding of your previous questions you have limited space available and are looking at ways to find efficiencies in the kitchen, so maybe you are thinking "can I just have one vinegar for everything?" The answer is yes, as long as you are willing to compromise on flavor. At the end of the day vinegar is just acetic acid at varying strength, with flavor compounds coming from the base (cider, wine, etc) and developed as part of the conversion from alcohol to vinegar.

If you wanted to have just one vinegar you could stock a bottle of strong distilled white vinegar and use it for everything. I could see this working where the qualities of the vinegar do not matter that much, like giving a bit of acidity in a dish with strong flavors or as a substitute for less flavored vinegars like clear rice vinegar (as long as you take into account vinegar strength when making the substitution). Where this is less likely to work is where the qualities of the vinegar make a major contribution to the end result, like a vinaigrette. This is where the compromise is, I wouldn't be happy to substitute distilled vinegar for balsamic or cider vinegar for a salad, but maybe you are.

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Vinegar also varies by strength, or % acid. This distinction could be an important consideration, say when constructing a brine that will create an environment inhospitable to bacteria. So, from a flavor perspective, sure, you can make the substitution, but there might be times you want to consider acidity.