Pickled shallots - what vinegar?

just go supermarket and by the ready pickling vinegar I add a chilli sometimes to my pickles and beetroot just for little kick

I got malt. Will make my own bag of spices.

I do some in October and the rest Jan/Feb so have some all year round.

I use white vinegar available in supermarkets or in gallon containers at the Chinese cash and carry.

Or a mix of white and wine or cider vinegar as these make  milder pickle.

I never thought of buying gallon containers -- what a good idea! Thank you, Mrs Bee 

You are welcome Sunny.  If you have a Chinese cash and carry near you they are wonderful places. You can buy all the lovely Chinese restaurant goodies to stash in your freezer; do it yourself Chinese at a fraction of the cost of the restaurants. it is where they get the stuff form in the first place.

 Yes the vinegar does need to be 5% or over and the Chinese cash and carry sells their own brand 5% and Sarsons brown and distilled white which are at least 5% . All in gallon containers and much cheaper than the supermarkets.

I have always used the Chinese own brand. If you buy 2 together it is even cheaper.  It has the endearing name of top brand.

Don't use the rice wine vinegar though as I am not sure of the acidity of that one.

Also, somewhere on this site is Cheshire Cheese's recipe for pickled shallots/onions in balsamic vinegar which is really lovely.