PURPOSE: To obtain beautifully colored vinegar having good taste and fragrance, by fermenting and/or storing and aging a carrot component in the presence of acetic acid bacteria.

CONSTITUTION: Raw carrot, boiled or steamed carrot under heating, ground carrot, treated material thereof such as extracted essence, etc., fermented material thereof, or their powder, concentrates, etc. is blended with acetic acid bacteria [e.g., Acetobacter aceti(IFO 3284)], fermented at 28W40°C for 1W2 month, and a supernatant liquid is separated, stored and aged. Consequently, palatable vinegar having no unpleasant vegetable smell of carrot itself, fishy odor, and offensive smell can be prepared in a short period in high yield.