I just tried my first batch of vinegar pickles and chose what is supposedly a high-quality, accurately diluted apple cider vinegar with an acidity of 5%. I followed a very basic recipe which called to dilute that with an equal amount of water when making the brine, which I did. According to the recipe I used, and also according to the official Ball guide on pickling, that should have produced a mellow taste and allowed the spices and garlic I included to really show through.
However, everything just tastes and smells like vinegar, even two weeks later.
According to the recipe and to Ball, I did everything right and should have ended up with a nice, simple, somewhat spicy batch of pickles. But the overwhelming vinegar flavor makes me think I probably chose the wrong vinegar. Is there a better one I should be using? Should I dilute it further next time?