Went looking for the yeast today - struck out but I found a "Red Rice Ale". Posted pics here in the beer forum: What the Heck is This?
Making Traditional rice Wine. Cheap, Fun, and Different
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nhamilto40
Well-Known Member
For those having difficulty finding yeast balls locally I recommend ImportFood. My nearest asian store is a 200 mile round trip.
They ship small items via Priority Mail even though their site shows Fedex. Here is my invoice (3*10 balls).
Qty Name SKU Each Sub Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 Dried Yeast Balls, 4 oz nrhf0401 $4.50 $13.50
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub Total $13.50
Shipping: Fedex Ground $6.75
Grand Total $20.25
They ship small items via Priority Mail even though their site shows Fedex. Here is my invoice (3*10 balls).
Qty Name SKU Each Sub Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 Dried Yeast Balls, 4 oz nrhf0401 $4.50 $13.50
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub Total $13.50
Shipping: Fedex Ground $6.75
Grand Total $20.25
trbig
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Well, after pulverizing the yeast balls in the coffee grinder.. I'm confident that there is NOW WAY that those things were meant to be eaten. Not a nice smelling yeast, but yeast it is.
For those that don't have a steamer, my method seemed to work nicely. Again:
6 cups Jasmine rice
6 cups sweet Glutinous rice
12 yeast balls
In a 12 qt stainless steel pot, I initially soaked the rice for 8 hours in 14 cups of water after rinsing. As I began heating the water/rice, stirring constantly, and the rice began swelling, I would eat a little bit of the rice to test for a soft center. I ended up using 22 cups of water, and when it became tough to stir due to little water left and the water getting hot, I turned off the heat and covered with a lid. Nearly two hours later, it was still too hot to pitch the yeast. So.. the pot went into a cool water bath for @ 15 minutes, and that did the trick to cool it down. Probably should have stopped the process sooner with the water bath. I had a nice pot full of sticky gooey white stuff with nice kernels of jasmine rice embedded in it. I filled my brewing bucket with a layer, then would sprinkle yeast all over the top, then stab with a spatula over and over all over to incorporate the yeast into the rice. Then another layer, etc.. Seems like a rice ball for every cup of rice is WAY overkill on the yeast, but maybe it will help it get going quicker. Total of all the rice filled @ 2/3 of a 3 1/2 gallon brewing bucket.
Stuck a lid and an air lock on it and will check it again in 21 days. The house stays about 68 degrees, do you recommend 21 days or the full 28? Once I pull the lid off, I won't put it back on, so what's the general consensus? I'd like some wine, preferably on the sweet side, not dry.
For those that don't have a steamer, my method seemed to work nicely. Again:
6 cups Jasmine rice
6 cups sweet Glutinous rice
12 yeast balls
In a 12 qt stainless steel pot, I initially soaked the rice for 8 hours in 14 cups of water after rinsing. As I began heating the water/rice, stirring constantly, and the rice began swelling, I would eat a little bit of the rice to test for a soft center. I ended up using 22 cups of water, and when it became tough to stir due to little water left and the water getting hot, I turned off the heat and covered with a lid. Nearly two hours later, it was still too hot to pitch the yeast. So.. the pot went into a cool water bath for @ 15 minutes, and that did the trick to cool it down. Probably should have stopped the process sooner with the water bath. I had a nice pot full of sticky gooey white stuff with nice kernels of jasmine rice embedded in it. I filled my brewing bucket with a layer, then would sprinkle yeast all over the top, then stab with a spatula over and over all over to incorporate the yeast into the rice. Then another layer, etc.. Seems like a rice ball for every cup of rice is WAY overkill on the yeast, but maybe it will help it get going quicker. Total of all the rice filled @ 2/3 of a 3 1/2 gallon brewing bucket.
Stuck a lid and an air lock on it and will check it again in 21 days. The house stays about 68 degrees, do you recommend 21 days or the full 28? Once I pull the lid off, I won't put it back on, so what's the general consensus? I'd like some wine, preferably on the sweet side, not dry.
I believe the red yeast rice that is available as a dietary supplement has been deliberately sterilized, so it probably wouldn't work.
Friedclutch
Well-Known Member
I just got my yeast balls in the mail from import food.com. They had the yeast to my door in a few days here in Sacramento. Check out this link that import food.com has.
http://importfood.com/recipes/khaomahk.html
I had already made my batch before I saw the link. I used 4 cups of sushi rice boiled like the bag says. Used 2 whole yeast balls smashed up in a 1 gallon jar. We shall see what happens!
Edit.. Note that they say to only use half a yeast ball per 4 cups of rice. I used 2 whole balls. I will report my findings. For now my batch is 1 day old and in my fermenter chamber set to 65 deg f.
http://importfood.com/recipes/khaomahk.html
I had already made my batch before I saw the link. I used 4 cups of sushi rice boiled like the bag says. Used 2 whole yeast balls smashed up in a 1 gallon jar. We shall see what happens!
Edit.. Note that they say to only use half a yeast ball per 4 cups of rice. I used 2 whole balls. I will report my findings. For now my batch is 1 day old and in my fermenter chamber set to 65 deg f.
So ... I realize one of the compelling things about sonofgrok's OP was the ease with which this is created. As a Homebrewer I am very likely to make that more difficult. 
To that end I have been thinking:
Assumption:
Hypothesis:
If the initial rice ball is held suspended over a false bottom, or even in the strainer bag from the beginning, it will facilitate later extraction and provide a more beneficial habitat for the critters: just damp for the good mold and suspended in liquid for the yeast. The liquid will continuously drop out of the solid mass, to be fermented in teh bottom area.
Of course I've not tried this yet but this sort of thread gets a guy (or gal) thinking.
To that end I have been thinking:Assumption:
- The molds are responsible for breaking up the solids to allow the enzymes to work on the starches.
- Once liberated from the solid matrix, the sugars will be fermented in a "normal" manner by the yeast
- Yeast will flow from the solid pile with the liquid and be held in suspension
- Separation from solids seems to be the part which most folks in this thread have some divergent beliefs
- Too much moisture seems anecdotally to be a bad thing, supporting "bad" mold growth
- If one eliminates the need to separate the liquor from solids, this whole thing would be "easier"
Hypothesis:
If the initial rice ball is held suspended over a false bottom, or even in the strainer bag from the beginning, it will facilitate later extraction and provide a more beneficial habitat for the critters: just damp for the good mold and suspended in liquid for the yeast. The liquid will continuously drop out of the solid mass, to be fermented in teh bottom area.
Of course I've not tried this yet but this sort of thread gets a guy (or gal) thinking.
Ostomo517
Well-Known Member
So ... I realize one of the compelling things about sonofgrok's OP was the ease with which this is created. As a Homebrewer I am very likely to make that more difficult.
Assumption:
[*]The molds are responsible for breaking up the solids to allow the enzymes to work on the starches.
[*]Once liberated from the solid matrix, the sugars will be fermented in a "normal" manner by the yeast
[*]Yeast will flow from the solid pile with the liquid and be held in suspension
[*]Separation from solids seems to be the part which most folks in this thread have some divergent beliefs
[*]Too much moisture seems anecdotally to be a bad thing, supporting "bad" mold growth
[*]If one eliminates the need to separate the liquor from solids, this whole thing would be "easier"
Hypothesis:
If the initial rice ball is held suspended over a false bottom, or even in the strainer bag from the beginning, it will facilitate later extraction and provide a more beneficial habitat for the critters: just damp for the good mold and suspended in liquid for the yeast. The liquid will continuously drop out of the solid mass, to be fermented in teh bottom area.
Of course I've not tried this yet but this sort of thread gets a guy (or gal) thinking.
Sounds to me like way more of a PITA than it should be
Sounds to me like way more of a PITA than it should be
Right, because making beer and wine is easier than buying it.
WesleyS
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It's interesting to watch how this stuff progresses. After two days, the top of the rice was coated in a white fluffy fuzz with tiny black dots in the fuzz around a few bigger chunks of yeast ball that didn't crush up all the way to powder. I'm assuming this is from the fungus/enzymes that are responsible for liquifying the rice and converting to sugar. Te liquifying continued and the only smell coming from the jars was a pleasing sweet rice, vanilla smell. There was a little sign of C02 production, but not much. Today is day 10. I checked on it and now the fuzz is gone and there are a lot of bubbles coming from the liquid in the bottom. I would say the yeast has taken over now. For the first time, now, I can smell alcohol from the jars as well. I haven't sampled any yet because I don't want to open up the jars needlessly. I'm really looking forward to trying this stuff.
So ... I realize one of the compelling things about sonofgrok's OP was the ease with which this is created. As a Homebrewer I am very likely to make that more difficult.
Assumption:
- The molds are responsible for breaking up the solids to allow the enzymes to work on the starches.
- Once liberated from the solid matrix, the sugars will be fermented in a "normal" manner by the yeast
- Yeast will flow from the solid pile with the liquid and be held in suspension
- Separation from solids seems to be the part which most folks in this thread have some divergent beliefs
- Too much moisture seems anecdotally to be a bad thing, supporting "bad" mold growth
- If one eliminates the need to separate the liquor from solids, this whole thing would be "easier"
Hypothesis:
If the initial rice ball is held suspended over a false bottom, or even in the strainer bag from the beginning, it will facilitate later extraction and provide a more beneficial habitat for the critters: just damp for the good mold and suspended in liquid for the yeast. The liquid will continuously drop out of the solid mass, to be fermented in teh bottom area.
Of course I've not tried this yet but this sort of thread gets a guy (or gal) thinking.
I think the reason too much moisture is promoting mold growth is just because it dilutes the alcohol content in the early stage of fermentation, so the alcohol is not as effective in keeping mold and other unwanted critters at bay.
What you are proposing may work but I would be worried about all that partially saccharafied rice being suspended up out of the alcohol. That may lead to more rather than less risk of contamination. And not having a very advanced understanding of what is exactly taking place in this particular saccharification/fermentation process (hell I do not even know what organisms are present other than "a yeast" and "a mold") there may be more symbiotic processes going on than is assumed in your post (i.e. the mold converts the rice to sugar and the yeast ferments the sugar)
But then again this is homebrewing so go for it and post your results with pics.
trbig
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So in your theory, if yeast flow from the solid down to the liquid, just sprinkle all the yeast on top and it would flow to the bottom, right? Yeast incorporated to the whole mix is what works best. Even if yeast do get washed down some into suspension, there's still plenty left attached to the rice doing their magic. Plus, the suspended yeast in the liquid have a whole surface area of the floating rice cake to attack from the bottom.
This reminds me of my last trip to my home brew store. I was talking to the lady about making some rice wine, and she said she had some Kobi yeast for making Saki. The yeast was $10, and came with a pamphlet of pages and pages of directions.
We can do it the really easy way... or make it way harder and more complicated. Whichever you're most comfortable with, I suggest that's how you should work this out. I've had beer that someone threw into a bucket with some yeast, no stirring, no boiling, no one-step or Star-San, draped a rag on top and secured with some rubber bands that came out EXCELLENT. I've had beers made by someone that would have made a rocket scientist proud.. testing and correcting for PH levels, de-ionized water, exacting temps, etc... and tasted like Pepe' Le'Pew roadkill.
I'm lazy and vote for the easy way if it works.
This reminds me of my last trip to my home brew store. I was talking to the lady about making some rice wine, and she said she had some Kobi yeast for making Saki. The yeast was $10, and came with a pamphlet of pages and pages of directions.
We can do it the really easy way... or make it way harder and more complicated. Whichever you're most comfortable with, I suggest that's how you should work this out. I've had beer that someone threw into a bucket with some yeast, no stirring, no boiling, no one-step or Star-San, draped a rag on top and secured with some rubber bands that came out EXCELLENT. I've had beers made by someone that would have made a rocket scientist proud.. testing and correcting for PH levels, de-ionized water, exacting temps, etc... and tasted like Pepe' Le'Pew roadkill.
I'm lazy and vote for the easy way if it works.
Ostomo517
Well-Known Member
Right, because making beer and wine is easier than buying it.
Being a experienced brewer obviously I know that.
So in your theory, if yeast flow from the solid down to the liquid, just sprinkle all the yeast on top and it would flow to the bottom, right? Yeast incorporated to the whole mix is what works best. Even if yeast do get washed down some into suspension, there's still plenty left attached to the rice doing their magic. Plus, the suspended yeast in the liquid have a whole surface area of the floating rice cake to attack from the bottom.
This reminds me of my last trip to my home brew store. I was talking to the lady about making some rice wine, and she said she had some Kobi yeast for making Saki. The yeast was $10, and came with a pamphlet of pages and pages of directions.
We can do it the really easy way... or make it way harder and more complicated. Whichever you're most comfortable with, I suggest that's how you should work this out. I've had beer that someone threw into a bucket with some yeast, no stirring, no boiling, no one-step or Star-San, draped a rag on top and secured with some rubber bands that came out EXCELLENT. I've had beers made by someone that would have made a rocket scientist proud.. testing and correcting for PH levels, de-ionized water, exacting temps, etc... and tasted like Pepe' Le'Pew roadkill.
I'm lazy and vote for the easy way if it works.
^^^^ This is more what I was trying to say
I get that ... just wondering, ya know? You can't tell me you don't end up thinking, daydreaming, how everything could be? That you would wave your hand over raw ingredients and that nude wood nymphs would just whir around and make perfect, sparkling, refreshing, hangover-less alcoholic beverages? ... or was that an over-share?
Yeah but if our wood nymphs just , you know, got together and kissed a little? 
bottlebomber
Well-Known Member
LBussy said:I get that ... just wondering, ya know? You can't tell me you don't end up thinking, daydreaming, how everything could be? That you would wave your hand over raw ingredients and that nude wood nymphs would just whir around and make perfect, sparkling, refreshing, hangover-less alcoholic beverages? ... or was that an over-share?
I thought it was a solid plan, and would be worth trying out if you wanted to go into serious production with this.
Ostomo517
Well-Known Member
Day 15 and the rice is beginning to drop back down to the bottom (no pics cause its a ferment bucket) The consensus has been that rice dropping is a indicator of it finishing up (being a impatient brewer I want someone to say harvest it!) But I should go another 12 or so days huh? And took a whiff under the lid and woooooooo, lets say it smells like some fun stuff!
OP
OP
I would go ahead and harvest around day 21
Arrheinous
Well-Known Member
So I setup a rice wine today (2013-02-17).
4 cups Nishiki sushi rice, 2 yeast balls (packed in two so I just used them both), and 1 tbsp white flour.
Washed the rice until it was pretty much clean (no cloudy washings), then added 8 cups of hot tap water and let sit for one hour. After this, I put the heat on medium on the stove for probably 30 minutes until the water began to gurgle through the rice bed. Then I covered and put on low for 30 minutes but ended up stopping since the water was pretty much gone at this point.
Folded the rice on a large metal pan until it reached ~80F. Dusted the rice with 1 tbsp white flour and the floor with the remainder of the flour bag. I beat two yeast balls into a rough powder and dusted the rice with this mixture.
I sterilized my hands and shaped about fifteen fit-in-hand balls that I split among three one-quart mason jars. Compacted the balls a bit with the back of the spoon I was using to manipulate the rice. Put a thin layer of cheese cloth between the jar and lid and turned the lid finger tight.
I'm placing the three jars in one of my unplugged dorm fridges ("beer vaults") and I'll check in every couple days or so.
Notes/Intentions: White flour was added as a sort of starting nutrient. I used a fan to assist in cooling the rice, the same way I've been doing with making sushi since I picked up all this sushi rice. We'll see how resistant it is to airborne nasties. I've also split the batch between three jars instead of one one-gallon jar - compartmentalization should help if any mold starts to grow.
Since I have six quart jars I'll see if I can experiment with conditions - such as proofing the yeast or ratios of yeast-to-rice.
Another Note: If you remove the flat part of the lid and recap tightly using just the collar and the cheesecloth maybe that'd be an easy way of straining off the liquid by shaking the jar.
4 cups Nishiki sushi rice, 2 yeast balls (packed in two so I just used them both), and 1 tbsp white flour.
Washed the rice until it was pretty much clean (no cloudy washings), then added 8 cups of hot tap water and let sit for one hour. After this, I put the heat on medium on the stove for probably 30 minutes until the water began to gurgle through the rice bed. Then I covered and put on low for 30 minutes but ended up stopping since the water was pretty much gone at this point.
Folded the rice on a large metal pan until it reached ~80F. Dusted the rice with 1 tbsp white flour and the floor with the remainder of the flour bag. I beat two yeast balls into a rough powder and dusted the rice with this mixture.
I sterilized my hands and shaped about fifteen fit-in-hand balls that I split among three one-quart mason jars. Compacted the balls a bit with the back of the spoon I was using to manipulate the rice. Put a thin layer of cheese cloth between the jar and lid and turned the lid finger tight.
I'm placing the three jars in one of my unplugged dorm fridges ("beer vaults") and I'll check in every couple days or so.
Notes/Intentions: White flour was added as a sort of starting nutrient. I used a fan to assist in cooling the rice, the same way I've been doing with making sushi since I picked up all this sushi rice. We'll see how resistant it is to airborne nasties. I've also split the batch between three jars instead of one one-gallon jar - compartmentalization should help if any mold starts to grow.
Since I have six quart jars I'll see if I can experiment with conditions - such as proofing the yeast or ratios of yeast-to-rice.
Another Note: If you remove the flat part of the lid and recap tightly using just the collar and the cheesecloth maybe that'd be an easy way of straining off the liquid by shaking the jar.
weeple2000
Well-Known Member
Interested in trying this, haven't read the whole thread yet. I'd like to try to make a large batch to have my efforts yield more. Are people having success doing large batches? Like five gallons? I have two rice cookers at home so I could make it in there, or else a five gallon pot or even eleven gallon pot and turkey fryer.
Friedclutch
Well-Known Member
One guy in here did a 5 gallon and it did not come out very good. I suspect the problem that occurs is that it takes so long for that amount of rice to cool to pitching temp that some unfriendlys got in his batch. Pure speculation however.
Here are some thoughts on why some have had bad luck on their first try or large batches.. Durring my first batch I noticed how unevenly rice cools down. Some clumps of rice that are dense can have some really hot pockets. I poked around in my shallow rice bed for quite a while finding temps ranging from 100 to 70 deg f. Spreading the rice out as thin as possible on a cookie sheet is the best way to insure uniform temp before pitching the yeast. I think some folks may have pitched on hot rice and lost a large part of yeast. I believe a small pitch quantity can let other unfriendlies take over and or compete in your batch. Some people are reporting a sour tasting sake or weird colored molds taking hold.
Brew on
Here are some thoughts on why some have had bad luck on their first try or large batches.. Durring my first batch I noticed how unevenly rice cools down. Some clumps of rice that are dense can have some really hot pockets. I poked around in my shallow rice bed for quite a while finding temps ranging from 100 to 70 deg f. Spreading the rice out as thin as possible on a cookie sheet is the best way to insure uniform temp before pitching the yeast. I think some folks may have pitched on hot rice and lost a large part of yeast. I believe a small pitch quantity can let other unfriendlies take over and or compete in your batch. Some people are reporting a sour tasting sake or weird colored molds taking hold.
Brew on
I am one of the people who has done a 5 gallon batch. It didn't go well. I believe you are correct as to one of the problems with larger batches. What felt to me as "warm" rice was probably hotter then the mold needed to saccharify the rice liked.
Another problem of scale I had was getting enough pressure on the remaining starch mass to get a good liquid extraction. It's easy with a small amount of material, but much harder when you have a larger mass.
stinkmuis
Well-Known Member
I like this! I am hunting Chinese Yeastballs right now!
I did a 3 gallon batch, and my biggest problem was pressing the rice mass when it was done. I only got 140oz from 16 cups dry rice. There was more liquid in there, but you'd need a hydraulic press to get it out. It's much easier for me to do it a gallon at a time to keep the pipeline full.
saramc
Well-Known Member
The red yeast rice that is in the vitamin/supplement section has been used many times by homebrewers...but it is expensive.
Here is the link http://www.asiansupermarket365.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=yeast&Search.x=0&Search.y=0...which brings up the yeast balls and red yeast rice (cheap cheap cheap at $2.99 for 12oz), cruise the other items because I think they have cool stuff, bought palm sugar to do some trial wines with. They provide discount codes in your package for discounts on future orders. The RYR supplies alpha/beta amylase, cannot recall if just one type or both, but I am now use 1/3 cup RYR per 4-5 cups raw rice which I pulverise into fine powder and combine with yeast ball powder(1 ball per pound of raw rice). RYR is also used in making 'akaisake'. The whole grain type of RYR is apparently hard to find in the states and according to others who are familiar with it, the price even accounting for the shipping from asian365 is well worth it.
Here is the link http://www.asiansupermarket365.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=yeast&Search.x=0&Search.y=0...which brings up the yeast balls and red yeast rice (cheap cheap cheap at $2.99 for 12oz), cruise the other items because I think they have cool stuff, bought palm sugar to do some trial wines with. They provide discount codes in your package for discounts on future orders. The RYR supplies alpha/beta amylase, cannot recall if just one type or both, but I am now use 1/3 cup RYR per 4-5 cups raw rice which I pulverise into fine powder and combine with yeast ball powder(1 ball per pound of raw rice). RYR is also used in making 'akaisake'. The whole grain type of RYR is apparently hard to find in the states and according to others who are familiar with it, the price even accounting for the shipping from asian365 is well worth it.
Tasted mine 8 days in. Very tart, no sweetness, I think lacto got it. Going to let it ride and see how it turns out. I did ferment it in the jar I use to make all my lacto-fermented goodies. Thought Starsan would be sufficient to take care of that. Next batch I will go round the inside with a torch or something.
Hi BlackPriest,
have you tried the Richmond Chinese Grocery store?
Suite 20-8251
Westminster Hwy
Richmond, BC
I found mine there; but I had a bilingual friend with me to ask for them. No freakin clue what he said, though.
Hi everyone,
I would like to share what limited experience I have had with making rice wine using the helpful guidance provided here by both Sonofgrok and Saramc. I was never able to source the elusive yeast balls locally, and resorted to ordering them from an online source (PosharpStore). They had two varieties from which to choose and I went with the Golden Lion Sweet Rice Yeast. These came in a 12 ounce bag with 10g yeast balls. The first batch I made was using Calrose rice cooked in my rice cooker at a ratio of 1 cup dry rice to 2 cups water. The 2 cups of dry rice was soaked for an hour, rinsed thoroughly and into the cooker it went. After the rice had cooled, I mixed in 2 crushed yeast balls and put it in the gallon jar just as others have done. After a few days there was liquid in the bottom and the jar had a slightly sour/yeasty smell. A small sample revealed a corresponding sour taste that while not unpleasant it was certainly not sweet.
After 3 weeks the wine was harvested and the end result had a very strong sour/alcoholic taste. I figured that it was an infection of some sort and ditched that batch. The next go around I used Thai/Jasmine rice and it had the same sour taste. I was starting to think it was the yeast balls that I had purchased because since the writing was Chinese or Korean or Vietnamese, I had no idea what was contained in those little packages of yeast balls. On a whim, and because my rice cooker has a tendency to boil over, I made another 2 batches using the Calrose and Thai/Jasmine but this time I used a ratio of 1:1 dry rice to water.
Cooking two cups of each rice variety resulted in some very sticky rice that had great definition and texture. I mixed ground up yeast balls but this time used 1 ball for the 2 cups of rice. These two batches went into two separate gallon containers and put into the bonus room which sits at around 72F. After 4 days (today) I opened them each up and was greeted with an entirely different smell than the first time around. Both smelled sweet with a hint of vanilla but the Thai/Jasmine was much more aromatic. Duh, its Jasmine. I had a little taste of each and they were both very sweet and awesome.
The first batches were milky from the get go, but these were crystal clear. Now I know that it's still early in the ferment but this was an excellent sign of things to come. There was a bit of fuzz on one of the samples but I feel okay so far...
The whole point of this is that I am not the only one who experienced a sour product whereas others had something much sweeter. So if you have been using the typical ratio of 1:2 rice to water, try 1:1.5 or 1:1 and see if your results are different.
I would like to share what limited experience I have had with making rice wine using the helpful guidance provided here by both Sonofgrok and Saramc. I was never able to source the elusive yeast balls locally, and resorted to ordering them from an online source (PosharpStore). They had two varieties from which to choose and I went with the Golden Lion Sweet Rice Yeast. These came in a 12 ounce bag with 10g yeast balls. The first batch I made was using Calrose rice cooked in my rice cooker at a ratio of 1 cup dry rice to 2 cups water. The 2 cups of dry rice was soaked for an hour, rinsed thoroughly and into the cooker it went. After the rice had cooled, I mixed in 2 crushed yeast balls and put it in the gallon jar just as others have done. After a few days there was liquid in the bottom and the jar had a slightly sour/yeasty smell. A small sample revealed a corresponding sour taste that while not unpleasant it was certainly not sweet.
After 3 weeks the wine was harvested and the end result had a very strong sour/alcoholic taste. I figured that it was an infection of some sort and ditched that batch. The next go around I used Thai/Jasmine rice and it had the same sour taste. I was starting to think it was the yeast balls that I had purchased because since the writing was Chinese or Korean or Vietnamese, I had no idea what was contained in those little packages of yeast balls. On a whim, and because my rice cooker has a tendency to boil over, I made another 2 batches using the Calrose and Thai/Jasmine but this time I used a ratio of 1:1 dry rice to water.
Cooking two cups of each rice variety resulted in some very sticky rice that had great definition and texture. I mixed ground up yeast balls but this time used 1 ball for the 2 cups of rice. These two batches went into two separate gallon containers and put into the bonus room which sits at around 72F. After 4 days (today) I opened them each up and was greeted with an entirely different smell than the first time around. Both smelled sweet with a hint of vanilla but the Thai/Jasmine was much more aromatic. Duh, its Jasmine. I had a little taste of each and they were both very sweet and awesome.
The first batches were milky from the get go, but these were crystal clear. Now I know that it's still early in the ferment but this was an excellent sign of things to come. There was a bit of fuzz on one of the samples but I feel okay so far...
The whole point of this is that I am not the only one who experienced a sour product whereas others had something much sweeter. So if you have been using the typical ratio of 1:2 rice to water, try 1:1.5 or 1:1 and see if your results are different.
SFGiantsFan925
Well-Known Member
So do these look like the right ones?? They were in a big bag called "rice cake". Ingredients are rice, water. That's it. No listing of yeast. Want to confirm before I start making the rice.
BlackPriest
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Unferth said:
Hi unferth
Yes I found some just today actually. Funny after going into 4 different places and having the answers ranging from never heard of that, or looking at me like I was crazy, the one that I went to today the lady pointed to a jar right in front of me at the cash register said "right here" lol. Even funnier to the poster above me SF, those are exactly the ones I got. Same packaging same characters. So either we are both in luck or both not.
I did my first batch today 4 cups dry, 8 cups of water.... Reading above maybe I shouldn't have used as much water, wish I had read that post first but what the heck, 4 cups of rice and .45 cents of yeast balls not to big of a deal if it doesn't work.
SFGiantsFan925
Well-Known Member
Wel, I am going to give it a try tonight. I doesnt say "yeast" anywhere on the package, but it looks like the same things people are using. Ill be a guinea pig
They were super cheap. A bag of a lot of balls (hahaha) was only $4Ill give it a try. Thanks for the response. Time to soak and cook the rice!
Those are the ones I used. Worked like a charm.
I harvested one of my two large batches yesterday that I started on Jan 22nd. 3.1 gallons yielded fifteen 750ml bottles.
I flavored each bottled with between 3-6oz of fresh juiced fruits. I am trying to determine how much juice works best. So far after about 22 hours I have noticed almost every bottle has separated 70/30 with the darker color making up the majority on the bottom.
I flavored each bottled with between 3-6oz of fresh juiced fruits. I am trying to determine how much juice works best. So far after about 22 hours I have noticed almost every bottle has separated 70/30 with the darker color making up the majority on the bottom.
I made around 28 pounds (dry sweet rice) and filled one five gallon container to 3.2 gallons and the other to 4. I am at 27 and they are both very alcoholic, I didn't have any mold and I even added 1.5 pounds of extra sugar to the 4 gallon and it is still bubbling about 6 times a minute still.
SFGiantsFan925
Well-Known Member
Awesome!!!
Soaked the rice for about 1.5 hours
Cooked it 1:1, once water was absorbed, left it covered and let it sit for about 20 minutes to "steam" it.
Spread out my rice to cool on some sheet pans
3 cups Sweet Rice
4 cups Thai Jasmine Rice
Planning on using 3 very large mason jars.
1st jar: All Jasmine Rice + yeast
2nd Jar: All Sweet rice + yeast
3rd jar: Combo Sweet and Jasmine + yeast
I want to see if there is any difference in flavor profile, and then go from there. The wife has been helping, and I think she is more excited than I am haha. Now if we could only fast forward a few weeks. Cant wait to try it!!
How far is everyone going in sanitizing?? I started StarSan'ing everything after cooking the rice. Should I have sanned everything??
BlackPriest
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kosciel4 said:
I call that going big or going home
. I guess that means you are at day 27? So you will get to sample pretty soon then, I hope it works out well for you. With that amount wow, going to have some fun times I'm sure... You and the neighborhood lol.BlackPriest
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SFGiantsFan925 said:Awesome!!!
Soaked the rice for about 1.5 hours
Cooked it 1:1, once water was absorbed, left it covered and let it sit for about 20 minutes to "steam" it.
Spread out my rice to cool on some sheet pans
3 cups Sweet Rice
4 cups Thai Jasmine Rice
Planning on using 3 very large mason jars.
1st jar: All Jasmine Rice + yeast
2nd Jar: All Sweet rice + yeast
3rd jar: Combo Sweet and Jasmine + yeast
I want to see if there is any difference in flavor profile, and then go from there. The wife has been helping, and I think she is more excited than I am haha. Now if we could only fast forward a few weeks. Cant wait to try it!!
How far is everyone going in sanitizing?? I started StarSan'ing everything after cooking the rice. Should I have sanned everything??
I star sanned everything that touched the rice ie jar, spoon, baking tray I used for cooling it ect, but that's because I assumed I should, not sure what the others have done.
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