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12 hours cold crashing after straining with the voile material.
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My favorite part is shaking it back into a milky looking glass of greatness...then drinking with a giant (I made this) smile on my face.

Kinda like a caveman sitting in front of the fire he just started.
 
I find Nigorizake a little too sweet on my palette. I prefer to decant mine and leave it as a Namazake or pasteurize it.

Technically, since there is no koji involved in Jiu style rice wine, we're all drinking variants of three main types of Jiu, not Sake:

Huang Jiu: Chinese rice wine made with no koji addition using highly glutenous rice containing a large proportion of amylopectin. This is what most of us are drinking.

Mijiu: Sweet and generally clear although some residual cloudiness is common. This is decanted Huang Jiu.

Huadiao Jiu: Huang Jiu that is made by using ang-kak (aka, Red Yeast Rice) in addition to the yeast balls, giving the wine it's distinctive red color. Wheat is often added to the mash to supplement the rice and alter the flavor of the finished jiu. This wine is often cold aged for long periods of time, after which it is recognized as "Shao Xing" wine.

Fujian Jiu: This style is a unique type of Huang Jiu in two ways: 1) It is often mixed with an extensive list of medicinal herbal components making this style a medicinal wine and 2) The base liquid for making this Jiu isn't water, it's made with Huang Jiu.
 
I've tried drinking just the clear part on top. It's not bad, I just prefer the shaken and stirred version.
 
elkshadow,
I went to a local market to get my yeast balls (heh). I failed so found the youngest person working there and told her what I was looking for. She took me to the balls (heh) and also showed me the rectangles. She said the rectangles will make a "sweet" wine. I just bought both and figured I'll try them in turn.

She grabbed a couple of the older men there and rapid fire translated for me. From that, she told me that I could use one ball for 10 lbs of rice. That seemed a little thin in coverage to me. Then again, if anyone has read about propagating, ummmm, mushrooms, as long as you're sanitary and patient, it only takes a few spores to get the growth needed. She also told me I could mix it up and stick it in the sun for a few hours (mid 90s that day) and have sweet rice that quick. Then she told me that she doesn't make rice wine and drink it because it's only 40 proof. :tank:

Wow. Awesome post. The yeast thing makes sense. I just used one ball for 5 pounds of rice and it looks fine. I agree with the heat thing too. My first batch I made, I left it on the counter and turned the AC off and left for the weekend. When I came back I had an almost finished batch after 3 days instead of three weeks. I knew those rectangles were yeast. Thanks for asking about it.

EDIT: Maybe we should start talking about a Denver RW meet up. Just a thought.
 
elkshadow,
Sorry about the confusing post. I'd love to meet up in Denver but actually live in Sacramento. I was speaking generally on the rectangular blocks. I'll try to get a picture up this weekend.
 
you guys think this would work with corn?

No. One word: Aflatoxin.

There are corn wine recipes out there, though.
I know of two batches of red rice wine tried with corn. The first was simple frozen corn. This was not successful. The second was with cooked masa. IE: Corn that has been through nixtamalization and been ground up. The second batch was successful.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/be...-school-like-really-really-old-school-400098/

Although I am not sure, either the cooking or the nixtamalization probably destroyed the aflatoxin.
 
Cloudy, though I do prefer to use filters to lower the amount of particulates in the thicker portion of the wine.
 
How do you filter i just use cheesecloth and a couple collanders
Gets most of it but looking for a better way
 
How do you filter i just use cheesecloth and a couple collanders
Gets most of it but looking for a better way
Several colanders with large coffee filters in them running at the same time. It takes several hours, but it works very well. I've filtered a portion of the last couple of batches and the wine has come out nicely.
 
I have been using a really fine mesh bag they sell at the homebrew store. Not quite sure what it would be good for as the pores are so small, little liquid passes through it freely. It cut my sediment down to under a 16th of a bottle of a 750. I was getting about 1/4 bottle sediment before. I like my cloudy, but I may rack it off the solids and age some for a bit.
 
I wish they made a few different micron size paper filters. The regular ones seem to clog pretty quickly. Almost wish I could do a progressively smaller mesh so it would flow better.
 
I get about an inch and half at worst using my current quick method in a 750 so probally stick with it
Sounds like the juice is not worth the squeeze changing
 
I wish they made a few different micron size paper filters. The regular ones seem to clog pretty quickly. Almost wish I could do a progressively smaller mesh so it would flow better.

Use a funnel and a few layers of wet cheesecloth. This seems to get the larger particulates out of mine. To get the rest, I use 1/2 teaspoon of bentonite in 1/2 cup of very hot water (stirred) and then pour that into your wine. Stir it gently once it's mixed in and then pasteurize the wine to kill off suspended yeasts. Then, shake up the wine to make sure the bentonite is completely mixed in and then cold crash the wine in your fridge for 48 hours.

The results are a very clear wine and a layer of thick oji (rice & yeast lees) at the base of the container. I use an aqualifter pump to rack off the oji in small containers because of it's very gentle flow rate. Using it, I usually lose just a few tablespoons to the angel's share.

 
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Use a funnel and a few layers of wet cheesecloth. This seems to get the larger particulates out of mine. To get the rest, I use 1/2 teaspoon of bentonite in 1/2 cup of very hot water (stirred) and then pour that into your wine. Stir it gently once it's mixed in and then pasteurize the wine to kill off suspended yeasts. Then, shake up the wine to make sure the bentonite is completely mixed in and then cold crash the wine in your fridge for 48 hours.

The results are a very clear wine and a layer of thick oji (rice & yeast lees) at the base of the container. I use an aqualifter pump to rack off the oji in small containers because of it's very gentle flow rate. Using it, I usually lose just a few tablespoons to the angel's share.

Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJQkkPlshXE

Could you post a picture of your bentonite experiment next to a bottle that has been pasteurized and cold crashed? Mine seem to clear quite quickly with this method and I just wonder if the results are that much better using the bentonite. Not doubting you, but would like to see a comparison.
 
I found some arborio rice last night at Fresh Market, but it was on sale for $4 a pound. Thought that was a little steep. Guess I will have to keep looking. Likely could find it cheaper online in quantity.
 
FWIW, I saw a HUGE bag (I'm thinking 20#) of Thai Jasmine Rice at Costco the other day. don't recall how much it was, mostly surprised to see such a large bag of rice.
 
Could you post a picture of your bentonite experiment next to a bottle that has been pasteurized and cold crashed? Mine seem to clear quite quickly with this method and I just wonder if the results are that much better using the bentonite. Not doubting you, but would like to see a comparison.

Sure. Typically, I do both though, bentonite and pasteurization, then cold crashed for 48 hours before decanting. It's very clear.

I have a batch of Sho Chiku Bai white rice to press next week and i'll be happy to take a few shots of my process. I'll do one just pasteurized and cold crashed, and the other bentonized/pasteurized and cold crashed and let you see the difference.

Here's a few shots of my already bottled batches. The first is a RYR Huadaio Jiu that was bentonized, pasteurized and cold crashed. It's been in a 32 ounce growler in my fridge for about two weeks post-pasteurization. I have not racked it off of the lees and just decant the wine off the top by careful pouring every now and then. Ratio of sushi rice to RYR was 3:1 (six cup batch).

The second is a bastardized batch of regular Huang Jiu and actual Sake (koji and lalvin yeast with all white rice) that I just bottled yesterday. It has been racked off of the rice lees but there is still some chill haze. When at room temperature, it's as clear as the previous Huadaio Jiu.

:p

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I found some arborio rice last night at Fresh Market, but it was on sale for $4 a pound. Thought that was a little steep. Guess I will have to keep looking. Likely could find it cheaper online in quantity.


Just curious why the obsession with Arborio rice? From what I recall, it's very high in fats and proteins which isn't so hot for rice wine brewing. If you want a similar fat little short grained rice, look for Koda Farms Sho Chuku Bai rice in Asian markets. Koda farms Kokuho Rose (Cali Rose) medium grained sushi rice is also pretty decent.

Whatever rice you pick, rinse the heck out of it in cold water until the water is clear when the rice is stirred. This gets all of the dust, broken rice particles and artificial coating that a lot of rice farms add to their rice to keep it bright white. IME, it takes about five rinses in a large pot to do that.
 
Just curious why the obsession with Arborio rice? From what I recall, it's very high in fats and proteins which isn't so hot for rice wine brewing. If you want a similar fat little short grained rice, look for Koda Farms Sho Chuku Bai rice in Asian markets. Koda farms Kokuho Rose (Cali Rose) medium grained sushi rice is also pretty decent.

Whatever rice you pick, rinse the heck out of it in cold water until the water is clear when the rice is stirred. This gets all of the dust, broken rice particles and artificial coating that a lot of rice farms add to their rice to keep it bright white. IME, it takes about five rinses in a large pot to do that.

The arborio rice has been the best flavored batch to date. Not one hint of sour or alcohol hotness. Just sweet goodness. I have tried all the other rices with various yeasts and nothing compares.

Thanks for the comparison pics.
 
FWIW, I saw a HUGE bag (I'm thinking 20#) of Thai Jasmine Rice at Costco the other day. don't recall how much it was, mostly surprised to see such a large bag of rice.

I got 50# of Thai Jasmine rice from the local Asian market for $20. Crazy.
 
The arborio rice has been the best flavored batch to date. Not one hint of sour or alcohol hotness. Just sweet goodness. I have tried all the other rices with various yeasts and nothing compares.

Thanks for the comparison pics.

TBB: have you tried making a batch with Angel Rice Leaven?
 
TBB: have you tried making a batch with Angel Rice Leaven?

I have not, but have seen you guys talking about it. I have not seen it in my local markets, but have been keeping my eye out. I have been beyond happy with the Vietnamese yeast balls, but would be happy to experiment with some of that. You are selling it on eBay aren't you?
 
My batch finished today!!!!!

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5lbs of rice netted about 2250ml of the stuff. It's MUCH more interesting than I was expecting... I was thinking I might have to choke it down or flavor it, but my wife and I are really happy with it. My pigs are also quite fond of the leftover fermented rice. :D
 
I am. I've experimented with different types of rice and yeasts. I've gotten mixed results with sweet, tart, sour etc. My preference is sweet and with the ARL, I've tried different types of rice and all ended sweet. Never sour or tart.
 
I have not, but have seen you guys talking about it. I have not seen it in my local markets, but have been keeping my eye out. I have been beyond happy with the Vietnamese yeast balls, but would be happy to experiment with some of that. You are selling it on eBay aren't you?

I'm with you on the VN balls. I snuck a "taste" of each of my identical-except-for-yeast batches and the VN is WAY more drinkable than the Chinese. The VN one will go quick when it's done.
 
I've done the Chinese yeast up until this point. I have a six cup batch going with Vietnamese and Koji. I posted those pictures to my wall on the book-of-faces and I have friends and relatives coming out of the woodwork to sample the RYR huadaou jiu. I need more big jars.
 
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