Making kome-Koji for sake troubles

Hi

I thought I would try to make some sake
I got the vision home brew packet kit
I tried to make the kome-koji
I washed the rice soaked it for 1.5 hours then drained it
Then steamed it for 1 hour in steamer with cheese cloth top and bottom.
them put it in 1 gallon bottle added 1.5 grams of koji-kin mixed with a little rice flour to help distribution, and covered with a piece of tin foil.
Then put in a 5 gallon cooler with a temp controller keeping at 86 degrees
And shook it to stir every 10 hours
After 50+ hours plus there is some existence of the white mold as stated?
But the rice is not covered liked stated or pics shows on vision web site
Is the starter I made useless or should I go ahead and use it and see what happens

Thanks

If you have the mold on the rice, I think you're fine.

Maybe give it a few more hours and see what happens...

I've considered making sake too. I'd be interested to know how it comes out.

I've only made Sake once, so I'm not an expert, but I'm ramping up to my second batch, because it was a heckuva lotta fun.

Personally, I wouldn't be very confident with merely shaking it. The Taylor Made method is a very good resource, and shaking may just not do it (http://www.taylor-madeak.org/index.php/2008/10/17/growing-koji-for-homebrewing-sake). Also, I don't know how you would be able to see exactly what is going on in the middle of the carboy.

Personally, I have found it is easier to use this method: A cooler with about 6-9 inches of water and an aquarium heater on top of some scrap tile (so it doesn't melt the cooler - just an extra bit of protection). I also test it out for a day or so to make sure the temp is correct. And then I put the sporified rice in to open tupperware containers and let them float in it - mixing them with my hands every few hours (very technical, I know, but it works). As I live in AZ, it is too dry to do it pretty much any other way. In the winter, I don't know of an easier way to keep close to 100% humidity.

I also had to let the Koji go green before I realized the point that I needed to stop at. Personally, it just wasn't that easy to notice when it was done - I wasn't sure it was done yet, and then all of the sudden it was going to spore. Luckily, that was very helpful, because following the Taylor method, I now have an "endless" supply of Koji.

Personally? I would let it go green (or as much as it can), scrape off what has gone to spore, and then debate a different way of doing it. Make sure to read all the pages on Taylor's website - it is very very (very) thorough and good. If worse comes to worse, you will be able to keep an ongoing supply of Koji, which is better than having to buy new packets of spores every time. I leave mine in an open tupperware above my microwave, with just a loose cover on it.

More importantly, other Sake experts ... like Mr. Taylor will make an appearance soon enough, and give expert advice. He is active on this board, after all.