I don't remember the rectangle things you're talking about. I'll keep an eye out next time I go to that store.That's correct. The VN ones say BA NAM CALI on them.
I also saw something else that looked like rectangles of yeast and there were no english words printed on them. They were right next to the other ones on the shelf.
Maybe Leadgolem knows what there are since we visit the same store. They are to the far left of the other ones on the shelf.
Thinking about doing a bucket batch. I have 3.5 gallon buckets for my beer making.
I don't remember the rectangle things you're talking about. I'll keep an eye out next time I go to that store.
I remember this bottle also have a slightly unpleasant "mushroomy" aroma and aftertaste. When I wrote the original notes I thought that was normal as most of my rice wine batches had some level of the same. That flavor and aroma has disappeared.
I'm definitely happier with the bottles of aged rice wine than the young wine. It definitely smooths out alot even after just a couple months.
So I ended up at a buddies party after going to a homebrew club meeting yesterday. He had his Korean buddy over that had family that just returned from Korea. He shared these soju with us. I had never had these, but they were good once mixed. They tasted essentially like watered down vodka. Anybody have any experience with these or making these? It does appear to be a distilled product that is charcoal filtered.
Here's what I have going: 2 identical batches except for yeast. Both batches are 8 cups rice, 2 cups RYR and cooked at a ratio of 1 to 1.5 rice to water. Both batches take up 2 gallons of space and they have equal amounts of yeast (about 10 grams) with one I used chinese balls and the other Vietnamese balls. The two on the left are 2 days old and the two on the right I just finished about 20 miuntes ago. I will report the difference in flavor in 3 weeks time. Cheers!
http://s178.photobucket.com/user/elkshadow/media/DSC_4214_zps95a292fd.jpg.html
I harvested my second batch today. VERY different. This time it was obvious after a week or so that it was going much better as there as actual liquid in the bottom of the glass jar I was using as a fermenter. What I did: rinsed the rice VERY well, cooking at approximately 1.25:1 and ground up one package of Vietnamese yeast balls (a bit bigger than the size of a pea each) and 1/4 cup RYR. Now the differences: 1) The yeast was different, but I don't think that was the big factor. 2) I cooled my cooked rice in the fridge for a couple hours until it was barely warm to the touch 3) I mixed the crushed yeast, crushed RYR and cooked rice together (I think this is the big difference) and put it in a mesh sack inside the glass jar.
I used a small bag of Jasmine rice which was about 5 cups uncooked and 1/4 cup RYR and one bag of Vietnamese yeast. It smells VERY alcoholic, is very red, but very thin liquid, about the consistency of broth.
I'll be going to my local homebrew club meeting tomorrow. I'm planning on taking a bottle of my wine with me. I'm going to put the big bottle (pasteurized) in the fridge to let it sit for awhile to see if the flavors mellow out a bit.
Do you have any issues with your batches breathing when they are that packed full? It seems other have had issues when there fermenter was packed like that as it would form a cap that would not allow the CO2 escape. Just wondering.
Do you have any issues with your batches breathing when they are that packed full? It seems other have had issues when there fermenter was packed like that as it would form a cap that would not allow the CO2 escape. Just wondering.
I harvested my second batch today. VERY different. This time it was obvious after a week or so that it was going much better as there as actual liquid in the bottom of the glass jar I was using as a fermenter. What I did: rinsed the rice VERY well, cooking at approximately 1.25:1 and ground up one package of Vietnamese yeast balls (a bit bigger than the size of a pea each) and 1/4 cup RYR. Now the differences: 1) The yeast was different, but I don't think that was the big factor. 2) I cooled my cooked rice in the fridge for a couple hours until it was barely warm to the touch 3) I mixed the crushed yeast, crushed RYR and cooked rice together (I think this is the big difference) and put it in a mesh sack inside the glass jar.
I used a small bag of Jasmine rice which was about 5 cups uncooked and 1/4 cup RYR and one bag of Vietnamese yeast. It smells VERY alcoholic, is very red, but very thin liquid, about the consistency of broth.
I'll be going to my local homebrew club meeting tomorrow. I'm planning on taking a bottle of my wine with me. I'm going to put the big bottle (pasteurized) in the fridge to let it sit for awhile to see if the flavors mellow out a bit.
Hmm, now I know this reminds me of some other kind of rice wine. I just can't put my finger on it.Those issues can be dealt with by steaming the rice as opposed to cooking it, thinning the rice with a little water and stirring the rice twice to four times a day or so.
I made 3 or 4 batches with ARL and YRY. They were my favorites so far. The wine was drier than the stuff I am making now with the balls and RYR. I felt that the cleaner finish on the ARL really made a more drinkable wine.jak1010 said:Someone buying from me on eBay asked about the Yeast Balls, the Angel Rice Leaven and the Red Yeast Rice...wanted to know which works better.
In my experience, both the Dried Yeast Balls and the ARL work and each make a different but great tasting wines. (On a side note, when making this rice wine, I usually snack on the rice on about day 3 or 4 and I prefer the taste of the rice with the ARL. Just a but sweeter.)
The only thing I haven't tried is a batch of Red Yeast Rice with the ARL.
I'm looking for feedback from anyone else on the difference in taste between yeast balls and ARL.
Also, has anyone tried a batch with the ARL and RYR?
Oh man, my last batch got sour in the fridge. like sour sour.
Rice vinegar!
Pasteurizing has become a good friend of my rice wine.
I made 3 or 4 batches with ARL and YRY. They were my favorites so far. The wine was drier than the stuff I am making now with the balls and RYR. I felt that the cleaner finish on the ARL really made a more drinkable wine.
Oh man, my last batch got sour in the fridge. like sour sour.
Thanks, this is very helpful.
Looks like a batch of Angel Rice Leaven and RYR are in my brewing future...
I'm not sure, but I don't see how that would work. Surely that stuff is shelf stable and thus would be no good for using as a starter?
I have decided to do ARL + RYR too, but in the name of science (and because I can, and want more rice wine) I will make one with just ARL. Think I'm going to need more ARL my friend.
Oh, I reconnected with a childhood friend ( she is from Vietnam) and she gave a bottle of my rice wine to her Mom. Her Mom went nuts over it, started talking in Vietnamese to me over the phone. They both said I am the only non-Vietnamese person they know who eats and likes the boozy 'yeast rice' (3d into ferment). I am going to see them both soon--they plan to cook for me, make 'yeast rice' for me, taking me to their favorite markets, cooking for me. Mom says she has lemon grass plants for me to take home along with a medicinal orchid, and other plants I want--we are both garden addicts. Did I mention cooking for me?
So I took a 12 oz bottle with me to the local home brew club meeting last night. It was a hit. We were meeting at a local watering hole that mainly serves microbrews (I don't think I saw a single option for Bud, Bud Light, Coors, Coors Light, etc.) and I poured out samples for people, including the owner of the watering hole. He liked it so much he had to share with his assistant who was behind the bar. Both he and she are fans of Sake and said this is very similar to a "sweet sake" and liked it very much. Overall it had good reviews, once people got over the alcohol smell. One thing that the bar owner said was that it had a lot more of an alcohol "nose" than in the mouth or going down your throat. Not sure why that would be, but I thought I'd throw it in.
Time. Sake is usually aged a bit before being sold, and the volatiles that give you a strong alcohol aroma break down over time. That's true no matter what you brew.I've had friends tell me that same thing at my local bottle share. The last batch I brought smelled alcoholic but tasted much lighter.
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.
Enter your email address to join: