Non-GMO Rice Wine Please Advise

[RusticaPanis]

I have taken an interest in The Chinese style of rice wine making. I have found the yeast balls on amazon.com but I cannot find any information on whether or not the strains of yeast and mold is non-gmo. Does anyone here have information on this?

Alternatively I'm considering pitching non-gmo sake yeast, I vaguely remember running across a brand that claimed to be non-gmo, and koji into the cooked rice and fermenting it without additional water as is normal in the making of jiuqu. would this work?

could I mash up the cooked rice and mix it with amylase as a possible substitute for the koji? If so would I be missing out on any special flavor imparted by koji?

I read at (thebrewsite.com)[http://www.thebrewsite.com/apocalypse-beer-ferment-anything/] that I could make the rice wine with just crushed ginger root. Does anyone here have experience with this method, how well did it go? I see no measurements so approximately how much crushed ginger would I use per 500g of rice?

Does jasmine rice work well for this? I prefer long grain rice for eating and I'm expecting that a certain percentage of the bag will be left after I measure it for wine making. I have read some claims that it works.

Does medium grain white rice count as glutenous rice? I'm trying to source the cheapest non-gmo white rice that will yield a fantastic result and I noticed that rice advertising itself as medium grain is generally cheaper.

 

[wongjau]

I'd be suspicious of labeling on Chinese products, Non-GMO or otherwise.

One factory's response to an inquiry about pthalate free plastic was, "What do you want it to say on the label?"

That said, the microorganisms in the yeast balls are so common, I'd be surprised if they did any engineering on them. I'm more concerned about contaminination in the growth media itself, and will be trying to make my own yeast balls starting with a small amount of the Chinese product.

You could try the koji, and your preferred yeast method. Koji is Aspergillus oryzae which is more commonly used in northern China for fermenting wine to be distilled.

The yeast balls have Rhyzopus oryzae, and sometimes a small amount of Aspergillus. Rhyzopus is more tolerant of higher temperatures.

Aspergillus/Rhizopus gradually produce sugar that the yeast consumes. Prep and cooking of the rice is designed to help with that. The gradual yeast feeding affects the flavor and final alcohol level. The fungus also produces other metabolites that contribute to the flavor.

You might use amylase, but the sugar production rate over time would be different compared to using the fungus.

Yeast balls contain lactic acid generating organisms including lactobacillus and the rhyzopus. The acid helps keep other bacteria from taking over, and also contributes to flavor.

Jasmine rice can work. Glutinous rice has the most amylopectin and will give the best yield. Long grain rice has the least amylopectin. Jasmine is in between the two.

Medium grain rice is what's used for sushi. It's not the same as glutinous rice. Less amylopectin, less sticky, less alcohol. But can be fermented.

 

[pdxal]

I too have read that you can use ginger and the organisms on it to create rice wine. I am currently trying the crushed ginger, and crushed ginger with added wine yeast to see if it would work. So far, very little liquid produced and haven't tried a taste. 6 weeks in so far.
Jasmine rice has produced the best taste for me when using yeast balls. Glutinous rice not as good a taste, with similar yield. Plain white, converted, rice not much flavor. Brown rice a little 'earthy' but otherwise OK with lower yield.

 

[RusticaPanis]

I'd be suspicious of labeling on Chinese products, Non-GMO or otherwise.

One factory's response to an inquiry about pthalate free plastic was, "What do you want it to say on the label?"

Yikes, that's not a good sign.

That said, the microorganisms in the yeast balls are so common, I'd be surprised if they did any engineering on them. I'm more concerned about contaminination in the growth media itself, and will be trying to make my own yeast balls starting with a small amount of the Chinese product.

I'd appreciate if you share the results of your yeast ball replication experiment. I might end up trying that technique to increase the verifiable purity of the rice wine and to emancipate myself from the need to buy more yeast balls.

You could try the koji, and your preferred yeast method. Koji is Aspergillus oryzae which is more commonly used in northern China for fermenting wine to be distilled.

The yeast balls have Rhyzopus oryzae, and sometimes a small amount of Aspergillus. Rhyzopus is more tolerant of higher temperatures.

Aspergillus/Rhizopus gradually produce sugar that the yeast consumes. Prep and cooking of the rice is designed to help with that. The gradual yeast feeding affects the flavor and final alcohol level. The fungus also produces other metabolites that contribute to the flavor.

You might use amylase, but the sugar production rate over time would be different compared to using the fungus.

Yeast balls contain lactic acid generating organisms including lactobacillus and the rhyzopus. The acid helps keep other bacteria from taking over, and also contributes to flavor.

Jasmine rice can work. Glutinous rice has the most amylopectin and will give the best yield. Long grain rice has the least amylopectin. Jasmine is in between the two.

Medium grain rice is what's used for sushi. It's not the same as glutinous rice. Less amylopectin, less sticky, less alcohol. But can be fermented.

Makes me wonder if adding a teaspoon of yogurt per 500g of rice weighed uncooked rice would be an adequate substitute for the lactobacillus in a yeast ball. I remember reading somewhere about homebrew sake with a teaspoon of yogurt added during fermentation.

Thanks for the well thought out answers.

 

[RusticaPanis]

I too have read that you can use ginger and the organisms on it to create rice wine. I am currently trying the crushed ginger, and crushed ginger with added wine yeast to see if it would work. So far, very little liquid produced and haven't tried a taste. 6 weeks in so far.

How much ginger did you use per 500g of rice weighed uncooked?

Jasmine rice has produced the best taste for me when using yeast balls. Glutinous rice not as good a taste, with similar yield. Plain white, converted, rice not much flavor. Brown rice a little 'earthy' but otherwise OK with lower yield.

I decided to get a 20 lb bag of Dynasty Jasmine rice for my adventure in wine making. Now I just need to decide on whether I'm using the yeast balls, or if I'm going to experiment by combining different items to approximate.

 

[pdxal]

I used about 2oz chopped ginger root, skin and flesh, per 4 cups of dry rice, cooked. About 1/2 gallon volume.
I wouldn't recommend it, I harvest my rice wine made with yeast balls at 6 weeks and the ginger ones are barely started and may never finish. They also look horrendous- I am not sure I'm even willing to taste the product after finishing fermentation because they look nasty. Yeast balls are far, far, superior in my experience.

 

[wongjau]

Makes me wonder if adding a teaspoon of yogurt per 500g of rice weighed uncooked rice would be an adequate substitute for the lactobacillus in a yeast ball. I remember reading somewhere about homebrew sake with a teaspoon of yogurt added during fermentation.

Some commercial/modern sake and rice wine production acidify using lactic acid instead of relying on microbes. Could use lactic acid from a brew supply shop.

 

[ethics_gradient]

I have taken an interest in The Chinese style of rice wine making. I have found the yeast balls on amazon.com but I cannot find any information on whether or not the strains of yeast and mold is non-gmo. Does anyone here have information on this?

Alternatively I'm considering pitching non-gmo sake yeast, I vaguely remember running across a brand that claimed to be non-gmo, and koji into the cooked rice and fermenting it without additional water as is normal in the making of jiuqu. would this work?

could I mash up the cooked rice and mix it with amylase as a possible substitute for the koji? If so would I be missing out on any special flavor imparted by koji?

I read at (thebrewsite.com)[http://www.thebrewsite.com/apocalypse-beer-ferment-anything/] that I could make the rice wine with just crushed ginger root. Does anyone here have experience with this method, how well did it go? I see no measurements so approximately how much crushed ginger would I use per 500g of rice?

Does jasmine rice work well for this? I prefer long grain rice for eating and I'm expecting that a certain percentage of the bag will be left after I measure it for wine making. I have read some claims that it works.

Does medium grain white rice count as glutenous rice? I'm trying to source the cheapest non-gmo white rice that will yield a fantastic result and I noticed that rice advertising itself as medium grain is generally cheaper.

From what I have read, the yeast balls are made in very "rustic" conditions (sitting on bamboo in semi-open rooms), pretty much taking in whatever local beasties are about. So they would fit your bill.