Making Traditional rice Wine. Cheap, Fun, and Different

[wc1376c]

And this is why I brew. A total hair up my but experiment, that turned out awesome.

I brewed a batch with D-180 syrup, coffee and threw in some oak for the hell of it. WOW does it taste good! Going to do this again on a larger scale, cause this might not make it through the weekend.

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[CorporateHippie]

You got me!!!!

I jumped on this bandwagon yesterday and went to the Asian food Market to buy some good rice and yeast balls. Did a 4-cup batch into a 1-gallon glass jar. I wrapped the entire contents into a muslin bag inside the jar. (I think that will still work). My question is this:
Do you begin adding flavors and special ingredients in the secondary after racking off the lees? I would like to do a Ginger/Lemon Grass flavor with this one.

 

[wc1376c]

LOL I have a old pickle jar like that! I personally add everything in at go. There are folks who do a secondary, I just one shot it pasturize and clean the empty bottle for the next batch coming through.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

Started a noble experiment yesterday. 5.5 oz of Israeli pearl cous cous prepared as usual in 2.5 cups boiling water. 2 yeast balls crushed. We shall see.

 

[jak1010]

Started a noble experiment yesterday. 5.5 oz of Israeli pearl cous cous prepared as usual in 2.5 cups boiling water. 2 yeast balls crushed. We shall see.

Nice! I love experiments.

 

[emwinna]

Oak cubes work very well, definatly one of my favorite flavors for rice wine. I soak mine in some type of spirit to sterilize and/or to add flavor, put them in a smaller filter bag and toss them in the bottom. Regular raisens are another win, have not tried the golden ones as I remember reading they have some additive that will damage the wine itself or flavor of.

I have a descent sampling of oak cubes around from the "oak tea experiment" Shae Comfort recommended on a podcast once, and I have yet to use them in anything. What cubes do you recommend for rice wine? Do you put them in during the aging process or during active ferment? I'd really like to try oaking my next batch. That sounds delicious!

*****

As to the acetone flavor I had in mine last week, it is gone and has been replaced with a wonderfully sweet ricey aroma, but you can definitely smell the alcohol heat on it. I read somewhere in this thread that sometimes the fusel alcohols produced during the active ferment can smell like acetone, and they'll mellow out over time. I still have five days to hit the three-week mark, but I'll post results then. It's still humming along nicely, with *lots* of liquid at the bottom and an almost-foamy rice sludge slop floating on the top. Looks weird, smells great. Still no fuzz on mine, and I have a feeling that keeping it completely in the dark has kept that at bay.

Tl;dr re:acetone - maybe not always a death sentence for the batch.

*****

My "monster batch" is also happily bubbling away in my 5-gal fermenter with the airlock. I had a sad accident and scorched half my rice, so I threw that out. All the proportions are the same as my original post, except that (about) half the rice is jasmine, half is sweet, and I threw in a cup and a half of forbidden black rice for color. (It's such a small proportion to everything else, I'm not expecting it to alter the flavor much.)

Here are some pics of the "brew day" (assembly day?):

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1)Rinsed rice, but I didn't soak it.
2)The yeast nutrient I used. (There are cheaper ones, but I had this one around to brew big beers with.)
3)The RYR/ARL/Yeast ball mixture after taking a spin in my food processor.
4)The rinsed rice - even though I didn't give it a proper soak, the rinsing alone allows the rice to soak up a little extra water.
5) Assembled in layers with the starter mixture sprinkled over each layer, then I got in there with (nearly) surgically-clean hands, mixed and mushed it a bit, while trying to make sure it didn't get too packed down, and made a 5" (or so) hole in the middle down to the bottom-most layer. This supposedly helps to prevent the dreaded "cap" since I do not intend to open the fermenter until the three-week mark (minimum) or until the airlock stops bubbling, whichever is later.

 

[wc1376c]

I have a descent sampling of oak cubes around from the "oak tea experiment" Shae Comfort recommended on a podcast once, and I have yet to use them in anything. What cubes do you recommend for rice wine? Do you put them in during the aging process or during active ferment? I'd really like to try oaking my next batch. That sounds delicious!

Wow Emwinna! You are moving along nicely.

So here is my experience with Oak and rice wine. I have done both added at brew start and added at "secondary". What I have noticed is the only thing that matters is the other flavors you add with the batch. If I wanted a stronger oak flavor (whether heavy or light oak), I would add at the start and leave in throughout brew. If I wanted a lighter flavor, I added after two weeks, and removed either one week later or when I was ready to pasturize.

I wish you the best, keep us updated on your batches. It looks like curiosity has the best of us both.

 

[emwinna]

Thanks, wc!

I may just have to brew another 5-gallon batch and divide it up into 8 or so mason jars and do one type/roast level of oak per jar, then make SWMBO and his friends taste them all.

Results will be posted. (^_^)v

 

[CorporateHippie]

SWMBO and his friends taste them all.

based on your finger nails and this comment...I believe you are trying to coin the acronym HWMBO????

If so, then I must get my wife on board

 

[swedgin]

Started my rice on 22 DEC. 6 dry cups of sweet sushi rice 1:1 water to rice, rinsed not soaked, ~1/2 cup RYR, whole (not crushed), and 2 crushed Chinese yeast balls. Fermented in a dark closet at room temperature (62F-66F if I had to guess). Left untouched for 2 weeks.

2 weeks later and it has a strong acetone smell and some mold.

 

[wc1376c]

Ummmm I don't know about that one!?! I have never seen that. Not sure if I could wait that one out.

 

[swedgin]

Not sure what could have happened. Was diligent about sterilization and once it went in the jar it wasn't touched or opened. Should the jar have been airtight?

The only thing I can think is that the top layer of rice probably formed a plug / seal and the mold is growing on THAT but isn't affecting the liquid beneath.

 

[emwinna]

based on your finger nails and this comment...I believe you are trying to coin the acronym HWMBO????



If so, then I must get my wife on board

Aaah lol I thought it was "someone who..."

Not sure what could have happened. Was diligent about sterilization and once it went in the jar it wasn't touched or opened. Should the jar have been airtight?

The only thing I can think is that the top layer of rice probably formed a plug / seal and the mold is growing on THAT but isn't affecting the liquid beneath.

I know lots of people have had success with the cheesecloth method, but I actually have mine in a pitcher with the spout-lid (no idea what that's called) resting on the spout to keep it closed but not air tight. I have yet to see mold of any kind, white or otherwise. View attachment 246807

I might be wrong, but it seems like a waste of time to sanitize something that won't be kept at least mostly sealed from potential outside contaminants. (I think sonofgrok has said that he doesn't bother with sanitation and uses cloth to keep dust off, and hasn't had any trouble with it, but clearly he's a wizard with magical superpowers and I'd personally rather not tempt the fail gods. ^_~)

 

[swedgin]

All I did was spray the jar and cheesecloth with star san. It was a brand new jar. I also made sure my hands were clean and sanitized and what not. I may try just the jar with no cloth next time. The lid rests on the jar, it doesn't seal firmly or anything, so who knows.

I'm not giving up on the batch by any means.

 

[ChefRex]

I stopped long ago doing anything but normal food handling clean and leave the lid loose.
Are you sure that's not a field mouse?

 

[emwinna]

A while back, someone said that sometimes the yeast balls can be contaminated, too. So, in spite of our best efforts, we can get contaminated batches.

That said, I think it was established pretty early on that the batch isn't necessarily bad if you get mold. IMHO, the best course of action is to let it go until the three-week mark, smell it, and go from there. (If it's obviously sour, skunky, or otherwise rank, toss it.)

You might be surprised.

 

[swedgin]

I recall reading that even acetone batches usually mellow out to nothing after a few weeks in the fridge.

Here's hoping.

 

[uncleleon]

Did anyone see that travel show where the locals made risen rice bread and then crushed and sparged it, then simple distilled it.l? Itlooked really easy and traditional to me.

 

[ChefRex]

distilled

This word, it makes no sense, I do not understand

 

[emwinna]

I recall reading that even acetone batches usually mellow out to nothing after a few weeks in the fridge.

Here's hoping.

Mine mellowed out between day 7 and day 16 without refrigeration. Haven't tasted it yet, so I can't speak to that aspect, but the aroma went from "gee, that smells like nail polish" to "oooooh yummy rice" all by itself. ^_^

 

[swedgin]

Mine mellowed out between day 7 and day 16 without refrigeration. Haven't tasted it yet, so I can't speak to that aspect, but the aroma went from "gee, that smells like nail polish" to "oooooh yummy rice" all by itself. ^_^

Was that after the 3 week fermentation?

 

[emwinna]

Was that after the 3 week fermentation?

No. Day 7 of primary fermentation, I noticed the acetone smell. By day 15, it was gone.

 

[swedgin]

No. Day 7 of primary fermentation, I noticed the acetone smell. By day 15, it was gone.

Hm. Well, today is day 14 for me. I'm considering scooping out the mold, but I kinda want to see if it ends up affecting the finished product, and how.

 

[danmerk23]

I'm tasting my latest batch and it's been in the fridge for 2 months. It's sweet with a slight bitterness. Was I supposed to pasteurize this?

I liked when it was carbonated and young. Now it's sour and bitter. Anyone else get it?

 

[emwinna]

I'm tasting my latest batch and it's been in the fridge for 2 months. It's sweet with a slight bitterness. Was I supposed to pasteurize this?

I liked when it was carbonated and young. Now it's sour and bitter. Anyone else get it?

Rice wine is notoriously susceptible to post-fermentation infections and over-fermenting. Unless you plan to drink it within the week, it should be pasteurized.

Since it's gone this long, you could always try turning it to rice wine vinegar if you don't intend to drink the remainder. ^_^

 

[YellowRiver]

Whew, first batch in the gallon sized glass container, 100 pages of this thread under my belt. Not perfect. Used HET sweet rice soaked 6 cups added 12 cups water(would have used only 9 cups water but I wasn't that far through the thread at that time). Tried to boil but scorched the pan, took forever to cool down, maybe a bit too wet, used five crushed balls(started with four but ran out before I ran out of rice layers). Guessin we'll find out.

Semi-relevant question--Why don't more people try to drop a malty, hoppy wort onto the remainders after harvest? Seems the yeast ought chew right through it?

Relevant observation--thanks sonofgrok for the thread, saramc and others for the good advice and everyone else for trying something different.

 

[emwinna]

Semi-relevant question--Why don't more people try to drop a malty, hoppy wort onto the remainders after harvest? Seems the yeast ought chew right through it

No idea!

I think part of the trepidation comes from the fact that the yeast in the rice wine are an unknown variable. Not necessarily a bad thing, but my impression of beer-brewing is that you try to control and plan for as many variables as you can to be able to guarantee the result as much as humanly possible.

This rice wine is kind of the wild hippie of the homebrew world. Yeast? Maybe, probably, not sure. Mold? Yeah, but which kind? Red, yellow, or white final product? Keep it sealed or leave it open? Up to you! Ferm temp? Above freezing, but not so hot you kill the yeast. ;p

I kid, of course. But someone who knows more about beer than me should try it out and let the rest of us know.

(Oh god typing tipsy is *such* a bad idea. Or maybe just really hard.....)

(^_~)v

But seriously, I'd try this if I understood beer better.

 

[wc1376c]

No idea!

This rice wine is kind of the wild hippie of the homebrew world. Yeast? Maybe, probably, not sure. Mold? Yeah, but which kind? Red, yellow, or white final product? Keep it sealed or leave it open? Up to you! Ferm temp? Above freezing, but not so hot you kill the yeast. ;p

(Oh god typing tipsy is *such* a bad idea. Or maybe just really hard.....)

(^_~)v

Bawhahaha!! You're funny and typing just fine!
Thats why I like brewing this wine, you never know what you are gonna get. I dont need to have a hobby that requires me to control and predict, just go with it and drink it. Unless it's got some of that black cat mold.

 

[emwinna]

My very first batch is finished. I threw half into an old Choya bottle, and the other half I'm pasteurizing and aging. View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1420672277.816874.jpg

My hands smell awesome after squeezing out the lees. ^_^

I'm planning on using the lees in face masks since it supposedly makes the skin smoother and brighter. This obviously won't work with any lees containing RYR (stains like crazy), but the white rice with ARL and/or yeast balls will be fine. There are several brands of rather expensive masks from Japan and Korea that contain "sake yeast." I have one on hand that smells =exactly= like the lees from this batch, which is where I got the idea. When I come up with a good recipe, I can post it for you all to use/share with the ladies in your lives. ^_^


ETA: Found one!
http://www.hakkaisan.com/blog/recipe-sake-kasu-facial-mask/

 

[jak1010]

My very first batch is finished. I threw half into an old Choya bottle, and the other half I'm pasteurizing and aging. View attachment 247208

My hands smell awesome after squeezing out the lees. ^_^

I'm planning on using the lees in face masks since it supposedly makes the skin smoother and brighter. This obviously won't work with any lees containing RYR (stains like crazy), but the white rice with ARL and/or yeast balls will be fine. There are several brands of rather expensive masks from Japan and Korea that contain "sake yeast." I have one on hand that smells =exactly= like the lees from this batch, which is where I got the idea. When I come up with a good recipe, I can post it for you all to use/share with the ladies in your lives. ^_^


ETA: Found one!
http://www.hakkaisan.com/blog/recipe-sake-kasu-facial-mask/

That's friggin awesome.