Making Traditional rice Wine. Cheap, Fun, and Different

[natedoggaz]

Here is what my Sake looks like after being in the fridge for about a week:

Is this separation normal? Will it clear up further? Should I give it more time?

Not sure what to do at this point other than drink it =)

 

[WesleyS]

My batch I made Thursday night is forming a good amount of liquid so it looks like I did something right. I also have white fuzz over the top of the rice. Looks like that fake cobweb Halloween decoration stuff. I'm assuming this is normal based upon past posts in this thread.

 

[bottlebomber]

My batch I made Thursday night is forming a good amount of liquid so it looks like I did something right. I also have white fuzz over the top of the rice. Looks like that fake cobweb Halloween decoration stuff. I'm assuming this is normal based upon past posts in this thread.

Everyone seems to get something. Mine looks like off-white splotchy lacto mold.

 

[Tinhorn]

My batch I made Thursday night is forming a good amount of liquid so it looks like I did something right. I also have white fuzz over the top of the rice. Looks like that fake cobweb Halloween decoration stuff. I'm assuming this is normal based upon past posts in this thread.

Mine looks like that also I would say its ok based on the other posts at least I hope so
Will be ready in another 2 weeks so just going to let it do its thing

 

[sonofgrok]

Ok here is an experiment I did to attempt to discover some of the variation that people are experiencing because as I said, I have never had a bad batch. A friend recently just made a batch that turned out HORRIBLE... it tasted like dirt which leads me to believe some of you a bit more.

Here is the experiment:
Batch 1 - Control - My usual small batch. 2.5 cups dry thai jasmine rice cooked by me the way I do it (less water in cooking).

Batch 2 - Treatment - Large batch cooked by wife. 6 cups dry thai jasmine rice cooked by my wife who tends to add more water.

Results 21 days later
Batch 1 - Delicious. What I normally expect. Slightly sweet, very alcoholic, very mild tang, EXCELLENT on the nose.

Batch 2 - "Milkier" looking than batch 1 (though both are milky). Not nearly as good on the nose. VERY tangy flavor. Still good and very drinkable though.

Both of these batches were excellent and very drinkable however batch 1 rated significantly higher in taste and smell according to both me and my wife. Both batches were made on the same day, had the same ferment time, and were made in the same fermentation vessels in the same location. I am thinking that either the water content or the batch size had to be the difference. Batch 1 provides a very consistent product for me with very little variation in taste and smell so I can't imagine too many other variables.

 

[sonofgrok]

Here is what my Sake looks like after being in the fridge for about a week:

Is this separation normal? Will it clear up further? Should I give it more time?

Not sure what to do at this point other than drink it =)

Yes the separation is normal. That is why I shake mine before pouring. Some people have attempted to further clear it but it seems to me that the majority have had less success with the final product taste-wise after clearing.

PS: those are the exact jars I use to ferment. I wouldn't store in them though as they allow gas exchange (Why I use them to ferment).

 

[bottlebomber]

It could be that the higher water content makes the lacto a little more mobile. I know mine was VERY wet, and I definitely have a pronounced tart note. I'm going to fruit this batch up, so I figure the tartness will work well. Next batch I'm going to go drier to test out your findings, grok.

 

[WesleyS]

It could be that the higher water content makes the lacto a little more mobile. I know mine was VERY wet, and I definitely have a pronounced tart note. I'm going to fruit this batch up, so I figure the tartness will work well. Next batch I'm going to go drier to test out your findings, grok.

Mine was pretty wet as well. I guess in a few weeks I'll know if it turns out really tart.

 

[Ostomo517]

Here is what my Sake looks like after being in the fridge for about a week:

Is this separation normal? Will it clear up further? Should I give it more time?

Not sure what to do at this point other than drink it =)

Shouldnt you take the rice out of the jar if its done?

 

[bottlebomber]

Shouldnt you take the rice out of the jar if its done?

I believe he did, and that is the sediment.

 

[wooda2008]

bottled mine yesterday.

My yield was ~144oz from 18c dry rice. I drained it through jersey cotton and didn't really go overboard on pressing the rice mass. I had a spoonful og the leftover rice, which tasted like vanilla champagne. I bottled in beer bottles with crown caps and pasteurized them at 140 degrees for 3 hours, then put them in the fridge, where they will remain until they're consumed.

Taste: very sweet, very alcoholic, with just a little tang. Fruity-plum and i think some vanilla. There's a lot of complexity in every shot.

It's delicious chilled, it's tasty at room temperature. The tartness comes to the front when it's heated, but it's still tasty.

SonofGrok, thank you for bringing this recipe to the HBT community.

now, please excuse me. I still have 10# of rice and 1# of yeast balls to burn through. next will be a series of experimental batches to see the difference between fermentation temps, then pasteurizing techniques and step additions.

I love this hobby!

 

[Jdix]

So getting the fuzz after a week but I dont see any additional liquidation. Going to try to heat it up. Why did he pasturize the beer bottles I havent read anyone else doing that and can I bottle it when done in a normal wine bottle?

Also I remember reading the post on how long it lasts but I cant find it again can someone remind me or the page it was on thanks!

 

[sonofgrok]

So getting the fuzz after a week but I dont see any additional liquidation. Going to try to heat it up. Why did he pasturize the beer bottles I havent read anyone else doing that and can I bottle it when done in a normal wine bottle?

Also I remember reading the post on how long it lasts but I cant find it again can someone remind me or the page it was on thanks!

the bottle pasteurization is a cider technique. There is an excellent sticky on it in the cider thread.

You can bottle it is whatever you wish!

 

[Ostomo517]

Someone mentioned batch pasturization, I assume basically adding the wine in a pot and heating....wouldnt this change flavor even possibly burn off alcohol?

 

[wooda2008]

Why did he pasturize the beer bottles I havent read anyone else doing that and can I bottle it when done in a normal wine bottle?

Grok's right, I got the idea from the "stovetop pasteurizing" sticky in the cider forum. Except I held mine at a lower temperature for a much longer time.

Someone mentioned batch pasturization, I assume basically adding the wine in a pot and heating....wouldnt this change flavor even possibly burn off alcohol?

Traditional wine is pasteurized to halt fermentation before it's aged. There's a big temperature window where you can kill the critters without the alcohol boiling off. if you're worried about it, keep a lid on the pot so the vapors condense and drip back into the wine.

 

[Arpolis]

My Rice Wine with home made dried yeast balls was still liquefying but absolutely no sweet alcohol smell, just a weird sour smell. I think the problem is that my yeast did not survive the mold cultivation/drying process. I mixed in some of the pressed Rice mush off of a Sake I recently made & the yeast in that took off. Now I am starting to smell more sweet fermenting/alcohol smells. I just moved the Jar outside where it should stay a bit cooler in the 50 - 60 degree range. We will see what it is like in 2 - 3 weeks.

 

[Leadgolem]

One big failure and one small success.

I had 2 batches running simultaneously that are now complete.

Batch 1. This was a large batch I couldn't seem to get full saccharification in. It was a 5 gallon volume of cooked rice, 30 cups of dry rice. I let it go clear to day 33, and warmed it up. It did progress somewhat, but still had small pieces of hard rice in the mix. I'm really not sure what the issue with the saccharification was. The other issue I had was that of scale. It is really difficult to get enough pressure on a rice mass that large to get a reasonable liquid extraction. I ended up yielding only one 750ml bottle of rice wine from it. At that point I gave up. *sigh* That's pretty much a wasted 8 bucks.

Batch 2. This was a much smaller batch with leftover starch mass instead of rice yeast balls. It came out very well. I did get some mold in the rice, but that isn't that uncommon with these batches. Yield was normal, no issues getting saccharification of the rice. All in all, very pleased with the batch. I do think using the leftover starch mass increased the likelihood of getting mold, but the wine is fine. This also took what the prior batch did in terms of time. 26 days.

In summary, I will not be making batches that large again. It's just to much work. I will also be running successive batches with the leftover rice starch mass. Once a batch with undesirable mold in it occurs, I will start the next batch from yeast balls. That should reduce the need for the rice yeast balls by 1/2 or more. The next experiment will be rice wine vinegar, though I think all I really need for that is some more time with the last batch I've got running.

 

[Tamarlane]

Decided to jump on the bandwagon and try a half sweet rice/half jasmine rice batch.

I was not 100% sure the "rice cakes" were the yeast balls but they looked right and they were in the rice aisle so I took a chance on them. I shop at the local Chinese market quite a bit and a lot of the products they carry have similarly vague/poor translations

I compared the Chinese characters to the characters on the yeast balls others had posted in this thread and they looked the same to me. Though for all I know that just means "Made in China"

Made about eight cups of rice and packed it in the 2 gallon cookie jar I use for Kimchi and sour pickles:

After 24 hours the liquid was to the top of the rice. Tasted a bit of the liquid and it was sweet. That's a bit fast for spontaneous fermentation so I guess they were the right yeast balls.

So far so good

 

[natedoggaz]

Bottled my sake tonight....yielded about 6 cups, or enough to fill 3 16oz bottles:

From left to right: Blackberry, Raspberry, Blueberry

After flavoring, it was SUPER tart, so I added some equal to it and it tasted much better!
I then pasteurized all 3, and now they are cooling off in the fridge...

ND

 

[Ostomo517]

Bottled my sake tonight....yielded about 6 cups, or enough to fill 3 16oz bottles:

From left to right: Blackberry, Raspberry, Blueberry

After flavoring, it was SUPER tart, so I added some equal to it and it tasted much better!
I then pasteurized all 3, and now they are cooling off in the fridge...

ND

Looks delicious!! Did u just add puree fruit and pasturize?

 

[Tamarlane]

Checked on it today (36 hours in) and there is a good bit of fuzzy white mold on top - scrape it off or leave it?

 

[Jdix]

Increased the temp to about 90deg and it liquified a bunch over night why is everyone cooling the rice down during fermentation. Am I screwing something up. I have lots of black green mold now but it smells super sweet.

 

[Tamarlane]

Checked on it today (36 hours in) and there is a good bit of fuzzy white mold on top - scrape it off or leave it?

update - stirred it in

 

[wooda2008]

Increased the temp to about 90deg and it liquified a bunch over night why is everyone cooling the rice down during fermentation. Am I screwing something up. I have lots of black green mold now but it smells super sweet.

At that temperature the yeast are going to be stressed and not as able to compete with the other organisms. Black mold is not usually a type of mold you want to see. It's the color of mold that gets houses condemned.

Take another sniff of your mash. I'm guessing you won't smell much alcohol.

I keep the temperature down both because i want the yeast to be as stress free as possible, and I want the enzymes to slowly convert the starch to sugar so the yeast have a chance to build up tolerance. It seems that most of the alcohol conversion happens after 25 days. At 21 days my wine tasted like candy syrup with a splash of alcohol. At 30 days it slapped me stupid with just enough sweetness to make it worth it.

update - stirred it in

Don't fear the white fuzzies. It's the right mold doing its job

 

[sonofgrok]

For everyone interested in ferm temp, this is supposed to be a warm ferment. Not 90 degrees warm but in the 70s more like. This type of yeast definitely does not favor the 60s either.

 

[anonon2]

For everyone interested in ferm temp, this is supposed to be a warm ferment. Not 90 degrees warm but in the 70s more like. This type of yeast definitely does not favor the 60s either.

I can attest to that. I was trying to rely on ambient temps in my house (~64) and I now have two batches at 2 weeks or so and they are just now getting liquidy. Although the rice has almost completely decomposed into mush...

Looks really disgusting, but smells fantastic, which is a bit strange. We usually expect ugly stuff to stink!

 

[natedoggaz]

Looks delicious!! Did u just add puree fruit and pasturize?

I pureed the fruit in the magic bullet and then squeezed out the juice from the pulp through a strainer. Foe some of the fruit I added all the puree and strained the whole batch to keep out the chunks. The coloring is all natural from the berries.

 

[wooda2008]

For everyone interested in ferm temp, this is supposed to be a warm ferment. Not 90 degrees warm but in the 70s more like. This type of yeast definitely does not favor the 60s either.

the ambient temp in my apartment is 72*F. I should say 'cooler' not cool

 

[13astrand]

Hi folks, I've made some rice wine for the first time and it is currently filtering out. Three days filtering and all my sediment is 2cm deep at the bottom of the bucket so all going well. Down side is I had a little taste and it tastes a little sour. Is this the usual taste before sweetening or is my wine turning to vinegar slowly? My wine is filtering indoors which is something I have never done. Any advice would be great fully received. Thanks in advance.

 

[nhamilto40]

My yeast ball arrived and I am starting a batch.

2000 g Calrose rice (dry)
40 g Hang Tai Marine Products yeast balls (4 balls)
3000 g water (total, absorbed + added)
--------
5040 g total batch

The rice will be soaked and then steamed in a bamboo steamer. I will weigh the cooked rice and then add additional water to the fermenter to hopefully yield a dry to semi-dry wine. To reduce the danger of contamination I will crush the balls in their original packaging and cool the cooked rice in a covered container. Liberal application of star san at all times.

*crosses fingers*