Making Traditional rice Wine. Cheap, Fun, and Different

[sonofgrok]

So, thanks to this thread, I have had a batch of this sitting on my counter for going on a couple of weeks now. I have a couple of inches of liquid at the bottom of my jar. What are the next steps for this?

I will be updating this thread tomorrow when I extract the liquid

 

[sonofgrok]

OK. I guess everyone has waited long enough. It has been almost 4 weeks now. Sometimes the rice starts dropping after 3 weeks letting you know you are done done but this never did. No big deal... we will extract anyway.

 

[sonofgrok]

Pic 1: Start by taking a collection vessel (I used a large glass mixing bowl) and line with your straining cloth (I used cheese cloth).

Pic 2: Dump your rice wine into the bowl. Liquid AND rice. At this point in time, you will probably realize that it smells very alcoholic but also smells very good.

 

[sonofgrok]

Squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Many people eat the left over rice mash or use it as animal feed. Mine goes in the garbage.

I put the mash on my hop strainer for a while just to let it drip out some more.

 

[sonofgrok]

At this point, you should have a lightly yellowish liquid that looks like this. This is your rice wine. You can keep it as is or flavor it. I had some left over pomegranate seeds in the fridge so I juiced them out and added it.

Transfer to a storage container... anything should work. I used a funnel to pour it into a 500mL cobalt bottle... cause they are sexy. Store in the refrigerator at all times to prevent continued fermentation and oxidation into rice wine vinegar.

 

[sonofgrok]

Here is the final product. It tastes absolutely delicious!

It is very sweet with a little bit of wine bite. Remember this stuff is VERY high in alcohol and packs a wicked punch so drink responsibly!

 

[saramc]

I have my yeast on hand, from the Asian365 site I referenced earlier...there must be a dozen packets of double yeast balls in what they sell. Actually ended up ordering some of their red yeast rice also. Anyway, I wanted to share a link to a sweet fermented rice recipe, since it was mentioned that some people eat fermented rice. I have had this treat a few times and am thrilled that I finally found the yeast and can make it at home.

I will be cooking rice for wine tomorrow, and probably some sweet rice too.

http://sunflower-recipes.blogspot.com/2011/02/homemade-sweet-fermented-rice.html?m=1


...Sara

 

[saramc]

Alright assembled this tonight. Soaked four cups glutinous rice for a minimum of one hour in cold water and rinsed well. To rice cooker with eight cups water for thirty minutes, no longer per an Asian food vendor at Ft Knox. Threw three yeast balls and 1/2 cup red yeast rice in blender, processed until fine powder. Transferred just cooked rice to large tray, one layer and allow to cool just until you can handle without getting burned. Using two gallon glass jar with lid, I took a golfball size of rice with damp hands, and formed into ball, rolled in yeast powder, and created one layer of balls on bottom of jar. Continue using remainder of yeast and rice OR if the ball assembly annoys you he said to just pour remaining yeast over remaini.g rice and chuck it by the handful into the jar. Apply lid and since rice is still hot it will form condensation and that is all you need. He says kerp in warm place, wrap in blanket, stir once a week and strain, no squeezing or pressing of rice, between day 21 and 28. Go no more than 30. Can add fruit juice when done. He adds k-meta for preservative and leaves on counter, says his daughters like to keep in refrig and get goofy. My father-in-law translated, and I cannot recall the dialect because he speaks many.

 

[sonofgrok]

Interesting twist with the red rice yeast. I have never ever ever had to use any k-meta or anything else when making this. Almost all of your liquid will be alcohol. Rice wine is quite possibly the HIGHEST abv drink you can make without distilling and will be around 20% right out the gate. Chances of having something in there you don't want range from slim to... well zero

I am glad someone found some use in this thread!

 

[nghtmre4u]

I plan on trying this was looking for yeast balls locally but no luck will order online thanks

 

[saramc]

I plan on trying this was looking for yeast balls locally but no luck will order online thanks

I tried sending you a message but you have no room left. If you can message me with your email I would really like to share something.

Sara

 

[kevinstan]

Sara: please pm and share with me also. I am trying to find them too.

 

[saramc]

Sara: please pm and share with me also. I am trying to find them too.

Kevin...check your messages.

Also, wanted to share with everyone that I had posed a question on the homebrewsake.com website, and Will gave me an answer. You can read his article and the question I asked if you visit http://homebrewsake.com/home/2010/04/25/koji-what/comment-page-1/#comment-9309

I have learned the red rice yeast, aka "Beni-koji" is Monascus purpureus mold growing on the rice as the substrate, and is a key part of recipe for CHINESE RICE WINE. While Japanese sake uses Aspergillus Oryzae cultivated on rice to make koji AND many yeast balls do in fact already have koji in them. Even more important is the RICE you choose to use for your wine...Chinese style uses glutinous rice, Japanese style uses non-glutinous short grain rice [three people at Ft Knox told me to use this: NISHIKI brand Premium Grade Rice, Sushi Rice for Japanese sake making--it is short grain, smaller/thinner than orzo and visibly different than THAI HOM MALI JASMINE RICE--longer grained, which I am using as my glutinous rice but I cannot confirm if it really is glutinous rice, going to contact company for confirmation]. SO, it turns out I am making Chinese-Japanese rice wine-sake, because I used equal amounts of both rices, the yeast balls and the red rice yeast....it will be called THE ORIENTAL EXPRESS. :rockin:

 

[nghtmre4u]

Sara my inbox is empty now. Thank you

 

[saramc]

Sara my inbox is empty now. Thank you

Check your inbox.


..... ..... ..... ..... .....
Sonofgrok,
Are you okay with me continuing with my current rice wine ferment on your thread?

And I must say the smell alone of this rice and yeast combo is amazing. My 2 gallon jar was cool to touch, so I just put it in a water bath. It normally sits perched under microwave light on high, but shielded from direct light, and it keeps warm...but I accidentally reset my home thermostat and the clue was ' I am freezing in this house! Duh. '

 

[sonofgrok]

That's fine Sara. No worries.

 

[bpparker]

I've never tried this way of making rice wine and can't wait to give it a shot. Recently tried the recipe for sake per the instructions and it was quite a pain. This looks much easier!

 

[dbsmith]

Will be trying this soon hopefully

 

[saramc]

The rice completely collapsed on itself, on its own, still smells divine, and it is BUBBLING. No water added, and I have a nice build up of sweet wine. I tasted the fermenting rice, grabbed a spoonful and chilled it....yummy.

Attaching some photos...
You will recall the photo taken 11/13 just after assembly, obvious rice vs the red of the red yeast rice/yeast ball blend powder.



And now, 11/15, colorful fermentation...



And a view from the top...

 

[sonofgrok]

That is in only 2 days?!?

 

[saramc]

That is in only 2 days?!?

Yes, this is a few photos of the change in just two days. I have no intention of harvesting until Day 21-30. I have liquid seen from top to bottom.

Did yours not do this?

 

[sonofgrok]

Nope. Mine has a little bit of liquid after 2 days and then slowly accumulates more as time goes on. The raft of rice stays floating on top the entire time for 3+ weeks and then starts to drop. It could be the rice you used though or the yeast... or maybe you used a lot of yeast and super fermented it. Can't say! As long as it ends up delicious right?

 

[saramc]

Nope. Mine has a little bit of liquid after 2 days and then slowly accumulates more as time goes on. The raft of rice stays floating on top the entire time for 3+ weeks and then starts to drop. It could be the rice you used though or the yeast... or maybe you used a lot of yeast and super fermented it. Can't say! As long as it ends up delicious right?

Used four cups dry rice, three yeast balls, 1/2 cup red yeast rice, both pulverized into powder. I think what helped kick this off is the combo of sticky, sushi rice and Thai Jasmine rice that was added to the yeast when the rice was just cool enough, but not too hot, to handle with clean, sanitized hands. Used a 2 gallon glass cookie jar, do not own a one gallon glass...and I really wanted to see this. I suspect the rice will rise, just like a cap does, but I need more liquidification to occur. Still quite early.

This weekend I am making this exact recipe but I am using 100% sweet, sticky aka sushi rice--have received notice that this is a glutinous rice and can be used for home sake making. And will eventually make some using sushi rice and only yeast balls. But what I really want to know is: the name and a US source for sake rice. Apparently it is its own monster and hopefully HomebrewSake can help me. Will share if/when I get anymore info.

Received confirmation that Jasmine rice is not glutinous rice.

Need to find out how to figure out PA and ACV, there has to be a way.

Here is another photo from today, and it shows the liquid at rest:

 

[Arpolis]

The red yeast rice also produces beta and alpha amalyse which would help with the liquefaction. I don't know what the yeast balls produce but if they only have beta amalyse for instance then this could be why we see the super liquefaction here. I think this looks really cool.

 

[nghtmre4u]

Sara how much liquid do you get from this size batch

 

[detlion1643]

Does this have to be made with a specific kind of rice? Swmbo has more (generic, store bought) rice in our kitchen than we can eat. I'm wondering if this with some wine yeast would produce anything like 13%+ and worthwhile...

Not trying to go the cheap route, but more curious since I have soooo much of this already in the kitchen.

Btw, your pics of it make it look amazing!

 

[saramc]

Does this have to be made with a specific kind of rice? Swmbo has more (generic, store bought) rice in our kitchen than we can eat. I'm wondering if this with some wine yeast would produce anything like 13%+ and worthwhile...

Not trying to go the cheap route, but more curious since I have soooo much of this already in the kitchen.

Btw, your pics of it make it look amazing!

I think the pics are quite interesting. Colorful for sure and wish we had smell share!

You need Japanese sushi rice or Japanese sake rice to do it properly...though Thai Jasmine rice will ferment. I am currently using sushi plus Jasmine. Must use the yeast balls with or without the red yeast rice. Common U.S. parboiled, aka Uncle Bens, aka white long grain rice is not the one to use. It is the short grained sweet, sticky rice that is preferred.

 

[saramc]

Sara how much liquid do you get from this size batch

First time making this, and I just started this in the evening on 11-13....far too early for a harvest of wine. That will be done somewhere between Day 21 and Day 30. This morning the rice is now floating on just over one inch of liquid. My vessel is one of those two gallon Anchor Hocking glass cookie style jars from local WalMart. I still have a lot of liquid thru the rice itself and I suspect the liquid level to rise each day.

 

[user 83772]

This thread has been an absolutely fascinating. Thanks to both @sonofgrok & @saramc for the how-to!

@sonofgrok - Would you mind sharing the process you used to flavor yours with the pomegranate? Did you steep the seeds, just add some juice, how much did you add, etc. Thanks!

 

[sonofgrok]

@sonofgrok - Would you mind sharing the process you used to flavor yours with the pomegranate? Did you steep the seeds, just add some juice, how much did you add, etc. Thanks!

Much more simple than that! I actually had a Ziploc in the fridge with seeds from about 1/4 of a pomegranate that my wife had been snacking on. I took two identical bowls (so they fit inside each other perfectly), and smashed the seeds together between them. I then took a spoon and smashed some individual missed seeds. Took the seeds into my cheesecloth and strained them out into the finished wine before bottling and putting in the fridge. No steeping or sanitizing or anything (I figured the ~20% alcohol in the wine would be enough to kill anything off).

I was extremely impressed with the amount of flavor it imparted on the wine. It tasted kind of like a Starburst candy. My wife, who doesn't drink, went through my entire bottle of wine in a week and demanded I make more!