Making Traditional rice Wine. Cheap, Fun, and Different

[saramc]

Can't vouch for the stirring. Can't remember where that came up. I don't stir.

Maybe stir caused oxidation to vinegar? Is it vinegary?

I stirred, because several blogs and articles recommended stirring during early days, much like punching down the cap of fruit. I also fermented without airlock and mine turned out just fine. Not that I have anything homemade for comparison. I do know rice wine/sake is prone to Lb. infection, and this is one reason they recommend pasteurization. And if you opt to ferment beyond Day 21 the wine picks up what tangy taste. Not vinegar though. Also, the yeast ball itself can impart a specific flavor. Some are known to be on the sweeter side, some are more sour.

 

[nerdivore]

I stir to break up the floating mass of rice so that the yeast can better get at it. I started stirring after the first week, when most of the rice had liquefied. I always used a sterile utensil and I haven't had a problem with infection. When I sampled the rice wine after 2 weeks, it wasn't tangy at all, just harsh, almost bitter alcohol.

 

[jdowling]

I made a 5 cup dry batch of this about 3 days ago and it looks like nothing has changed at all in the jar. I soaked the rice for maybe an hour and steamed it for about an hour. I am new to steaming rice. I usually boil rice and can tell when it's done by the crunch or lack there of. I think it might be to dry? It was a translucent color and had no crunch.

Any one have this issue?....

I did basically the same thing (although only 2 cups dry rice) with the same lack of results. It looks like there's white stuff growing all over it but I don't see any liquid. I thought maybe it was too cold so I moved it close to a heater ~24 hrs ago. Still no liquid.

I'm guessing that it's too dry maybe. I spray bottled it a little yesterday. I might boil / cool some water today to add to the jars or something... or just leave it be and see what happens? Undecided so far.

 

[kevinstan]

Don't add water. Water can make for some really bad nasties. Just give it some time. Mine took about 7 good days before it started going. Be patient with it. Drier rice may take longer. If it doesn't kick off within 2 weeks I would dump it and start over. But I wouldn't add any water.

 

[blefferd]

I made another smaller batch using jasmine rice and sticky sushi rice, I placed this batch in the kitchen cabinet, I also soaked the rice a lot longer.

The big batch looks like it is doing something, this is the worst part about brewing is the trying to have the will to wait lol.

 

[saramc]

It is really easy to monitor for wine development if you poke a nice sized hole, think hole in center of a donut, in the center of the prepared rice/yeast must--all the way to bottom of container. As the rice starts to liquify you can easily assess the volume as the liquid level rises in the hole.

 

[brussum]

Mine took awhile to start forming liquid. The sushi rice was really sticky, so that might've been part of the problem. Seems to be doing okay now though.

 

[nsrooen]

My Results -

One gallon glass container, 5 cups Calrose rise soaked overnight, cooked per directions in pot, spread out on foil to cool & sprinkled four crushed "yeast balls" over it.

I took this and packed it into the gallon container and left it alone for three weeks at 60 degrees.

End product is excellent. Has almost a semi sweet mead quality to it. Going to make two more gallon containers this weekend.

Thanks to the original poster for the instructions and inspiration.

 

[sonofgrok]

My Results -

One gallon glass container, 5 cups Calrose rise soaked overnight, cooked per directions in pot, spread out on foil to cool & sprinkled four crushed "yeast balls" over it.

I took this and packed it into the gallon container and left it alone for three weeks at 60 degrees.

End product is excellent. Has almost a semi sweet mead quality to it. Going to make two more gallon containers this weekend.

Thanks to the original poster for the instructions and inspiration.

SO important when it comes to any kind of brewing! Glad you enjoyed it.

 

[groundling]

I bottled yesterday. 22 days in. 3 cups of rice became 1 quart of wine. Taste was complex and delicious: lemon gingerbread-pudding and cinnamon.

 

[Brewing Clamper]

After 4 weeks or so, mine made acetone!! Holy crap was that stuff strong! I ended up dumping it. Gonna have to try again!

 

[brussum]

Mine definitely went through an acetone smelling phase. It seems to have passed and the fermentation has really taken off. Smells a little sweeter (and not so flammable) now!

 

[mrkrausen]

After three and a half weeks I bottled up my first batch of this and took it to my buddy's bday party. As some had previously said, there were some who said they didn't like sake. So I poured them a shot and told them it wasn't exactly sake and to try some. Everyone loved it! I have to say that I didn't like it quite as much as when it was warm, but it was still good. My only complaint is that I didn't make more of it from the start. I think I'll get one of those sun tea jars for this next batch and split them up and try out some flavorings. Thanks for all the info.

 

[tuxnerd]

So I tried this using Champagne yeast and it didn't work at all, after over a month there was some slime and a very sweet/yeast smell, but I never saw the separation that any of the pictures showed, From my research it sounds like it was due to a lack of the enzymes needed to break the starch down into sugar. For the holidays I went to Vegas and stopped by the asian market there and picked up some yeast balls (the wife loves my trips for beer related stuff during vacations) and have just started my next batch, its looking more like the pictures already!

Thanks for the awesome thread

 

[brussum]

So, I separated the sake from the rice using the cheesecloth and poured it into a clean jar. It's been in the fridge for a week or two. I went to pour some this evening to try it out, but I noticed it's still fermenting. That's pretty surprising since it's so cold. It also has a filmy layer on top. Should I pull it out of the fridge and let it continue to ferment? Or, just leave it be. I'm concerned about it turning to vinegar if I pull it out of the fridge. In true home brewer fashion, I did drink a glass of it and it's great...like a fruity white wine.

 

[markm2151]

Just went to the asain market and got about 50 yeast balls for $4.99 and 5lbs of sushi rice for $6.99, plan on starting four cups of this tonight.

Two things: 1) how can you possibly know the ABV on this? What makes you think it's around 20%? 2) I plan on using kmeta after 25-30 days to fully stop fermentation, I'm not blowing up my fridge lol

 

[pabloj13]

Just went to the asain market and got about 50 yeast balls for $4.99 and 5lbs of sushi rice for $6.99, plan on starting four cups of this tonight.

Two things: 1) how can you possibly know the ABV on this? What makes you think it's around 20%? 2) I plan on using kmeta after 25-30 days to fully stop fermentation, I'm not blowing up my fridge lol

I let mine go 22 days at ~68 degrees ambient and have checked the bottle in the fridge (swing top) every few days. Haven't had even a wisp of pressure, FWIW.

 

[saramc]

I plan on using kmeta after 25-30 days to fully stop fermentation, I'm not blowing up my fridge lol

Rule #1 in all winemaking is k-meta does not stop a fermentation. Pasteurization is the way to go with this. You can cold crash, dose with k-meta and hope....but if the yeast is there and sugar is there it will ferment. It takes little time to pasteurize.

 

[markm2151]

170* for 10 minutes? That work?

 

[wagz]

I just made 5lb of sushi rice today, that stuff was a mess. Anyway all of it is in an ale pail in a paint strainer bag along with 6 balls. Any idea about how much this should yield?

 

[cincydave]

Well I just harvested mine tonight. I used 2 pounds of rice and 2 yeast balls. I got about 3/4 of a quart. So guessing you may get around 2 quarts or so.

 

[saramc]

Well I just harvested mine tonight. I used 2 pounds of rice and 2 yeast balls. I got about 3/4 of a quart. So guessing you may get around 2 quarts or so.

Wow, I got just shy of two quarts from just correction: four cups of dry rice, but also used a bit of the red yeast rice. Interesting to see the various yields everyone is reporting. My two cup recipe gave me a bit over one quart.

 

[saramc]

170* for 10 minutes? That work?

A friend in SanFrancisco said they do this:
Bring entire volume up to 140F in stock pot, hold for ten minutes, then immediately place pot in ice water bath and proceed to bottle when no warmer than 100F.

 

[saramc]

So I tried this using Champagne yeast and it didn't work at all, after over a month there was some slime and a very sweet/yeast smell, but I never saw the separation that any of the pictures showed, From my research it sounds like it was due to a lack of the enzymes needed to break the starch down into sugar. For the holidays I went to Vegas and stopped by the asian market there and picked up some yeast balls (the wife loves my trips for beer related stuff during vacations) and have just started my next batch, its looking more like the pictures already!

Thanks for the awesome thread

Yes, traditional wine yeast will not break down the starches in the rice. I bet you could use amylase and get some action.
I wonder if the amylase sold in HBS is alpha vs beta enzyme, or both?
But, since we can get our hands on the yeast balls, well, why mess with tradition? I know from grain brewing this is how alpha/beta amylase enzymes come into to play during the mash:
The beta amylase enzymes are active toward the 145 degree end, which make fermentable sugars, making a dry beer. The alpha amylase enzymes are active toward the 160 degree end, making unfermentable sugars, making a sweet brew.

Happy rice wine making!

 

[cincydave]

Wow, I got just shy of two quarts from just two cups of glutinous rice, but also used a bit of the red yeast rice. Interesting to see the various yields everyone is reporting.

Yeah, I thought I'd get more. My liquid never did get over the top of the rice. I didn't really soak the rice first, just steamed it. Guess I was impatient. I think my rice could have been too dry. I'll have to re-read this thread and try again.

How long does it take to settle out? Mine has been in the fridge aobut 14 hours and only have about a hflf inch of clear liquid at top. The rest is still cloudy white.

 

[saramc]

Yeah, I thought I'd get more. My liquid never did get over the top of the rice. I didn't really soak the rice first, just steamed it. Guess I was impatient. I think my rice could have been too dry. I'll have to re-read this thread and try again.

How long does it take to settle out? Mine has been in the fridge aobut 14 hours and only have about a hflf inch of clear liquid at top. The rest is still cloudy white.

Definitely soak the rice until you reach the 1/3 volume increase. I had definite clearing and cloudy layer within 24 hours. Never really poured off much sediment even after the cold settling, just seemed to have a band of cloudy wine with no noted sediment when consumed. Overall, I avoided squeezing the straining bag until the end and then I switched out collection container. That expressed cloudy wine was consumed first. In sake making they refer to that part as 'rice beer'.

 

[cincydave]

Definitely soak the rice until you reach the 1/3 volume increase. I had definite clearing and cloudy layer within 24 hours. Never really poured off much sediment even after the cold settling, just seemed to have a band of cloudy wine with no noted sediment when consumed. Overall, I avoided squeezing the straining bag until the end and then I switched out collection container. That expressed cloudy wine was consumed first. In sake making they refer to that part as 'rice beer'.

saramc,

Good idea on the two vessels for collecting. Will definately soak the rice next time and if i end up with more liquid, will just gravity drain the clear stuff first and switch containers before squeezing to get the cloudy stuff.

Thanks for the tip

 

[markm2151]

Started six cups of this today, with six yeast balls.

 

[Leadgolem]

Wow, I got just shy of two quarts from just two cups of glutinous rice, but also used a bit of the red yeast rice. Interesting to see the various yields everyone is reporting.

Are you talking about dry rice volume, or did you mean pints? I don't see how it's possible for you to have a liquid yield four times larger then your cooked rice volume. 1 quart=4 cups.

 

[saramc]

Are you talking about dry rice volume, or did you mean pints? I don't see how it's possible for you to have a liquid yield four times larger then your cooked rice volume. 1 quart=4 cups.

correction: four cups of dry rice which had been soaked and steamed did in fact yield just shy of two quarts wine. Actually I exceeded two quarts because I did not count the final cloudy red rice wine I attained at the end of straining.