Making Traditional rice Wine. Cheap, Fun, and Different

[MarcusKillion]

mjwj12;
the yeast is a little hard to find sometimes . It is in a small cellophane bag with usually 4 round balls like these . http://www.souschef.co.uk/chinese-yeast-ball-for-rice-wine.html Look on every isle . It is never where you think it should be .
What you have is bakers yeast.
Also you should be able to buy rice in plastic bags that the store has bagged up from 50 pound sacs . " sweet rice, glutenous rice, sticky rice etc"

 

[mjwj12]

mjwj12;
the yeast is a little hard to find sometimes . It is in a small cellophane bag with usually 4 round balls like these . http://www.souschef.co.uk/chinese-yeast-ball-for-rice-wine.html Look on every isle . It is never where you think it should be .
What you have is bakers yeast.

So no way it will work? I'll take it back then.. ****

 

[jak1010]

I'm out of the ARL but I have plenty of Yeast Balls. Just go to eBay and search "dried yeast balls".

 

[chalkdust41485]

So I just took a whiff of my ARL batch after about 2 weeks. The stuff hit me like a brick. Somewhere between jet fuel and nail polish remover. Is that an accurate description or should I be worried?

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[Gar]

So I just took a whiff of my ARL batch after about 2 weeks. The stuff hit me like a brick. Somewhere between jet fuel and nail polish remover. Is that an accurate description or should I be worried?

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Home Brew mobile app

yea this is some ruff smelling stuff. usually sweeter then you would think from the smell. sanitize a spoon and test it if its not sour you should be good

 

[pdxal]

Yes I did ask every time. And this is what they showed me. :/

As mentioned by someone else, I found them by the checkout counter in one local asian store myself. What you have isn't right. You need the mold that breaks down/saccharifies the starch in the rice combined with the high alcohol tolerance yeast in the yeast balls. They are also called "Jiu Qu". Good luck.

 

[mjwj12]

Thanks to jak he is sending me some of the right yeast!

 

[MarcusKillion]

I am going to do a test on my dandelion wine to see how much alcohol it has . A glass of that gets me a good buzz and a glass of this does nothing . .
I tried adding some water and have it in the fridge at 59 right now . going to leave it for a month or two. Also added in more yeast .

 

[jak1010]

Thanks to jak he is sending me some of the right yeast!

No sweat...just packaged them up and will mail tomorrow.

 

[OG_IBU_Bunghole]

So I just took a whiff of my ARL batch after about 2 weeks. The stuff hit me like a brick. Somewhere between jet fuel and nail polish remover. Is that an accurate description or should I be worried?

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Home Brew mobile app

Next time leave it in a dark place and forget about it for 21 days.

Search this thread for acetone and maybe nail polish or such and read the replies (probably for pages as this thread meandered all over the place) for some info on your current batch.

 

[trbig]

Meandered all over the place? So in your world, a normal conversation with several people in person in a group, does everyone stay on topic with everything said being exclusive of that singular subject? I think possibly in some busines meetings, but in the normal scheme of things.. of course not. But for some reason, it drives some people crazy that a conversation between lots of people online isn't absolutely structured with zero variance from a conversation's path. My thoughts are that these types of people who have ever used this icon need to chill, have a drink, get laid, (Maybe all three?) or any other assortment of personal relaxation techniques. Welcome to the real world with real people chatting. It all comes back around on the path eventually. Sit back, enjoy the ride. Just my 2 cents..

 

[organ]

His post seemed more a statement of fact, to me, than any sort of commentary on the practices of others. Not entirely deserving of a rant, IMO. However, meander as you'd like.

 

[MarcusKillion]

His post seemed more a statement of fact, to me, than any sort of commentary on the practices of others. Not entirely deserving of a rant, IMO. However, meander as you'd like.

Let us meander a bit . I liked trbig's post as a statement to those who use the off topic thing when it really is not called for at the time . but you are right . I think the other post was simply a statement of where this thread wonders around at .
this is a very good thread . It always gets back on topic after an appropriate amount of time and the non rice wine comments add flavor and keep it from being too stiff .

 

[SteveDodds]

His post seemed more a statement of fact, to me, than any sort of commentary on the practices of others. Not entirely deserving of a rant, IMO. However, meander as you'd like.

 

[organ]

 

[trbig]

His post seemed more a statement of fact, to me, than any sort of commentary on the practices of others. Not entirely deserving of a rant, IMO. However, meander as you'd like.

Meh.. If I misunderstood his statement, then my apologies. It's hard to tell peoples' intentions from words... much like I find it hilarious that you'd consider that a rant? lol. You ain't seen nothin' yet! I honestly meant it in a good natured way and again, apologize if it came across as something else.

That being said, I have seen thread Nazis that seem to have their tighty-whiteys wound way too tight.

So back to the subject at hand.. This last round of rice wine with 10 lbs sweet rice fermented in the cool didn't make quite as much wine and there seemed to be a bit more intact rice kernels left, but I still ended up with @ 2 1/2 gallons of the best wine I've made yet. BUT.. that's 2 1/2 gallons of nice clear wine with all the solids cold-crashed out and the clear siphoned off the top. This is the first batch the wife has even liked.

 

[MarcusKillion]

I am hoping my rice changes flavor after adding the water/ yeast and putting at 60 degrees . If not then I will make a new batch and keep it at 60 from the start.
so far a can not stand the stuff but not giving up . cheap to try again . I do have hopes for the red and white mix and the plain red . Just got to get that ABV up there.

 

[organ]

Harvesting my first batches today

 

[organ]

Got everything bottled. Together, the two batches yielded 35-40 oz. I have one bottle of jasmine, one bottle of sushi, and half a bottle of a jasmine/sushi mix. The bottle of jasmine is trying really hard to carbonate; even after I pasteurized them all at ~190° for 10 minutes.

Other than a little lick, I haven't tasted it. My dad tried a little of the jasmine/sushi mix before pasteurization and seemed very surprised by how good it was.

 

[Bidwell]

I noticed that wine made using Jasmine rice didn't separate in the fridge nearly as fast as sticky rice, like 2 days. Also lower yield.

Just made my 31st 4 cup batch. All at a constant temp of 84°F. Last was sweet and plenty alcohol at 14 days. Steamed and little water after cooling below 80° to mix yeast. I get liquid in 24hrs

 

[MarcusKillion]

I agree . the off topic sign is off topic and should be changed to something more on topic and egalitarian .
Or maybe something like this http://www.flickr.com/photos/38989625@N06/6299000053?rb=1

 

[MarcusKillion]

okay so i checked the abv of my dandelion wine . 9.7 as opposed to 6.5 I think on rice wine .
now I did not use the 500 milliliters , about two cups as was called for in the test . I used a couple hundred or 6 ounces to be exact. So maybe that matters a little and it is actually higher than i rate but still my dandelion is far stronger than rice . I can also attest to the fact that i have drank both and yes it is much stronger .
I just drank some of Gar's wine . I do have a buzz from it .
By the way Gar I will be sending you some of my dandelion wine to test out for ABV . I also plan on using that RYR to make a new batch . I tried to find some around here but no luck . Is this in the rice section or around the yeast section ?

 

[jak1010]

okay so i checked the abv of my dandelion wine . 9.7 as opposed to 6.5 I think on rice wine .
now I did not use the 500 milliliters , about two cups as was called for in the test . I used a couple hundred or 6 ounces to be exact. So maybe that matters a little and it is actually higher than i rate but still my dandelion is far stronger than rice . I can also attest to the fact that i have drank both and yes it is much stronger .
I just drank some of Gar's wine . I do have a buzz from it .
By the way Gar I will be sending you some of my dandelion wine to test out for ABV . I also plan on using that RYR to make a new batch . I tried to find some around here but no luck . Is this in the rice section or around the yeast section ?

Who cares what the alcohol content is. If you can make it and it tastes good...that's what matters.

I've brought this stuff to parties and have asked people to make a batch for money. They never asked me what the alcohol content is.

I make the red yeast rice, plain jasmine rice and a plain jasmine rice flavored with fruit juice. All taste good and strong.

 

[MarcusKillion]

I found this interesting page on akaisake if anyone would like to look at it http://www.taylor-madeak.org/index.php/2009/03/31/akaisake-the-red-sake

 

[jak1010]

I found this interesting page on akaisake if anyone would like to look at it http://www.taylor-madeak.org/index.php/2009/03/31/akaisake-the-red-sake

This looks good. Not sure about the Epsom salt though. May be worth a try...thanks for sharing.

 

[Gar]

okay so i checked the abv of my dandelion wine . 9.7 as opposed to 6.5 I think on rice wine .
now I did not use the 500 milliliters , about two cups as was called for in the test . I used a couple hundred or 6 ounces to be exact. So maybe that matters a little and it is actually higher than i rate but still my dandelion is far stronger than rice . I can also attest to the fact that i have drank both and yes it is much stronger .
I just drank some of Gar's wine . I do have a buzz from it .
By the way Gar I will be sending you some of my dandelion wine to test out for ABV . I also plan on using that RYR to make a new batch . I tried to find some around here but no luck . Is this in the rice section or around the yeast section ?

Ill be honest i don't remember what was around it i haven't been to that store in quite some time. ill make it a point to get back there soon and send you some with the pepper wine i forgot to send. ill be interested in the dandelion wine been thinking of trying to brew that one for a while

 

[clemdog]

mjwj12;
the yeast is a little hard to find sometimes . It is in a small cellophane bag with usually 4 round balls like these . http://www.souschef.co.uk/chinese-yeast-ball-for-rice-wine.html Look on every isle . It is never where you think it should be .
What you have is bakers yeast.
Also you should be able to buy rice in plastic bags that the store has bagged up from 50 pound sacs . " sweet rice, glutenous rice, sticky rice etc"

These are the exact same yeast balls I have used for my first batch, whitch should be ready to harvest sometime this week.

One batch with 500grams of fragrant jasmine rice rinsed and soaked for a few hours then cooked in a rice cooker with 4cups of water and mixed with 4 yeast balls.
Another batch with 500grams of sushi rice rinsed and then cooked with 4 cups water and 2 yeast balls.
The rice worked out at 3.5 cups dry rice.

The jasmine rice smells very sweet and almost cidery. The sushi maybe a little bit sharper and not just as sweet.

Both are in an airing cupboard that sits around 25C and only light is when the door is opened.

I am looking forwards to tasting this!

Clem

 

[MarcusKillion]

Who cares what the alcohol content is. If you can make it and it tastes good...that's what matters.

I've brought this stuff to parties and have asked people to make a batch for money. They never asked me what the alcohol content is.

I make the red yeast rice, plain jasmine rice and a plain jasmine rice flavored with fruit juice. All taste good and strong.

I have yet to taste any that I would say tastes good so plenty of alcohol is needed in my opinion .
I am using jasmine rice next time . I have been using sweet rice and sushi which both tasted exactly the same . But then maybe it got too hot and gave it a bad taste which is why I am making a new batch in the fridge this time .
I still think it needs a good wine yeast after fermenting with rice yeast to bump up that alcohol to 18% . I am planning of giving that a try but not sure how it will work out since I would be dropping that yeast right into alcohol and it may shock it .

also am going to weigh the rice and use the proper amount of yeast at 1 ball to 250 - 500 grams . I may have not used enough and that left starches in it that gave it a bad taste and low abv. Just a thought .

 

[OG_IBU_Bunghole]

His post seemed more a statement of fact, to me, than any sort of commentary on the practices of others. Not entirely deserving of a rant, IMO. However, meander as you'd like.

In about a week I'm going to reply to a post 30+ pages ago. So, my advice wasn't even extreme enough to help in that situation

This thread is analogous to someone posting the first HBT mead recipe in the wine forum and then 99%+ of the mead posts going in that thread for over a year.

I have yet to taste any that I would say tastes good so plenty of alcohol is needed in my opinion .
I am using jasmine rice next time . I have been using sweet rice and sushi which both tasted exactly the same.

I've made a lot of batches and my favorites always use Thai jasmine as the "base grain" (at least 50%) and the Heng Lung brand yeast balls as the primary yeast (at least 50%).

 

[MarcusKillion]

When I say " good tasting " I mean I would like to drink it every day . Different from tasting bad . Mine tasted bad but not totally awful . I could only stand to drink a few shot glasses of it at a time . Except for the black rice and it was drinkable but still not good .
the ryr and jasmine Gar sent me was drinkable .

Next time I expect better results.