Making Traditional rice Wine. Cheap, Fun, and Different

[Accidic]

A good way to reduce that sourness is to use ice cold water with a few ice cubes mixed in and left in the fridge over night. Then steam the next day. Always works out for me.

GD April Fools Day... Any other day and I wouldn't be apprehensive for posts like this. Nevertheless, rice is cheap so why not.


On an unrelated sidenote, My 12mo batches ages out today. Interested to see the differences and if it'll be worth it or if I'll just turn to vinegar if it hasn't already . That said, it's crystal clear now.

 

[MasterCrook]

Acidic,

I'm interested in the 12 month results!

 

[ChefRex]

acidic,

i'm interested in the 12 month results!

+1

 

[jak1010]

I love this stuff after 3 weeks fermenting.....I can't imagine what it must taste like after an entire year????

 

[pdxal]

I think a lot of people are stopping fermentation to bottle the rice wine way too early.
Look back at the number of people who have continued fermentation in the bottle at room temperature or in the refrigerator. If they were making beer everyone on here would say that they are bottling too soon.
If you want sweeter rice wine, keep the solids as with nigori sake, if you want a drier rice wine, refrigerate or let the bottle(s) sit and decant the fluid only.
I haven't had a batch continue to ferment after straining out the solids/kasu, and am waiting for at least 4 weeks, and usually 5-6 weeks, before harvesting. Not a single batch of mine has continued to ferment after straining out the solids, and I hear that from others. I doubt that a 1 year old batch will be fermenting either.
I'll bet the 1 year old rice wine is good/great.

 

[Leadgolem]

You need to have something that breaks down the rice starch into sugars that the yeast can then eat. Rice with just yeast will produce absolutely nothing. There's no sugar there for it to eat. Chinese yeast balls and those like it are the only way you'll ever make rice wine... except for things like White Labs has a Sake yeast that will do it. One vial of the White Labs will cost you more than a whole bag of yeast balls.

White labs sake yeast, wlp705 and 709 are just yeast. They are supposed to be used in conjunction with aspergillus oryzae, rather then stand alone. Japanese sake differs from typical Chinese, Thai, and Korean practice in that the rice is inoculated with the fungus that breaks down the starches separately from the addition of the yeast. Which is why the koji spores and the yeast are sold separately. You would still need either an amylase producing fungus or amylase enzyme or you wouldn't have any sugar for the yeast to turn into alcohol.

...On an unrelated sidenote, My 12mo batches ages out today. Interested to see the differences and if it'll be worth it or if I'll just turn to vinegar if it hasn't already . That said, it's crystal clear now.

I tasted some red rice wine that's about a year old now. I have to say, I wasn't all that happy. The flavor soured in the bottle a bit. It's really to tangy for my tastes. The alcohol smoothed out wonderfully, but otherwise I wasn't thrilled. I'm wondering if it has something to do with bottling with so many solids in suspension....

 

[MasterCrook]

My batch was looking still, it had a thick crust on top which was separating from the rest of the rice under it. I shook it up and after a day it is bubbling vigorously

 

[Kaedith]

I've been really interested in trying this rice wine since I stumbled upon this thread. Finally finished reading the entire thing :rockin:. We have a good size Asian market about 25min from here went to check it out and couldn't find any rice balls or red yeast rice. I walked out with a 10lb bag of sweet rice and ended up ordering the yeast and RYR from Asainsupermarket365. My stuff finally came in this week and I started my 1st batches.

I cooked 10 dry cups to split between 2 - 1 gallon glass pickle type jars. I was afraid I overcooked the rice to much it was kind of gloopy and messy but I could still distinguish seperate kernels. So I spread it all out onto 2 half sheet size cookie trays and placed it in the refrigerator over night to cool. The next morning I took it out and left it on the counter for a while to come up t room temperature with a damp kitchen towel over the top.

I ground up 1 ball for each tray and sprinkled over the top evenly. As I put the rice in the jars I layered with whatever powder I had left over. For the RYR batch I ground up 1/3 cup of the RYR and did the same, sprinkled over top and layered after additions in jar.

I placed a kitchen towel over each jar and screwed the lid on. Put them under the counter out of the light. My house temperature is around 68 - 70 F.

Here is my pics on day 3. They both look good to me so far, the RYR seems like it works better or faster.

 

[Zibe]

Quick question have a batch that's been goin two weeks wine is separating from the rice good but smells a little like formaldehyde or at least what I remember that smelling like from biology is that the sweet smell you guys are talking about I realize I'm pickling my liver with the beer but don't want to pickle everything else


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[Zibe]

As far as above comment used the rice balls following the first post exactly



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[MasterCrook]

As far as above comment used the rice balls following the first post exactly



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The sweet smell is similar to tropical fruit, it shouldn't smell like chemicals. It should smell nice around the lid off the jar without even opening it

 

[MasterCrook]

I've been really interested in trying this rice wine since I stumbled upon this thread. Finally finished reading the entire thing :rockin:. We have a good size Asian market about 25min from here went to check it out and couldn't find any rice balls or red yeast rice. I walked out with a 10lb bag of sweet rice and ended up ordering the yeast and RYR from Asainsupermarket365. My stuff finally came in this week and I started my 1st batches.

I cooked 10 dry cups to split between 2 - 1 gallon glass pickle type jars. I was afraid I overcooked the rice to much it was kind of gloopy and messy but I could still distinguish seperate kernels. So I spread it all out onto 2 half sheet size cookie trays and placed it in the refrigerator over night to cool. The next morning I took it out and left it on the counter for a while to come up t room temperature with a damp kitchen towel over the top.

I ground up 1 ball for each tray and sprinkled over the top evenly. As I put the rice in the jars I layered with whatever powder I had left over. For the RYR batch I ground up 1/3 cup of the RYR and did the same, sprinkled over top and layered after additions in jar.

I placed a kitchen towel over each jar and screwed the lid on. Put them under the counter out of the light. My house temperature is around 68 - 70 F.

Here is my pics on day 3. They both look good to me so far, the RYR seems like it works better or faster.

Those look nice. I wonder how it'll turn out with that little amount of yeast, but it seems like you already have liquid forming, which is a good sign

 

[jak1010]

Here is my pics on day 3. They both look good to me so far, the RYR seems like it works better or faster.

Both look damn good!

 

[jak1010]

Quick question have a batch that's been goin two weeks wine is separating from the rice good but smells a little like formaldehyde or at least what I remember that smelling like from biology is that the sweet smell you guys are talking about I realize I'm pickling my liver with the beer but don't want to pickle everything else


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I'd say you're heading in the right direction. Can you post pictures?

 

[PicKl3d]

Ok I've read all the posts from the start I found this forum last tuesday about 6 days ago started my first batch 5 days ago and my second batch 4 days ago. I think I stuffed my first batch up I used too much water when I cooked the sushi rice and it came out very gluey I washed it and got most of the glue off then pitched the yeast. I used 4 cups of rice and 4 yeast balls I had about an inch of liquid by the next day and now 5 days in about 3-4" of liquid

the second batch I used 6 cups of sushi rice to 9 cups of water and only rinsed first then pitched 4 balls yeast while the rice was warm it's at maybe 1 1/2" of liquid now

Also a big thanks to SoG for starting this thread!

 

[Leadgolem]

Quick question have a batch that's been goin two weeks wine is separating from the rice good but smells a little like formaldehyde or at least what I remember that smelling like from biology is that the sweet smell you guys are talking about I realize I'm pickling my liver with the beer but don't want to pickle everything else


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The sweet smell is more like plums. What you're getting isn't unusual though. The "hot" alcohol smell usually mellows after a few days.

 

[MasterCrook]

The sweet smell is more like plums. What you're getting isn't unusual though. The "hot" alcohol smell usually mellows after a few days.

Good call, plums sums it up nicely

 

[MasterCrook]

Ok I've read all the posts from the start I found this forum last tuesday about 6 days ago started my first batch 5 days ago and my second batch 4 days ago. I think I stuffed my first batch up I used too much water when I cooked the sushi rice and it came out very gluey I washed it and got most of the glue off then pitched the yeast. I used 4 cups of rice and 4 yeast balls I had about an inch of liquid by the next day and now 5 days in about 3-4" of liquid

the second batch I used 6 cups of sushi rice to 9 cups of water and only rinsed first then pitched 4 balls yeast while the rice was warm it's at maybe 1 1/2" of liquid now

Also a big thanks to SoG for starting this thread!

Looks good, nice jars too.

 

[ChefRex]

Has anyone taken actively fermenting rice and mixed it with fresh rice?
I just did this and will report back.

 

[jak1010]

Also a big thanks to SoG for starting this thread!

Are those containers sealed? Like air tight? From the pictures, they do look like it. If so, I'd be concerned.

 

[jak1010]

Has anyone taken actively fermenting rice and mixed it with fresh rice?
I just did this and will report back.

Haven't tried it but, I'd be interested to see the results.

 

[Zibe]

Here's the formaldehyde brew doesn't smell as bad today maybe I'm confusing formaldehyde with the hot alcohol smell not sure about plums though it'll be two weeks old tomorrow


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[PicKl3d]

Are those containers sealed? Like air tight? From the pictures, they do look like it. If so, I'd be concerned.

Hi jak are you saying you'd be concerned that they are air tight because of the risk they might break due to CO2 pressure? If thats your thoughts I found that when I washed them and shook them with warm water inside they leaked pretty badly so I figure they'll allow CO2 to escape!

 

[Fuzzymittenbrewing]

View attachment 191721

Here's the formaldehyde brew doesn't smell as bad today maybe I'm confusing formaldehyde with the hot alcohol smell not sure about plums though it'll be two weeks old tomorrow


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Just leave it alone till harvest day!! So much needless opening and mixing and whatnot. Just leave it alone! Lol

 

[jak1010]

Hi jak are you saying you'd be concerned that they are air tight because of the risk they might break due to CO2 pressure? If thats your thoughts I found that when I washed them and shook them with warm water inside they leaked pretty badly so I figure they'll allow CO2 to escape!

Yep, that was my concern exactly. So, sounds like and looks like you're on your way to making delicious rice wine. Congrats!!!

 

[PicKl3d]

Yep, that was my concern exactly. So, sounds like and looks like you're on your way to making delicious rice wine. Congrats!!!

Thanks I'm looking forward to starting another batch tomorrow need to buy another 2 of the square jars and the ingredients gonna do this every week till harvest day so I can have a pipe line just need to find some receptacles for the finished product. I think the first batch will be a loss but as a started a new batch the day after I should have some "sweet sweet candy aghhh" at the end!

 

[MasterCrook]

Haven't tried it but, I'd be interested to see the results.

I agree! It sounds similar to sake stages

 

[MasterCrook]

Does anyone shake/swirl the fermentation? Mine was pretty dormant until I shook it a few days ago, now it's bubbling like crazy. Also I was worried about the rice being to dry and not steamed enough, but the rice is almost completely eaten away. I just shook it up again and I'll leave it a few more days to see what happens. I don't harvest until the 30th, so there's still time

 

[DanzigsMISFITS]

Would a plain rice cooker work?

 

[jak1010]

Would a plain rice cooker work?

I don't see why not. I'd say that any cooking style that allows you to make rice good enough to eat is good enough to make rice wine with.

Steam it, boil it....it's all good. Eat it or make wine, the cooking process should be good.

Take pictures and share them here often throughout the process.