Making Traditional rice Wine. Cheap, Fun, and Different

[sar_dog_1]

How is the vanilla and cinnamon stick? Are the ratios right? I might try that!

 

[Lebl468]

How is the vanilla and cinnamon stick? Are the ratios right? I might try that!

It's early, but I like it. Seems to fight the tangy ness of the wine. At 1/4 tsp vanilla, and one stick cinnamon per 750ml, you can taste it, but it is definitely not over powering. Going to let it sit in there for a week to pass final judgement, but the taste is defiantly a keeper. If it is weak after a week, next batch, I will go 1/2 tsp and 2 sticks.

 

[sar_dog_1]

Cool thanks. Lemme know how it comes out.

 

[brooklynkayak]

Regarding:

I stir and taste every day or so. It is interesting to see how it progresses.

Although I can see no problem in most cases, I have heard you run the risk of your batch turning to vinegar by letting in oxygen too often.

By keeping it loosely closed enough and not opening the top to trap CO2, it will not turn to vinegar.

Not that there is anything wrong with that. I think rice wine vinegar is the best vinegar for cooking, but traditionally they kept in a dark place with the lock on until it's time to bottle the wine.

 

[Lebl468]

Got my second batch started today, 4 cups of Jasmine rice, rinsed, boiled in 5 cups of water on the stove, cooled all afternoon. Spread out on 2 cookie sheets, 6 yeast balls crushed up Miami Vice style, sprinkled over the rice, then packed into the jars. Interested to see the taste difference between Basmati and Jasmine rice.

 

[smacksfrog]

I stand CORRECTED aspergillus is a fungus, a mold and one of the organisms for rice ferments that produces the enzymes, Molds fungi require oxygen to sporulate, the hyphae ,fuzzy white mycelial growth is what produces the enzymes and breaks down the starch.It is the vegetative stage of the fungi.Some molds produce mycotoxins http://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/24049/PDF is a definitive description of rice ball microbiology.

I had an earlier post about bad results makng this wine and I think this was a big part of my problem. I had little airspace and a sealed jar, I dont think my a. Oryzea was taking off. More airspace and my wine came out much much nicer this last pass.

 

[TBBrewer]

This stuff will spoil with time. If you want to keep it long term, it is best to pasteurize it. In regards to the vanilla and cinnamon addition, try adding some apple juice concentrate at serving. I have done this in the past and we call it apple pie. It works really well and is a crowd pleaser.

 

[sar_dog_1]

How much apple juice? Sounds delish. Also what is your proven vanilla and cinnamon ratios?

 

[TBBrewer]

Apple juice concentrate, the stuff in the frozen section. I would just say do it to taste as that is what I did. Will look back in my notes, but don't think it was documented.

 

[pdxal]

This stuff will spoil with time. If you want to keep it long term, it is best to pasteurize it. In regards to the vanilla and cinnamon addition, try adding some apple juice concentrate at serving. I have done this in the past and we call it apple pie. It works really well and is a crowd pleaser.

Mine hasn't spoiled so far and I've consistenly let batches ferment 5+ weeks, never pasteurized, and let the rice wine sit for up to a year. 14 batches so far.
Perhaps different yeast balls have different microbiological make ups?

 

[TBBrewer]

Anything is possible.

 

[ChefRex]

Mine hasn't spoiled so far and I've consistenly let batches ferment 5+ weeks, never pasteurized, and let the rice wine sit for up to a year. 14 batches so far.

Perhaps different yeast balls have different microbiological make ups?

Same results here, last aged bottle at ten months was excellent, I have another over a year.

 

[mjo81]

I stand CORRECTED aspergillus is a fungus, a mold and one of the organisms for rice ferments that produces the enzymes, Molds fungi require oxygen to sporulate, the hyphae ,fuzzy white mycelial growth is what produces the enzymes and breaks down the starch.It is the vegetative stage of the fungi.Some molds produce mycotoxins http://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/24049/PDF is a definitive description of rice ball microbiology.

Not to chide bruhops - there are at least three types of organisms in your yeast ball so it can be confusing. The three types are mold, bacteria, and yeast. The mold saccharifies the starch. The lactobacillus create the citrusy, tangy flavor and lower the PH so that yeast can do their fermenting. Yeast make most of the alcohol.

The reason why others say it's best to ferment this stuff at lower temperatures is to limit the impact of the lactobacillus since the bacteria works best at higher temperatures >65 degrees F. The difference between making rice vinegar or rice wine is probably temperature.

 

[Strats]

So I strained and bottled what I had done with slightly less then 4c of rice, got 1.25L of liquid. I wanted it to be ready for an event so I stopped it at 16 Days. The liquid is extremely sweet, like a liquid candy. No taste of alcohol at all. After 12 hours of sitting in a cupboard in the dark I opened the swing tops I have it in, no pop/hiss/nothing to indicate co2. Maybe it was too cold for the yeasts but I got the molds to do their work? 58-62f the whole time except for 12hr or so at 80f in the beginning. I'll definitely try making it again when its warmer, but anything to salvage this?

 

[bruhops]

Not to chide bruhops - there are at least three types of organisms in your yeast ball so it can be confusing. The three types are mold, bacteria, and yeast. The mold saccharifies the starch. The lactobacillus create the citrusy, tangy flavor and lower the PH so that yeast can do their fermenting. Yeast make most of the alcohol.

The reason why others say it's best to ferment this stuff at lower temperatures is to limit the impact of the lactobacillus since the bacteria works best at higher temperatures >65 degrees F. The difference between making rice vinegar or rice wine is probably temperature.

Yes mold, bacteria and yeast, lactobaccilus is a minor constituent of eighteen bacteria sequenced only four were LAB,by no means the definitive bacteria.The banana,pear like favour is attributed to ethyl acetate. The citrusy pineapple like flavour to ethyl lactate. The LAB that is common serves more to acidify creating a bacterocide. Since there are thousands of cereal ferment heterogenous starter mixtures it would be erroneous to claim LAB as the ONE. China represents a fraction of the cultural claim to rice ferments, however they have done extensive science and have facilities to sequence identify the DNA of the microbia True a mix of mold yeast and bacteria, but chiding ,come on? A simple google wikipedia search "Jiuqu" the name of rice ball in the chinese culture spread throughout the orient,and read the bibliography first. Acetobacteria produces vinegar not LAB.

 

[pdxal]

So I strained and bottled what I had done with slightly less then 4c of rice, got 1.25L of liquid. I wanted it to be ready for an event so I stopped it at 16 Days. The liquid is extremely sweet, like a liquid candy. No taste of alcohol at all. After 12 hours of sitting in a cupboard in the dark I opened the swing tops I have it in, no pop/hiss/nothing to indicate co2. Maybe it was too cold for the yeasts but I got the molds to do their work? 58-62f the whole time except for 12hr or so at 80f in the beginning. I'll definitely try making it again when its warmer, but anything to salvage this?

The best way to salvage it is tp just give it more time fermenting. Jusr like not letting beer finish before fermentation is complete. If you keep it sealed for a couple of days you will probably get a hiss of CO2 pressure.

 

[mjo81]

interesting bruhops that's more complicated than I realized. So at what temperature do you like to ferment your rice?

 

[bruhops]

When initiating the temp runs around 68 to 70 F, when the log phase is complete and the last of the three additions to the starter is complete then 45 to 55 degrees for three weeks.Till the rice drops beneath the surface indicating no more co2 being produced to float it.Usually completes in 4 to 5 weeks

 

[Lebl468]

5 weeks and 502 pages all read. Ya for me!

 

[z-bob]

I started my first batch with RYR a couple of weeks ago. I didn't grind the RYR because I thought the enzymes would dissolve it anyway so why bother. Oops.

So it's kind of pink instead of plum-colored, but other than that it's doing just fine. I just need to leave it alone for a few more weeks...

 

[WinterWarrior]

Howdy!

Here's a view of my rice wine at 15 days in.

And a closer look.

I must tell you that I had just stirred it up right before I took those shots. It was a bit clearer prior to the stir -- but not much.

That's a 4 liter glass jar, so I really have no idea yet how much I'll end up with.

I've tasted it and it's a bit fizzy and not at all sweet. It's rather like a dry wine. What's the point where I should say, OK this is done?

When it's done, do I just dump it over some flour sacking and allow to drain? Like I would my cheeses?

Cheers!

 

[z-bob]

Howdy!

Here's a view of my rice wine at 15 days in.

How much water did you add??

 

[WinterWarrior]

How much water did you add??

None. I looked at the recipes here and I didn't see where anyone was adding water -- soooooooo ... does that mean I goofed up?

 

[z-bob]

None. I looked at the recipes here and I didn't see where anyone was adding water -- soooooooo ... does that mean I goofed up?

No, not at all. Your pictures look (to me) like you added water.

 

[MasterCrook]

After letting my non RYR batch settle for a few weeks after pasturizing, i can clearly taste the difference between using RYR and no RYR. The wine is less fruity smelling but still smells very sweet. Like a mild bourbon vanilla smell. Tastes very mellow and clean. The taste is cleaner and simpler than RYR batches. Also, if you're drinking a lot, the next day seems to go better too

 

[WinterWarrior]

No, not at all. Your pictures look (to me) like you added water.

Nope, all of that is the liquid produced from the rice and the yeast balls. Maybe because I used sweet rice and it wasn't "fluffy" but still really sticky when I added it to the jar is why it has that milky appearance. No idea -- this is my first rodeo.

So, can anyone give me an idea of how long I should leave it go before I strain it?

I've heard anything from 10 days to 2 weeks to 30 days to longer.

Mine is still a bit fizzy -- should I wait until all the carbonation is gone? Or what it the rule of thumb?

 

[MasterCrook]

Nope, all of that is the liquid produced from the rice and the yeast balls. Maybe because I used sweet rice and it wasn't "fluffy" but still really sticky when I added it to the jar is why it has that milky appearance. No idea -- this is my first rodeo.

So, can anyone give me an idea of how long I should leave it go before I strain it?

I've heard anything from 10 days to 2 weeks to 30 days to longer.

Mine is still a bit fizzy -- should I wait until all the carbonation is gone? Or what it the rule of thumb?

Usually 3-4 weeks and the fermentation will slow down enough to be negligible. The earlier you stop the fermentation, the sweeter it'll be but less potential alcohol

 

[WinterWarrior]

Usually 3-4 weeks and the fermentation will slow down enough to be negligible. The earlier you stop the fermentation, the sweeter it'll be but less potential alcohol

Thanks, MasterCrook!

It's not sweet now and I tasted it on Day 15 ... so I'm not sure if that's due to the rice I used or the yeast balls ... or even the amount of yeast balls I used. First batch -- got carried away and I think I used 5 balls total (not 5 packages of 2 balls).

Has anyone come up with a guide as to how many yeast balls we should use per cup of COOKED rice? I'm not sure I should use dry rice as a guide as everyone cooks rice differently & seems to be using different types of rice.

Soooooo, wouldn't using a measurement after the rice is cooked a better way to determine how much yeast ball powder to use?

I can tell you I won't be using Sweet Rice again -- that stuff is not fun to work with.

 

[z-bob]

I usually use 1/2 sweet rice and 1/2 medium grain supermarket rice, cooked together. It's pretty easy to handle (but sticky) and the yield is good. I'm using straight sweet rice in my current batch; it was a lot harder to handle Don't know yet how it will turn out. It's been going about 2 weeks.

I haven't tried mixing sweet rice and jasmine rice yet.

 

[lowrider_rt2000]

Needing some help here. This is my 4th time making rice wine. This stuff doesn't last long at all! The 3 batches before turned out great! This batch isn't doing anything after 4 days. I made a 5lb bag of Jasmine rice and used 6 yeast balls. I've been putting all my batches in small food grade buckets with an airlock. I used The same yeast balls I used before too. All my other batches were smaller and had action within a day. Is there anything I can do to wake this batch up at all? Thank you.

 

[badlee]

Try warming it up a little?

 

[brooklynkayak]

Has anyone come up with a guide as to how many yeast balls we should use per cup of COOKED rice? I'm not sure I should use dry rice as a guide as everyone cooks rice differently & seems to be using different types of rice.

I use one one inch diameter yeast ball per two cups of uncooked rice. The amount of water used should not be a determining factor in how many yeast balls to use.

I can tell you I won't be using Sweet Rice again -- that stuff is not fun to work with.

What is it about sweet rice that you don't like? I prefer it and have found I always get a better yield and I feel a cleaner flavour than other rices I've tried.

I don't see how it is harder work with, unless maybe you are using narrow neck bottles?

 

[brooklynkayak]

...This batch isn't doing anything after 4 days. I made a 5lb bag of Jasmine rice and used 6 yeast balls....

Is it possible that you were impatient and added the yeast balls while the rice was still hot?
That will kill the yeast.

If that is the case, just add another ground yeast ball or two and the yeast should get going right away.

 

[WinterWarrior]

What is it about sweet rice that you don't like? I prefer it and have found I always get a better yield and I feel a cleaner flavour than other rices I've tried.

I don't see how it is harder work with, unless maybe you are using narrow neck bottles?

Putting the rice in the bottle/jar is not the issue. I'm using a pretty wide mouth 4 or 5 liter jar.

The issue I had was that the blasted rice wouldn't finish cooking. I ended up with really soggy, gluey rice. I cooked 2 batches, each with less water than I would normally use ... 2nd batch even less. Both gluey masses. I ended up with at an inch of wallpaper glue on top of the gluey rice.

When I cook medium grain rice I don't have nearly as much of a mess -- I just haven't figured out how to cook this stuff (sweet rice) properly.

 

[MasterCrook]

Putting the rice in the bottle/jar is not the issue. I'm using a pretty wide mouth 4 or 5 liter jar.

The issue I had was that the blasted rice wouldn't finish cooking. I ended up with really soggy, gluey rice. I cooked 2 batches, each with less water than I would normally use ... 2nd batch even less. Both gluey masses. I ended up with at an inch of wallpaper glue on top of the gluey rice.

When I cook medium grain rice I don't have nearly as much of a mess -- I just haven't figured out how to cook this stuff (sweet rice) properly.

I find broken thai jasmine to work best, and i only steam, never boil

 

[lowrider_rt2000]

Try warming it up a little?

I keep my bucket on top of my refrigerator wrapped in a towel. It stays about 70 up there when the fridge is running.

Is it possible that you were impatient and added the yeast balls while the rice was still hot?
That will kill the yeast.

If that is the case, just add another ground yeast ball or two and the yeast should get going right away.

No it wasn't too hot. I lay parchment paper on a cookie sheet and spread the rice on it evenly. I use a thermometer to check temp. It was 64.8 at the hottest spot. Then I sprinkle the yeast over top the rice and roll it up like a pumpkin roll and place it in my bucket, minus the paper.

 

[WinterWarrior]

I find broken thai jasmine to work best, and i only steam, never boil

I use a rice cooker -- I'm not sure if that's considered steaming or boiling, but before I tried the sticky sweet rice it always cooked my rice to perfection. So I'll keep using that -- it's the same rice cooker I see at some Asian restaurants where they have rice constantly kept warm. It will cook/keep warm about 10-12 cups of rice at a time, so it's pretty big.

 

[MasterCrook]

Maybe try Thai jasmine rice next time. It's not as sticky and smells really good

 

[MasterCrook]

I use a rice cooker -- I'm not sure if that's considered steaming or boiling, but before I tried the sticky sweet rice it always cooked my rice to perfection. So I'll keep using that -- it's the same rice cooker I see at some Asian restaurants where they have rice constantly kept warm. It will cook/keep warm about 10-12 cups of rice at a time, so it's pretty big.

Maybe try Thai Jasmine next time, it's not as sticky and smells really good

 

[brooklynkayak]

I use a rice cooker -- I'm not sure if that's considered steaming or boiling...

Yes, sweet sticky rice works much better when steamed long and slow and not cooked in a rice cooker.

Better go with a long grain style like jasmine, basmati, ...