Making Traditional rice Wine. Cheap, Fun, and Different

[user 211287]

I use 1 ball for 2.5 cups of dry rice but i usually add a little red yeast rice also when i grind the balls. Normally all i use is sweet rice or Japanese short grain varieties.

 

[pdxal]

I've used anywhere from 1 ball per 2 cups dry rice to 1 per 4 cups and not seen a large difference. I typically use 4 balls per 8 cups dry rice because the yeast balls are about $2.40 per dozen around here and I'd rather overpitch than underpitch.

 

[mrkrausen]

I've come up with a relatively easy way to strain it.

Sorry if this has been covered. I've read through a good part of this thread and I've made 4-5 batches of this stuff over the years. Everyone including myself has loved it, but for the life of me I can figure out an easy and effective way to strain this stuff! I've tried a paint strainer bag and it's probably been the most effective but a PIA. Would you mind sharing your method?

Thanks

 

[lowrider_rt2000]

Sorry if this has been covered. I've read through a good part of this thread and I've made 4-5 batches of this stuff over the years. Everyone including myself has loved it, but for the life of me I can figure out an easy and effective way to strain this stuff! I've tried a paint strainer bag and it's probably been the most effective but a PIA. Would you mind sharing your method?

Thanks

I use a cheese cloth. Works great for me.

 

[MasterCrook]

I use nylon nut milk bags from the asian store. I use them for steaming and straining/squeezing. They go for 60 cents, really worth stocking up if you can find them

 

[MasterCrook]

Has anyone tried using sorghum with these yeast balls?

 

[mrkrausen]

Are you guys squeezing the bags trying to get the majority of that goodness out?

 

[ChefRex]

Sorry if this has been covered. I've read through a good part of this thread and I've made 4-5 batches of this stuff over the years. Everyone including myself has loved it, but for the life of me I can figure out an easy and effective way to strain this stuff! I've tried a paint strainer bag and it's probably been the most effective but a PIA. Would you mind sharing your method?



Thanks

What I do is gather my simple equipment,
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1453507923.787222.jpg
Then remove 80% of the cap which is mostly dryish,View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1453508043.286808.jpg
Then simply hold Back the remaining clump and pour though the fine strainer, let the clump drain for a bit giving it a couple turns, then dispose.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1453508579.394686.jpg
By this time you will have some puddling in the bottom of the bowl, pour it off and let it drain, turning it a few times.
I stopped squeezing, seemed to just get more solids and I prefer mine clear,View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1453508426.513220.jpg
Cheers!

 

[SeraW]

Begging the question a bit, but does this mean oxidation is not a concern, Chef?

 

[ChefRex]

I've never noticed an issue, I totally mishandle this stuff, no sanitation except for normal washing, now I been fermenting hot, seems to come out drier.
Couldn't be more forgiving.

 

[mrkrausen]

Thanks for the reply ChefRex. I have been squeezing the holy hell out of the paint strainer bag. I think that might be where I'm going wrong. I've just been trying to get every little bit of liquid I can. I'll try to avoid that next go round.

 

[pdxal]

I've been using a paint strainer bag and squeezing the crap out of it with perfectly fine results. Chill or wait to let solids settle and you'll have clear rice wine.

 

[ThatVideoKid]

Has anyone been able to locate these is boston??? Couldn't find anything at mings or the c mart near there.

 

[ChefRex]

Has anyone been able to locate these is boston??? Couldn't find anything at mings of the c mart near there.

Did you ask? I didn't find them on my own I asked and they pointed them out for me.

 

[MasterCrook]

I've been using a paint strainer bag and squeezing the crap out of it with perfectly fine results. Chill or wait to let solids settle and you'll have clear rice wine.

Same for me, i squeeze till there's nothing left, pasteurize, and let it settle for about a week and is crystal clear with sediment at the bottom. Just pore slowly and the sediment doesn't get disturbed/in your glasses

 

[SeraW]

Oh my goddess this stuff is amazing! Very aromatic, and so damn easy. I'll easily make again when supply runs low.

View attachment 1454366070629.jpg

 

[bucketnative]

I recently fermented a batch of the rice wine that was described in the original post:
2 c uncooked rice - cooked in pot, not steamed
2 balls of rice yeast - ground up to powder

I fermented it at 62 F, which is the basement temperature these days. I let it ferment for four weeks, and then collected liquid. I got about 16 oz of wine.

Very sweet and slightly carbonated at first. I bottled 12 oz in a Corona bottle so I could see what it looked like after three days in the fridge. It was still cloudy, but some had settled out. Upon opening, it became a gusher after a second. Lost about two ounces. Still tasted great, and it was sparkling in terms of carbonation level.

I have another batch going in slightly warmer 65 F conditions now.

Is the solution to the gusher to let it ferment longer? Perhaps the 62 F temperature was too low for it to finish in four weeks?

 

[lowrider_rt2000]

I recently fermented a batch of the rice wine that was described in the original post:
2 c uncooked rice - cooked in pot, not steamed
2 balls of rice yeast - ground up to powder

I fermented it at 62 F, which is the basement temperature these days. I let it ferment for four weeks, and then collected liquid. I got about 16 oz of wine.

Very sweet and slightly carbonated at first. I bottled 12 oz in a Corona bottle so I could see what it looked like after three days in the fridge. It was still cloudy, but some had settled out. Upon opening, it became a gusher after a second. Lost about two ounces. Still tasted great, and it was sparkling in terms of carbonation level.

I have another batch going in slightly warmer 65 F conditions now.

Is the solution to the gusher to let it ferment longer? Perhaps the 62 F temperature was too low for it to finish in four weeks?

I put mine in a mason jar and let it sit in the fridge for about 2 weeks to let the sediment gather at the bottom. Then I'll slowly open the lid to let the gasses out. Then I'll siphon it out and toss the sediment. I will sometimes freeze distill mine. Boy does that give it a kick!

 

[lowrider_rt2000]

This is freeze distilled and after a bunch of shots were taken 😁 The color is more golden yellow than in the picture. I'm not sure why it looks pale 😒

View attachment 1454457585563.jpg

 

[bucketnative]

I put mine in a mason jar and let it sit in the fridge for about 2 weeks to let the sediment gather at the bottom. Then I'll slowly open the lid to let the gasses out. Then I'll siphon it out and toss the sediment. I will sometimes freeze distill mine. Boy does that give it a kick!

That makes sense. I had the extra 4 oz in a Mason jar, and I had opened it once each day to take about 1 oz taster... that definitely cut down the carbonation in the jarred sample.

 

[ChefRex]

I'm all for torturing this stuff, last couple of batches have been placed directly on top of a radiator with no noticeable change other than I think it is a little drier, turn around is quick and the yield may be up a little.
YMMV but I'm happy with it.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1454463311.282660.jpg
Latest batch[emoji1]

 

[ChefRex]

Last of these, no sorrow,View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1454466479.163870.jpg

 

[ChefRex]

.

 

[1977Brewer]

Ha!

 

[Zymomancer]

I started a batch two days ago, nothing special, following the instructions at the start of the thread and using 4 cups of glutinous rice and 1 ball per cup (though I suppose I could have used 1 per 2 cups). I managed to burn the bottom of the rice a little and I'm hoping this either doesn't matter or it imparts a tiny bit of nutty flavour or something.

Strangely enough I couldn't find any ONTO yeast balls in three asian markets in Chinatown despite the fact that they're supposed to be made right here in Toronto (or probably a suburb like Markham). I found a brand called "E&B" or "Easy&Busy" from Hong Kong, and settled on it because I didn't feel like hunting around anymore, I suppose it's going to be more or less like the other Chinese brands mentioned here.

Right now there's a bit of liquid accumulating in places, and it smells sweet and funky when I open it up, different but not unlike anything else I've brewed, so I assume everything's A-OK.

Here's a tip: if you are impatient about getting the rice to cool, put a very large plate in the fridge and when the rice is done, spread it across it as thinly as possible and stick it in the fridge, 10 minutes later, flip all of the rice and put it back in the fridge for another 10 minutes. By then it should probably be plenty cool enough, but you should probably mix it up and feel it a bit to see if there are any hotspots left.

Also get one of these if you don't have one, the little nubs make it a hell of a lot easier to manipulate rice, particularly sticky rice:

This is freeze distilled and after a bunch of shots were taken �� The color is more golden yellow than in the picture. I'm not sure why it looks pale ��

Wow, never thought of jacking this... how's it compare to the original?

 

[lowrider_rt2000]

Wow, never thought of jacking this... how's it compare to the original?

It tastes sweet but yet has a kick like you're doing shots of whiskey. I didn't check it in my hydrometer this time so see the % of alcohol. When it doesn't freeze in the freezer, you know it's strong 😊

 

[MasterCrook]

That makes sense. I had the extra 4 oz in a Mason jar, and I had opened it once each day to take about 1 oz taster... that definitely cut down the carbonation in the jarred sample.

If you want to kill the possibility of carbonation you should pasturize your batch. This also speeds up clearing to about a week or less.

 

[MasterCrook]

I'm also curious about the freeze distillation

 

[lowrider_rt2000]

I'm also curious about the freeze distillation

It is so easy! I will put my rice wine in a Tupperware dish and leave it sit in the freezer for about 2 weeks. Then I take the slush and I put it in a blender that has a spouse. Then all the alcohol goes to the bottom and drains out the spout while I take the ice that's left up top and scoop it out and put it in a sink then you are left with pure alcohol.

 

[pdxal]

Perhaps not pure alcohol, but greater than 20% if you can freeze colder than about 0 degrees fahrenheit.
Pasteurization is a great way to stop fermentation, maintain any sweetness, and stop carbonation from happening.
Another way is to bottle in bottles you can periodically open and off-gas until fermentation stops completely. I use 2L soda pop bottles and they usually finish at about 6 weeks, and will settle with another 1-2 weeks of sitting so that I can decant clear rice wine off of solids.