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Uncle Remus Rice Vodka

Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 6:09 am
by Uncle Remus
This is my first try at making a rice spirit.

I brought about 45 liters of water to a boil. I added an 8kg bag of rice and let it boil for 10 minutes or so. Then I shut off the heat and let it sit for an hour. I then added another 10 liters or so of cold water, and put the pot outside to cool to strike temperature 66°C. It never took long as the tempertures outside are close to - 20° C right now....Burrrrrrrrrr!!!

At 66°C I added 4 tlbs of alpha amylase and put the lid on and let the conversion happen for about 90 minutes. The sg had the potential for about 6-7% AV. I added 10 lbs of white sugar and put the mixture to cool. When temperature reached 30-35°C I threw the yeast and added 4 tlbs of gluco amylase and aerated the crap out of it. Put it all in 2 fermenters and put it away to do it's magic.

I used 2 packages of EC 1118, which I hydrated and then started in a mild sugar water a couple hours before hand.

We shall see what happens :?

Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 7:33 am
by wineo
I did a similar recipe last year,but kept it as saki.Its been in the bottle for 8 months,and is some good s##t.I used 15Lbs of calrose rice that I milled down some.I cooked the rice,adjusted the ph,and mashed at 152f with amelaze and later with beano.I left the mash overnite to convert,and got a fairly good conversion.I added 10 pounds of corn sugar,and 5 cans of welchs 100% white grape for body.I fermented with 2 packs of flor/sherry yeast and once the sg dropped,I kept adding corn sugar additions for the next four months,and racking to get rid of all the sedement.I ended up using 21pounds of corn sugar all together.It stopped fermenting at 21%.
I had thought of distilling it,but its just too good like it is.It taste real close to a semi-dry sake.

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 12:01 pm
by manu de hanoi
i though the enzymes where not necessary

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 3:01 pm
by Uncle Remus
You need something to convert the starch to sugars. For traditional saki koji is used, which is some kinda fungus or mold culture. I used enzymes rather than malt because I want to see what kinda flavor you get from rice, enzymes will add no flavors.

BTW it's fermenting like crazy right now.

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 6:16 pm
by wineo
U.R. I did the same thing without using koji.I did add some white grape,but you cant taste it at all.It just has a rice flavor.Its got a buzz all its own.Different than wine,different than whiskey or beer.I drink it at room temp.

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 12:29 pm
by Uncle Remus
The rice fermentation went quick, within a week. I siphoned it into carboys and it cleared very nicely in a day or so. Last night I did a strip run. I had a drink in the middle of the run. It came off at about 60% through the hearts portion of the run. It is very smooth and does have a really delicate flavor.
I think what surprise me the most is the smells. The fore shot (the 30 mls or so that came off before 172°F) had almost no smell. Most fore shots I get have an acetone smell. The tails also had no smell. I ran them down to below 30%. It was cloudy and had an oily film floating on the top, but no tailsy smell. I don't make any cuts on the strip run, I just remove the fore shot. I guess I'm not gonna be able to use my nose as a guide when I do the spirit run.

It's interesting. Really different than anything else I've distilled.

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 4:39 pm
by Uncle Remus
Finally got around to doing the spirit run this week. It turned out to be a thing of beauty. I guess I will just call it Rice Vodka. Through most of the spirit run it came off at 80%AV. I ran it down deep into the tails to about 25-30%. I've never run any spirit that far into tails on the final run, but this rice never turned skanky. Even the heads had little off smells, I took about a half litre of heads, but I know I could have got away taking less.

This rice vodka has a smooth delicate flavor even drinking it at 40%. I think if a person wanted a perfect tasteless vodka, rice might be the way to go. Just take it one step further than I did and reflux it. Personally I like it the way it is.

I'm definitely gonna be making more.

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 6:35 pm
by HookLine
Nice work. I wonder how it would have turned out with just rice and no sugar?

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 7:36 pm
by Uncle Remus
Next time. The conversion seemed to work really well. It seems like I got a pretty generous yield for only 10 lbs of sugar. I don't remember if I took a SG reading after the conversion or not., probably not..... next time rice and enzymes- no sugar. :D

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 7:48 pm
by jjnorcal
U.R., dumb question here... did you remove the rice before putting everything into the fermenter?

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 8:09 pm
by HookLine
Uncle Remus wrote:next time rice and enzymes- no sugar. :D
Definitely want to hear about the outcome of that one. Keep us posted.

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 8:28 pm
by wineo
Ive got 2 cases of rice wine that I made last year by mashing the rice,and might have to distill it sometime since yours did so well.Mines at 21%.
I could use all those bottles anyway as I have 23 gallons of wines in carboys and fermenters going.Half of it is ready to bottle,and I have 2 batches of elderberrys in 2 fermenters that I started this week.

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 6:10 am
by Uncle Remus
jjnorcal wrote:U.R., dumb question here... did you remove the rice before putting everything into the fermenter?
Not a dumb question at all. I fermented it on the grain. The grain was strained out before distilling.

Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:31 pm
by big worm
hey guys i wanted to respond on this thread instead of starting a new one....some one asked a question and this one was the anser...anyways i got this freind who has a batch of UR'S rice vodka fermenting as we type....this thing is way cool it is exactly what the doc orderd.
my freind used 181L water 18KG rice 11KG sugar and 5pkts 3-1 enzymes 6 crushed beanos {just for luck}....lol lotsa debait there huh? and 212g distillers yeast. did exactly what UR did on his post.....its s sight to see working...it sounds like rice crispies snapping....lol one thing i found cool is having never fooled with enzymes....taste the rice mush before adding then give it about two hours and a couple of stirs 8) it gos from bland to very sweet i'm in love with this one i can't wait till my freind distills this

Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:54 pm
by big worm
rice wash starting to slow up on fermenting should be ready to rack off in a day ...more like two. it ran hot the whole way 41c its droped to 34c as it slowed might have to cool the next one...seems that most of the rice is gone must have been ate up by the enzymes and converted out. the taste is dryer than it was but still not real dry ,it is mild tho and oder is mild as well...my buddys gonna like this one i'm sure :wink:

Posted: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:53 pm
by big worm
for anyone who cares...tonite the stuff is still working at a slower pace churning and a pure white foam has replaced the thick rice/cap. temp is holding a steady 32c down from 42c sg at start was not accurate because of temp being hot! but it was about at the 95 mark ,dropped to 15 as off an hour ago...this one IS going to ZERO...i can feel the love :lol:

Posted: Fri Mar 07, 2008 8:19 pm
by rad14701
Sounds promising, big worm... Can't wait to hear how it turns out...

Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 2:01 pm
by big worm
this thing is still working slowly cap is gone for the most part,but it still bubles ever so slightly..large top to bottom uphevels every so long...gave another good stir again tis afternoon....i hope it will settle out and drop square to the bottem soon. sg is just 2 small marks to the zero/black so i figure it has to drop out soon i may filter it out and see if it will clear if it does reach the black...thoughts? anyone its the first on grain ferment for me and i'm not really sure how far to take it.....don't wanna spoil it

Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:14 am
by Uncle Remus
After I've put a wash to ferment (after stirring in the yeast) I never stir it again.
Sounds like your almost ready. At this point, since you gave it a stir, let it settle again without disturbing it, and the siphon the wort off the grain into a carboy or another fermenter (no real need to filter it, racking it off works fine). Leave it sit undisturbed for a day or so and when your ready to distill it siphon it into your boiler and run it.

Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 3:28 pm
by big worm
Uncle Remus wrote:After I've put a wash to ferment (after stirring in the yeast) I never stir it again.
Sounds like your almost ready. At this point, since you gave it a stir, let it settle again without disturbing it, and the siphon the wort off the grain into a carboy or another fermenter (no real need to filter it, racking it off works fine). Leave it sit undisturbed for a day or so and when your ready to distill it siphon it into your boiler and run it.


UR your the man! that is exactly what my buddy did today.... if math is correct 19%abv it is strong stuff could drink as rice wine now if wanted....when my buddy runs it i'll post the news....i do think you have a winner here....i want to create an UR'S rice vodka lable...hehehe :wink:

Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:29 pm
by big worm
racked in 5gak buckets took a peak after 3-4 hours and settling very nice its almost as clear as water on top couple inches...oh boy oh boy

Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 4:06 pm
by big worm
it's just as good as UR said very very mild... almost no taste or smell high yeilds for sugar amounts...this is the vodka for drinkers of nutral juice. if your looking for a new twist or another wash to play with UR'S rice vodka is the ticket :wink: thanks UR for the help and the juice

Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2008 6:08 am
by Uncle Remus
NP. Glad it turned out for you. I believe this recipe is a keeper. I am gonna give it a go next time without any added sugar, just to see the difference (if there is any).

Re: A rice experiment of sorts

Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 3:28 pm
by wineo
Uncle Remus,I finally got my wine rack full,and desided to distill my year old rice wine.
I did a single potstill run,and made some cuts.It turned out real nice,and the heads/tails portions were small.Its real clean,but has a different flavor than anything else that I have tasted. With the rice shortage going on,it wont be as cheap to make,but your right,its a keeper.

Re: Uncle Remus Rice Vodka

Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 10:23 am
by chiao123
Hello new here just curious where I can purchase the enzymes For this rice vodka wash ? I have made rice wine with sweet rice and used the yeast balls they sell at asian markets but never used enzymes.

Thanks

Re: Uncle Remus Rice Vodka

Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 10:47 am
by Dnderhead
it would help to know what country your from hear in the US they are available in brew shops and on line it also makes a difference how much you want

Re: Uncle Remus Rice Vodka

Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 11:00 am
by chiao123
Sorry Located Northeast USA NY

Re: Uncle Remus Rice Vodka

Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 11:24 am
by Dnderhead
hears one you can buy balk or in small packs I'm shore there's a lot of of other places good place to buy because you can git stuff here that nobody else seems to carry
http://www.milehidistilling.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Re: Uncle Remus Rice Vodka

Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 11:41 am
by wineo
If your using the yeast balls,there going to do better than the enzymes because they have the koji mold in them.Theres nothing better for making sake.I cant get them around here.

Re: Uncle Remus Rice Vodka

Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 7:36 pm
by chiao123
Btw when I run my rice wash does it matter if I use a pot still or a reflux still?


Buy yeast balls here: "http://importfood.com/nrhf0401.html"