Rice wine, anyone?

[Stratstill]

Hi!

I recently took a trip to Indonesia, where I came across (quite unexpectedly) a REALLY nice rice wine. It was the perfect combination of sweetness with an acidic touch and a great aftertaste. Since then I´ve been searching everywhere like crazy to find a recipe that more or less matches that taste. But the information on the internet is somewhat thin. I know there are lots of recipes, types of rice and types of yeasts and starters depending on different areas and cultures in Asia, so it´s quite difficult to find a truly solid recipe. Do anyone have any knowledge or insight about these topics?

I would truly appreciate your help!!

Strat

[Desvio]

I've been dabbling with rice for a little over a year now with the intentions of distilling, makes a very nice vodka and whiskey. You would honestly need to know the exact recipe used (rice, water, mold/yeast, fermenting conditions, clarifying, etc), I have been making a nice Thai jasmine ricewine that has been touching 18-20%. Sweetness can depend on how much unfermented sugars there are before the yeast gives up, more water content at the beginning produces a dryer finish, as pasteurization can also dry it out a little.

I currently use 6-cups of jasmine rice, 8-cups of water (in a rice cooker), I aim for a sticky rice consistency. Then mix in two crushed rice balls with 2tsp flour, then mix that with the sticky rice. I like to clean of the entire counter and spread it out, firstly to cool it quickly, then it's easier to spread out the powdered yeastball and flour mixture. Then it all goes into a closed fermenting bucket and into the water heater closet for four weeks, maintains about 74F in there. I'll then rack it off and press every drop I can out of the mush, and put it into the fridge for another 1-2 weeks to settle, and then rack it off again into bottles.

From there you can drink them, but if you are going to age them I'd suggest you pasteurize it. And brace yourself, stuff can pack a wicked kick.

[Stratstill]

I currently use 6-cups of jasmine rice, 8-cups of water (in a rice cooker), I aim for a sticky rice consistency. Then mix in two crushed rice balls with 2tsp flour, then mix that with the sticky rice. I like to clean of the entire counter and spread it out, firstly to cool it quickly, then it's easier to spread out the powdered yeastball and flour mixture. Then it all goes into a closed fermenting bucket and into the water heater closet for four weeks, maintains about 74F in there. I'll then rack it off and press every drop I can out of the mush, and put it into the fridge for another 1-2 weeks to settle, and then rack it off again into bottles.

From there you can drink them, but if you are going to age them I'd suggest you pasteurize it. And brace yourself, stuff can pack a wicked kick.

Nice!! I'll be trying that out for sure! Thanks!
So the flour is meant to enhance the sweetness, right? I read it can produce mold inside the container while fermenting, is that something I should worry about?

Also, have you tried using different types of rice?? I would be really eager to know about the differences they produce in taste.

[Desvio]

Nice!! I'll be trying that out for sure! Thanks!
So the flour is meant to enhance the sweetness, right? I read it can produce mold inside the container while fermenting, is that something I should worry about?

Also, have you tried using different types of rice?? I would be really eager to know about the differences they produce in taste.

The flour (so little as it is) is supposed to convert faster than the rice, and the theory is that it serves as a "starter" for the mold and get it going. Between that and maintaining temperature, I have finally made a consent product, now to get better at my water, alcohol and unfermented sugar balance.

I've been meaning to start a thread on my rice fermenting adventures and recipes.

And yes, the type of rice means everything, even blending them. My next will be a white jasmine rice with a little black rice mixed in.

[jonnys_spirit]

I did a three gallon rice wine using a mix of jasmine and basmati for the starter then additions of a short grain rice for the bulk of it over several days. I used a koji mold spore packet in the starter which has an enzyme that slowly converts the starches into sugars. Also a lactic infection was started with some cheese and I used a lager yeast. The starter was maintained at about 80*F for a couple days then for the remainder of the ferment kept cool. Like 59*F in my basement. It took months to ferment and convert but then I separated in a paint strainer / mop wringer and it has been clearing. It’s about ready to bottle. So far has taken about three months and i’ll get about 10 bottles of crystal clear dry sake and a couple more of cloudy. All dry. I like it and will make more. That was almost a full 20# bag.

I’d love to make a batch to distill but i’d certainly use a different protocol to convert and ferment with a larger batch size. I feel like it will need a steam stripping too.

Cheers!
-j

[Stratstill]

I've been meaning to start a thread on my rice fermenting adventures and recipes.

Nice!! Looking forward to reading it!

[Stratstill]

Also a lactic infection was started with some cheese and I used a lager yeast.

Wow, you've totally lost me there. I'm quite new to the whole fermenting scene, so I still lack a lot of knowledge. You' re saying you mixed cheese and beer yeast with the rice and koji mold? What does this achieve? (Sounds really cool, though )

[zach]

I made 8 gallons of a rice wine using 15 lbs of a finely ground white jasmine rice. I mashed using Sebstar HT high temp enzyme at 180 F for 3 hours then cooled to 150 F and used Sebamyl -GL at 145 for 3 hours. My inital SG was 1.065. Before fermentation it tasted like Horchata - very sweet and pleasant to drink.

I pitched EC1118 yeast and a handful of oyster shells.

It fermented down to 1.02 over about 10 days.

I distilled all of the wine, but should have saved a little as the taste was pretty good.

[augapfel12]

Hi!

I recently took a trip to Indonesia, where I came across (quite unexpectedly) a REALLY nice rice wine. It was the perfect combination of sweetness with an acidic touch and a great aftertaste. Since then I´ve been searching everywhere like crazy to find a recipe that more or less matches that taste. But the information on the internet is somewhat thin. I know there are lots of recipes, types of rice and types of yeasts and starters depending on different areas and cultures in Asia, so it´s quite difficult to find a truly solid recipe. Do anyone have any knowledge or insight about these topics?

I would truly appreciate your help!!

Strat

Hello Stratstill,

where about in Indonesia have you been? different island have different recipes for there rice wine.
Some are using "tape ketan" as a starter. It is a fermented glutinous rice. This tape yeast is sold here in indonesia in the normal shop, same like bakers yeast. Might be possible to order via amazon

have a good day

tom

[bastardbrewer]

I got one on the stove now. Any glutinous rice will do, but obviously will make or break the flavor.
Im boiling the rice, and using Sebstar HTL at 83 ish celcius then Sebstar GL at 62 ish celsius, both for at least 2 hrs at hose temps.
Then dissolve with sugar, add 4 ltr good quality light white grape juice, leave to ferment till SG measures 1.005, then add some more sugar, wait till 1.005, add some more sugar in small batches until its stuck at 1.010. Should be around 18% with a good quality yeast, I ship the stuff from china in little sachets or use EC1118.

I know this is not a traditional rice wine, since I use more water, sugar and white wine but hey ho, this is how I like it.

Reg.
B the B

[v-child]

I use about 2 1/2 lbs of sweet short grain Thai rice to one gallon of water. I rinse the rice once and leave 12 1/2 lbs of rice in a five gallon bucket of water overnight to soften it. I do not mill or grind the rice. The following morning, I dump the batch in the pot and stir constantly until the temp hits about 190 F. I'll add a tablespoon of HTL and continue the heat and stir routine for about thirty minutes. Shut down the heat, stir every fifteen minutes until 155 F then add a TBLS of Amylase enzyme and allow an insulated slow rest to pitching temp. I strain, add nutrients and EC-1118 yeast. A week and a half later I'll have a very drinkable dry wine at around eight percent. I let it settle, pour off what I want to distill and reserve a bit for drinking wine. I do not add sugar.