Making rice wine? Sake.

[devance]

I got no idea to do so even after a goggle.

[infinite_monkey]

i have an article somewhere that goes through the whole lot including history etc, but going from memory seriously just buy it,its not that expensive.

here is what i remember though its not much

1. for starters you require specific rice

2. the rice need to be de-husked

3.then you need wash and soak the rice for a set period

4. you then "polish" the rice to remove the outer layers of starch (its bad starch apparently) till the texture changes, at this stage majority of the rice grain is removed leaving only a tiny bit of the core

5. this one changes from time to time and on type. either its crushed and slowly heated or its added to heat then crushed once the rice has "loosened" up. sometimes its not even cooked.

6. some sort of funky yeast is used and slowly femented.

this is only from memory, i know i have details and specifics wrong combined with the many methods and types of sake its a hard one to remember one let alone them all.

seriously the japanese are huge on ritual, and everything being EXACT, leave it to the experts

buy it, much easier

[ 03. November 2004, 17:36: Message edited by: infinite_monkey ]

[devance]

Step one: making your enzyme rich malt-rice (Kome-Koji)

Step two: combining your malt-rice with regular steam cooked rice and yeast to make Sake.

Instructions for Basic Homebrew Sake (producing 3 liters)

Step One: Making malt-rice (Kome-Koji)

Materials: 400 grams of rice (short grain): 0.5 teaspoon of Vision Brewing's Koji mould seeds (Koji-Kin).

Equipment: One colander, sieve or bamboo steamer to contain rice Cotton cloth to absorb water condensation from the saucepan lid (see additional notes) One large saucepan to contain sieve/colander/bamboo steamer

Procedure:

1.Wash 400g(0.9lb) of rice (short grain) until the water clears, soak the rice for about one and a half hours and then put the rice in a basket or sieve for at least 20 mins to drain off any excess water.

2.Steam cook the rice. Steam cooked rice looks slightly transparent, not white. (N.B. make sure that the rice is not in direct contact with the boiling water, see Additional Notes.)

3.Cool down the cooked rice to 30°centigrade(86° F). Put the rice into an enamel or stainless steel container and add 1.5 grams (0.5 teaspoon)of mould-seeds (Koji-Kin), this can be mixed with a teaspoon of plain flour to help distribution. Cover the container with moistened cheese or cotton cloth to prevent drying. A very fine metal sieve /tea strainer is very useful for the distribution of seeds. The spore packet contents are unaffected by repeated openings.

4. Keep the inoculated rice in a warm place at 30 °centigrade (86° F). Stir the grains every 10 hours to distribute the mould evenly. Notice the rice becomes white after 15 hours accompanied by a strong cheese-like aroma. Your rice will become white colored and should be firm and slightly sweet. Maintain the rice at 30° centigrade(86° F) for 40 hours. The Malt-rice is now able to convert regular steamed cooked rice to sugar.

Step two: Brewing Combining malt-rice with regular steam cooked rice

Materials: (beginners are encouraged to use half these amounts for an easy start)

1500grams(3.3lb) rice (short grain): 400grams(0.9lb)malt-rice (Kome-Koji): 5grams(0.18oz)citric (one teaspoon), 4 liters(0.9gal) of chilled chlorine/iron free water.

5grams (0.18oz): Yeast : Use wine/champagne yeasts, bakers yeast. Lager yeasts produces a very pleasant flavour indeed. As starch is converted to sugar then alcohol in one instantaneous process, unusually high alcohol levels (18% alc/vol) can be created from low alcohol yeasts.

Equipment:

Basket or sieve to drain excess water A 10litres(2.6gal) deep brewing container with a lid. This should be made from either enamel, stainless steel, glazed ceramic material or glass. Plastic containers are not recommended as they are difficult to sanitise and can lead to a vinegar tasting brew.

Procedure:

1.Wash 1500g(3.3lb) rice until water clears and soak the rice for about one and a half hours. 2.Steam cook the rice (see additional notes for details)

3.After steaming, cool the rice to 30° centigrade (86° F).

4.Dissolve the citric acid with 4 liters(0.9gal) of water in the brewing container. Citric acid will prevent the contamination of bacteria and add a slight sour taste to your Sake.

5.Add 400 grams malt-rice (Kome-Koji) and mix well.

6.Add the cooled steam cooked rice and mix well.

7.Pitch in the yeast and place the lid on the container keeping it at room temperature. At first the rice will absorb all the water, however within 2 days the rice will break down to a white fermenting slurry. Lower fermenting temperatures will produce a better tasting brew. Around 15°C (57°F) is an ideal temperature.

8.Stir the mixture at least once a day. In two or three days you will notice a very pleasant Sake aroma.

9.In two weeks fermentation will end. Filter the brew using a sterilized basket, fine sieve or cheese cloth or gauze or nylon straining bag. .This may take up to 24 hours. This style of Sake is best served chilled. If you require crystal clear Sake separate the residue by decanting. (see additional notes for preservation details).

Additional information

Important: When you are making your malt-rice (Kome-Koji), you are growing a mould on rice. Providing you grow this mould and no other there are no health concerns. It is possible for the beginner to grow a strange exotic mould or bacteria in error and if used to make a brew, could be toxic and unpleasant to drink. Please use your common sense, if something is unpleasant smelling or tasting, don't consume it!. Below are a few tips to help you recognize and grow malt-rice (Kome-Koji).

1. Malt-rice (Kome-Koji), is always white or slightly tan colored.

2. The smell of malt-rice (Kome-Koji) is a cheesy strong smell (not a mouldy smell), perhaps not a lovely smell but not an unpleasant "off" smell.

3.Small white fibers are seen to be growing from the rice in the later stages. If you grow fibers that are not white in color, do not use this batch as you are growing another mould as well as Koji.

4.To grow a mono culture of only Koji, distribute your Koji-Kin (seeds) very evenly and liberally using a fine metal sieve (tea strainer), making sure you thoroughly mix the rice and seeds.

Making malt-rice (Kome-Koji ) : An electric frying pan with a high lid can be used to help keep the rice warm in the making malt-rice (Kome-Koji ) stage, however care must be taken not to overheat the rice.Overheated rice will kill your fungus growth. Note that the growth of the mould (koji) will generate temperatures above 30°C(86°F), however as long as the environment around the rice is around 30°C(86°F) your growth will be healthy. Any warm dark spot, that will keep your rice away from light and around 30° centigrade (86°F) is perfect for making malt-rice(Kome-Koji).

Traditional Simple Method of making malt-rice (kome-koji ): If you are having trouble finding or creating a warm spot a 2 litre plastic bottle/container of warm water (50 ° C, 152°F) will act as a heater and remain warm for 12 hours when wrapped in a thick blanket with your container of inoculated rice. The rice needs to be stirred every 12 hours so this is a good time to refill the bottle with warm water. Although the temperature fluctuates, very good results can be obtained. Once the koji starts growing the rice will become exothermic ( after about 16 hours) and will generate heat, the temperature may reach as high as 40C; at this stage it is not necessary to use the warm water bottle just let the koji rice run is coarse and continue wrapping it a thick blanket. When finished either store the Malt rice in the freezer, dry it in the sun or in a tray near a window. The light will stop any further unwanted growth

Steaming Rice: Making good, enzyme rich, malt-rice (Kome-Koji) depends firstly on the quality of the steam rice. When steaming rice, make sure the rice has been soaked for one and a half hours and has been drained for 20 minutes of excessive water. Place the rice into a colander and then into a saucepan with an adequate amount of water and make sure the rice is not in contact with the boiling water. Place a thick cloth over the rice to prevent water (condensation) dripping from the lid of the saucepan onto the rice. Steam with the lid on for one hour (checking the water level occasionally).When cooked, the rice should be very slightly sticky, easy to separate and rubbery when tested between the front teeth. Great care must be taken to get the correct texture. It is best to use short grain rice.

A bamboo steamer is very suitable for steaming rice. Place the soaked rice in a container in the steamer, place the steamer in a wok with water in the bottom and steam for one hour. Make sure the lid is on the steamer. There is no condensation problem as the lid is made from bamboo. Massage and mix the rice 3 times during the 40 hour malt-rice (Kome- Koji) process to help distribute the mould growth. Don't let the malt-rice (Kome-Koji) get over ripe so it smells overpowering. This Kome- Koji will determine to a large extent the flavor of your Sake, if it tastes firm and sweet and looks white or slightly tan, then it is time to stop the process and move to the brewing stage. The malt-rice may be stored in a freezer for later use.

Warm spots: devices used for creating warm spots for malt-rice production include, electric frying pans, hot water bottles in a polystyrene box, electric blankets, electric bulbs in boxes (shield rice from the light) etc. Any object that radiates some heat can be used with a cardboard or polystyrene box. A thermometer is indeed very useful .

Brewing Tips: Particular attention should be paid to the amounts of water used at the brewing stage. Too much water will result in a very poor quality drink indeed. Good quality water is essential, use chlorine/iron free commercial or boiled water. Brewing at temperatures above 18 ° centigrade (66° F) are not recommended. The brewing process can be stopped at any time by straining the brew and pasteurising. Brewing Adjustments: Your brew can be sweetened by adding more steam rice , perhaps in 250 grams lots (preferably 200gms rice+50gms kome-koji), at the end of fermentation. This will start a second fermentation that will increase the alcohol level: when the yeast can longer survive in the higher alcohol levels (approx 18% alc/vol) the remaining steam rice will be converted to sugars increasing the sweetness of the brew. Sugar and citric acid can also be used to obtain a sweet or dry effect. This homebrew style of Sake is called “Doburoku” and is traditionally drunk with a cloudy milky colour as the most delicious flavours are found in the white residue.

Brewing containers and bottles should be sterilized by washing with Sodium Metabisulphate. Please use caution when using this product and be sure to read the manufacturers instructions carefully. Household bleach can also be used for sterilising, again follow manufactures instructions.

Pasteurising: Sake that is stored with yeasts still alive in the bottle may be unstable and not preserve well. Sake can be stabilised by pasteurising, this process requires GENTLY heating the strained brew in a saucepan for 5 mins at 55 degrees centigrade(132° F), this will slightly change the character of the drink. Allow the sake to cool before bottling. This bottle will be now good for many years while it remains unopened. Generally sake will improve for the first few months after bottling. Any sterile sealed bottle will work well for storing Sake. Store in a dark place as light does not agree with Sake. One can choose not to pasteurise, however be sure to keep the Sake refrigerated at all times to preserve it well.

An extremely pleasant tasting drink, approximately 14% to 18% alc/vol, can be produced by following the above instructions.This particular style of Sake is best served chilled. Fish and cheese are very suitable Sake companions

[Ed Dunkel]

Sake is best served chilled.

Strange, My japanese house mate used to serve it warmed :confused:

There are probably many traditions all over japan

[Hagakure]

some sake is preffered warm some cold.

"WARM SAKE!?! VERRRRRRRY GUUUUUUUD"

[simon_marklar]

warm saki is yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum

and it makes me happy!

[mesq]

Drinking Warm Sake is good with Warm Sucky!

[smogs]

gets you very head drunk very quickly when its warm

it smells somewhat simular to method

[waterdragon]

the permaculture book of ferment and human nutrition by bill mollison lists a method of sake production but it's lengthy and my hands have not the energy of devance.

[mesq]

Why is this thread in the mycology section ?

[ferret]

yeasts = unicellular fungi

[mesq]

true

[G*P]

A guy sent me some once, but I could never get it to grow on the rice:( Small Kome, big barrel of rice:(

[Legba]

I think it's traditonal to drink cheap sake hot and good sake cold.

Here is a selection of different qualities from an australian producer.

Sake-oooor

[watertrade]

if anyone is interested I have some Aspergillus Oryzae spores for making sake (and others) that I can sell/trade - or if you really want I could make some fresh koji. but be warned... its a long process!

Edited July 10, 2008 by watertrade