Homemade Rice Wine (Choujiu)

Rice wine, also known as rice liquor or sake is an alcoholic beverage that has a long and illustrious history in many cultures around the world. It is commonly used in cooking, as well as being consumed as a drink in many cultures. This is Choujiu style a type of Chinese fermented alcoholic beverage brewed from glutinous rice. It is very thick and has a milky white color,

History

Rice wine has a long history in China. It is believed to have been first produced in China around the 2nd century BC. The production of rice wine involves the fermentation of rice, water, and yeast, and it has traditionally been an important beverage in Chinese culture, used for both drinking and in religious ceremonies. Rice wine was also an important trade item in ancient China and was often given as a gift to foreign dignitaries. Over time, the production of rice wine spread to other parts of Asia, and it is now enjoyed in many countries around the world. In China, rice wine is typically served in small cups and is considered a symbol of hospitality and good luck.

Isn't alcohol bad for you?

Rice wine has also played an important role in traditional medicine in many cultures. It is believed to have health benefits, including assisting with digestion and improving circulation. In some traditional Chinese medicine practices, rice wine is used to treat a variety of ailments, including coughs, colds, and fever.

What yeast do I use?

The yeast used in rice wine production is different from the yeast used in bread and wine production. With rice wine fermentation is carried out by a combination of the fungus Aspergillus oryzae, which converts the rice starches into fermentable sugars, and yeast which in turns converts the sugars into alcohol. The fermentation process typically takes several weeks and can result in an alcohol content of between 18 and 25 percent. You need to buy rice leaven or rice balls when making rice wine at home.

How to make a great rice wine?

When making rice wine at home, it's important to choose the right type of rice. Look for a short-grain or glutinous rice, as these types have a high starch content that is ideal for fermentation. Before starting the fermentation process, be sure to wash the rice thoroughly and then soak it in water for several hours or overnight to soften it and make it easier to process. When mixing the cooked rice allow it to cool and mix well with the yeast (so the yeast touches almost every grain of rice.

Ingredients

500 g (18 oz) Glutinous Rice

600 g (20 oz) Water

1/4 packet of rice leaven or a Chinese yeast ball

Sanitize the jar, sieve, jug & bottles etc in a 5 gallon bucket with one teaspoon of household bleach for at least 30 minutes and then rinse with filtered water and allowed to dry thoroughly without touching

Method

Wash the rice until the water runs clear. Cover the rice with at least one inch of water and soak overnight. Take note of the initial weight of the rice.

After soaking weigh the rice and add total water to equal 1.2 times the weight of the rice. For example if after soaking my rice weighed 700 g i needed to add 400 g water. Steam the rice and let it cool to below 38 degrees centigrade.

When the rice is cool sprinkle in the yeast try to combine it with as many grains of rice as possible. Add a little water if needed to stir the rice. Place the rice into the fermenting vessel leaving at least 1/3rd of the container empty. Cover with a cloth or loosely tighten the lid leaving enough space for air to escape but not enough space for insects to enter. Allow to ferment for 60 days.

Strain the rice out and bottle the liquid. Leave the caps on the bottles loose as the fermentation will continue and carbon dioxide will be produced. The wine can be racked after a week or so to remove more sediment if you choose or drunk straight away.