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OzPiper

Lifer
Nov 30, 2020
6,736
36,348
72
Sydney, Australia
In sake starches are converted to glucose in the rice (a grain) by enzymes called koji, this process is saccharification, then converted to alcohol by yeast. This is multi-stage parallel fermentation meaning the saccharification and fermentation happen in the same tank at the same time.
My grandmother used to do this for homemade rice “wine” using starchy (sticky) rice.
She would give us some of the partially fermented rice as a treat (before it became too alcoholic).
Loved the sweet, yeasty taste.
 
My grandmother used to do this for homemade rice “wine” using starchy (sticky) rice.
She would give us some of the partially fermented rice as a treat (before it became too alcoholic).
Loved the sweet, yeasty taste.
I’ve not made a rice wine, but I’ve seen it made. But I have made a barley wine, just to see what it would be like. Nothing to rave about.

I also made a limited release plum wine and sent it out last year. It would probably pair well with asian foods. Not too sweet or fruity, but still refreshing. It did better than I expected. A neighbor had about 20 plum trees with four varieties. Sort of random recipe, but it was a hit.
 
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renfield

Lifer
Oct 16, 2011
5,115
41,516
Kansas
In beer starches are converted to glucose in the malt (a grain) by boiling, this process is saccharification, then converted to alcohol by yeast. This is multi-stage fermentation because the saccharification and fermentation happen in different stages in different tanks.
The enzymatic conversion happens during mashing, not boiling.

The alpha and beta amylase enzymes in the malted barley would be completely denatured by boiling (actually around 180F) and you would just end up making barley porridge.

The beer wort is boiled to drop out proteins, extract hop acids and oils, increase specific gravity and produce caramelization of the sugars, as well as to sterilize the sugar rich solution prior to fermentation. It’s not a beer by contemporary definition unless a wort has been boiled.

Fruit wines, meads and sake can “happen” without the addition of fire, so to speak. I’d argue sake is closer to wine than beer from that standpoint.

I’ve made beer, fruit wine, mead and sake. Process-wise making sake feels more like wine making than brewing.

Not that it matters.
 

mingc

Lifer
Jun 20, 2019
4,229
12,549
The Big Rock Candy Mountains
My grandmother used to do this for homemade rice “wine” using starchy (sticky) rice.
She would give us some of the partially fermented rice as a treat (before it became too alcoholic).
Loved the sweet, yeasty taste.
My mother made her own rice wine too (glutinous rice in an earthenware pot/jar). She used it almost exclusively for cooking. I used to hate the food to which she added wine. Today, I crave booze flavored food!
 
The enzymatic conversion happens during mashing, not boiling.

The alpha and beta amylase enzymes in the malted barley would be completely denatured by boiling (actually around 180F) and you would just end up making barley porridge.

The beer wort is boiled to drop out proteins, extract hop acids and oils, increase specific gravity and produce caramelization of the sugars, as well as to sterilize the sugar rich solution prior to fermentation. It’s not a beer by contemporary definition unless a wort has been boiled.

Fruit wines, meads and sake can “happen” without the addition of fire, so to speak. I’d argue sake is closer to wine than beer from that standpoint.

I’ve made beer, fruit wine, mead and sake. Process-wise making sake feels more like wine making than brewing.

Not that it matters.
I wasn’t going to split hairs with him. I was serving my meads at a tasting once, and this guy started telling me how mead is a beer not a wine. He was guzzling my 18% down like it was a Budweiser. He took offense to my labels that said honey wine. I just took his glass away and was like, “I’m really sorry if I upset you. I don’t want to upset you further by making you drink this.”

The only differences between beer and wine are what we give them. I mean sure, there are differences, but there are exceptions all along the spectrum. Carbonated, except for champagne, higher abv, except for IPAs, brewed, except for some fruit wines. They are all more alike than different.
 
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jackattack

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 15, 2024
167
871
Austin, TX
I wasn't "schooling you on how to make wine" I was pointing out how the process is different for making sake and how it's more comparable to making beer....which it is. Forgive me for not knowing that you own a winery, I was just responding to the thing you typed on an anonymous internet forum.

I mistyped when I referred to the boil, my bad.
 
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I wasn't "schooling you on how to make wine" I was pointing out how the process is different for making sake and how it's more comparable to making beer....which it is. Forgive me for not knowing that you own a winery, I was just responding to the thing you typed on an anonymous internet forum.

I mistyped when I referred to the boil, my bad.
I took no offense, just pointing out the irony.
 
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No offense! Just thought you might appreciate this kind of humor. Apologies if I got it wrong.
Not at all. I enjoy the banter. It’s been slow on the forum today.

It may come across as an overstep to say that I own a winery. It started as a hobby. I have all these fruit trees and several rows of muscadines. We don’t eat jellies, and no human can eat that many pies, ha ha. I played around with different wines, and served them at our local tastings. But, I couldn’t sell them, because I didn’t have the papers. So, I built a nice shed to specs and expanded how much I made,, and got the papers. I sold them just for kicks at farmers markets, and push them at our local vintner. One of my daughters handles selling them now. The only thing I do now is pitch yeast and monitor them till aging. Just another hobby that became a side hustle. Maybe she’ll make it bigger. Depends on her hustle.

I’m not out walking my miles of fancy french grapes, flying off to France and San Francisco with crates. I don’t want to misrepresent myself. I dod take a course at the Biltmore, if they have a vineyard anymore. But yes, I am no expert on husbanding microbial organism or the chemistry of alcohol molecules converting into more complex strains of flavonoids. There’s always more to learn. Like pipes… And women.
 

ziv

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 19, 2024
160
1,001
South Florida
Not at all. I enjoy the banter. It’s been slow on the forum today.

It may come across as an overstep to say that I own a winery. It started as a hobby. I have all these fruit trees and several rows of muscadines. We don’t eat jellies, and no human can eat that many pies, ha ha. I played around with different wines, and served them at our local tastings. But, I couldn’t sell them, because I didn’t have the papers. So, I built a nice shed to specs and expanded how much I made,, and got the papers. I sold them just for kicks at farmers markets, and push them at our local vintner. One of my daughters handles selling them now. The only thing I do now is pitch yeast and monitor them till aging. Just another hobby that became a side hustle. Maybe she’ll make it bigger. Depends on her hustle.

I’m not out walking my miles of fancy french grapes, flying off to France and San Francisco with crates. I don’t want to misrepresent myself. I dod take a course at the Biltmore, if they have a vineyard anymore. But yes, I am no expert on husbanding microbial organism or the chemistry of alcohol molecules converting into more complex strains of flavonoids. There’s always more to learn. Like pipes… And women.
And dishwashers, I might add.
Well, sorry for the off topic.
 
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OzPiper

Lifer
Nov 30, 2020
6,736
36,348
72
Sydney, Australia
Riesling is an incredibly versatile wine and pairs exceptionally well with Asian dishes including spicy ones.
My favourite white wine - so many different styles from dry (Aussie, Alsace, Austria, USA, and now increasingly Germany) to off-dry and very sweet.
I drink far more Rieslings than Chardonnay.

That Robert Weil is a trocken, but has the slightest tinge of residual sugar.
It paired beautifully with the steamed mud crab dish.
 

bullet08

Lifer
Nov 26, 2018
10,182
41,391
RTP, NC. USA
I love chicken cooked in rice wine with lots of ginger - a Hakka speciality (so I have been told by my Hakka friends) 😋

My grandmother on my mom's side, was more into fruit alcohol. Just shove in ton of fruits in a jar and fill it with sake or soju or whatever. After few months or over the winter, it turns very interesting. Sugar from the fruit and wild yeast with alcohol. Goes down like Kool aid.
 
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OzPiper

Lifer
Nov 30, 2020
6,736
36,348
72
Sydney, Australia
My grandmother on my mom's side, was more into fruit alcohol. Just shove in ton of fruits in a jar and fill it with sake or soju or whatever. After few months or over the winter, it turns very interesting. Sugar from the fruit and wild yeast with alcohol. Goes down like Kool aid.
When I was staying in a university residential college we had fun concocting fruit alcohols.
A mate had a part-time job working in a lab, and had “access” (we didn’t ask too many questions) to pure alcohol.

We did have a few drunken parties
I don’t think the results were that good, as we didn’t persist with our experiments.
 

bullet08

Lifer
Nov 26, 2018
10,182
41,391
RTP, NC. USA
When I was staying in a university residential college we had fun concocting fruit alcohols.
A mate had a part-time job working in a lab, and had “access” (we didn’t ask too many questions) to pure alcohol.

We did have a few drunken parties
I don’t think the results were that good, as we didn’t persist with our experiments.
By college, I was done "drinking". It was rather strange seeing all other kids getting drunk like when I was in junior high x) We used to drink ton when I was kid. Used to drink a bottle of single malt and still stay functional. Then one day something snapped. Like something seriously broken in my head. After that I limit my drinking carefully, most of the time.
 
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OzPiper

Lifer
Nov 30, 2020
6,736
36,348
72
Sydney, Australia
By college, I was done "drinking".
Quite the opposite here.
I didn’t drink until I entered college. Where they tried to instil a responsible wine culture.
My 2 best mates at college grew up in the UK and EU, so we drank wine mainly, while the rest drank beer.

I started liking beer only years afterwards.
 
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