This recipe I used for my rice wine.
* 5 lbs. of inexpensive white rice (don't try to improve the
recipe by using top-quality rice, it won't come out any better).
* 10 lbs. white sugar.
* 1/2 gallon white grape juice (WARNING: Read the label, if the
grape juice contains sodium metabisulphate or potassium
metabisulphate, DON'T USE IT. These compounds are very effective
preservatives, and will prevent fermentation. If you absolutely cannot
find non-preservative grape juice substitute apple juice here).
* 1 pkg. Flor Sherry wine yeast.
* 3 1/2 tsps. Amylase enzyme powder (this is necessary since
rice contains lots of starch; amylase enzymes convert starch into
sugar, which the yeast then converts into alcohol).
* 1 tsp. yeast energizer.
* 2 1/2 tsps. pectic enzyme.
* 5 tsps. yeast nutrient.
* Water to make 6 gallons.
* 4 Camden tablets.
Cook the rice in a large kettle (remember that rice expands as it
cooks!) Allow the cooked rice to cool, this may take overnight, and it
will probably fuse into a semi-solid mass by morning. Chop and scoop
the rice out of the kettle into a 10 gallon container such as a large
crock or plastic fermentation container.
Pour in the grape juice. Add water to make about 6 gallons. Stir in
the sugar. Crush the Camden tablets in a little water, stir them in,
and let the whole works sit overnight.
The next day add the yeast, yeast energizer, pectic enzyme, amylase
enzyme powder and yeast nutrient.
Allow the must to ferment for ten days. Expect it to smell wonderful
but to look gastly during initial fermentation; it will resemble
slowly boiling oatmeal. Stir the mixture once or twice a day to keep
things mixed and to keep the rice which rises to the top wet.
After ten days strain out the rice by filtering it through cheese
cloth or a fine sieve (some winemakers simplify the straining process
by fermenting the rice in a large cheese cloth bag from the outset,
but I haven't had much luck with this). After filtering, the liquid
will resemble dirty milk, don't worry, this is normal. Rack [syphon]
the mixture into a 5 gallon glass or plastic carboy. Attach a
fermentation airlock. Allow it to continue as a second fermentation
for about ten more days, then rack it again to leave spent yeast and
starches behind. Continue to rack at about one month intervals, as the
dregs are left behind the wine should become crystal clear. Keep an
eye on the bubbles produced by fermentation, and allow fermentation to
proceed until it has completely stopped. Ours takes about four months.
Syphon into bottles and label them.
Like many white wines this rice wine is intended to be used young;
although it can be cellared, it doesn't improve particularly with age.
Be warned, by the way, our rice wine comes out with a substantial
alcohol content, so be careful not to overdo drinking it or you may
find yourself telling funny stories to your dog.
Should I just keep racking it once a month for the 4 months (even though it has finished fermenting) like it says and hope it clears and turns out well?